BIO:  Dr. John RUNKEL, Gettysburg, Adams County, PA

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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania
Chicago:  Warner, Beers & Co., 1886
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Part III, History of Adams County, Page 368

DR. JOHN RUNKEL (deceased) was born in Frederick County, Md., February 22, 1786, 
a son of Rev. John William Runkel, who was born in the Palatinate, Germany, in 
1749, and at the age of fifteen years came to America with his father.  Rev. 
John William, in 1770, married Catherine Nies.  He was of a pious disposition 
and turned his attention to the study of theology, receiving private 
instruction, and July 30, 1778, he was ordained at Carlisle, Penn., to the 
ministry of the German Reformed Church.  He became a very active missionary for 
several years, and subsequently became pastor of a church at Frederick, Md., and 
did work throughout western Maryland and Virginia.  He was pastor of a church 
for a period, at Germantown, Penn., accepting the call in 1802; he was also 
pastor of a church in New York City, the call to which he accepted in 1805.  In 
1812 he returned to Germantown, and in July, 1815, he accepted a call to the 
church at Gettysburg, Penn., and Emmittsburg and Taneytown, Md., selecting 
Emmittsburg as a place of residence.  In 1821 he removed to Gettysburg and 
served the church there seven years, after which he withdrew from active 
service.  His death occurred November 5, 1832, in his eighty-fourth year, and 
was buried in the graveyard at Emmittsburg.  Dr. John Runkel for a time studied 
theology, but abandoned it for the medical profession.  He read medicine and 
attended several courses of lectures and received his degrees in Maryland.  He 
began the practice of medicine in that State, and in 1821 located with his 
father’s family at Gettysburg, where he passed the remainder of his life.  Being 
possessed of means he did not pursue his profession actively.  He was thoroughly 
educated and polished in manner.  Frank, sincere and honest in all things, he 
was justly held in universal esteem, and in his death the town lost not only one 
of its oldest, but one of its best citizens.  His death occurred at Gettysburg 
April 19, 1880, in the ninety-fifth year of his age.  The first wife of Dr. 
Runkel was Elizabeth Roop, of Germantown, Penn., whom he married in 1817, and by 
whom he had two children:  one who died when quite young, and Anna M., a maiden 
lady, the only surviving member of the family.  The mother of Anna M., died in 
1856, a member of the German Reformed Church.  The Doctor married his second 
wife in Philadelphia.  In politics he was a Democrat.