BIO: John Alvah RUNK, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Dave Wilson Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************************** __________________________________________________________ McElroy, James Thomas Jr., McElroy's Family Memories, Huntingdon, PA: (Author), 1930, page 187. __________________________________________________________ JOHN ALVAH RUNK Waridge Orchards Orchardist: Was born at McVeytown, Mifflin Co., Pa., Dec. 14, 1877. Attended the grade schools of McVeytown. A son of Samuel H. and Mary (Otto) Runk. The father was a farmer all his life. He died in 1927, aged seventy-one. The mother is still living. John Alvah Runk attended Millersville State College in 1910, receiving the degree of M.A.; also Cornell University. College Fraternity (Alpha Zeta). He taught school at McVeytown for five years, at Mount Union for three years. Was instructor for three years at State College on the subject of Pomology, the science of fruit growing. In 1913 he established the Waridge Orchards, about three miles west of the Reformatory, containing 475 acres, about 175 acres being devoted to fruit culture, peaches, cherries and apples, which are made a specialty, wholesale and retail, about fifty people being employed in the busy season, and during the year around ten are employed. During the World War he was in the Food Service Department. He belongs to the Methodist Church, McVeytown, Pa. A Republican in politics. Is a Mason, No. 376, McVeytown, Pa.; also belongs to the State Horticultural Association. Has five brothers: Herbert, married to Florence Hooper, Philadelphia, Pa.; Paul, married to Nora Myers, East McKeesport, Pa.; Carl, Lewistown, Pa.; Fred, married to Ruth Miller, Wayne Township, Mifflin Co., Pa. John Runk was married to Mary Bush, daughter of William and Ada Bush. They have two sons: Graeme Bush, five years; Samuel Eugene, two years, and a daughter, Kathryn, three months.