Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-10-18
.ANEDITOR'S REM|N|SCENSE
John Bunk Looking Up Birth Place
Of His Father.
SOME OLD BERKELEY HISTORY
Born Near Hedgesyiile Samuel Runk is No~
Living IN Indiana at Age Of 86.

Berkeley county had visit on last
Friday ard Saturday from newspaper
editor. He was ]. NJ RINK. for sew
eral years editor and proprietor Of the
ChambersburQ. Pa. Public Opinion,
and one Of the founders Of the Morn
ing Daily Of that place which had a
phenominal growth
Mr.. Runk came to locate the place
on farm near Hedgesville. where his
father was born in 1916 BY searching
the county records he learned that
his grand father, whose name was
John Runk, had purchased 100 acres Of
land from Michael and Jacob Pitzer
ia 1919. whittier he removed his fami-
ly from Hanover. York county, Pa.
Here John Runk resided until he sold
the farm IA 1886 10 Jonathan Wandliug
for s725. 90, and removed to Highlard
county, Ohio. whore he died at sic
ripe old age Of nearly one Aandged
years, in affiuent circumstances.
The eldest of John Runk's family
was named John, who married Miss
Rankin, of Berkeley county and for
some time lived ON the old homestead,
but went with his fathers family to
Ohio. He was known in his teens as
an expert performer ON the fife while
younger brother named Samuel,
the father of the Chambersburg edi-
tion, was lnarvel with tenor drum.
For years after the close of the war
of 1512-15 the military spirit of Virgi.
mia ran high and the Runk brothers
furnished music for the State MALTA.
1t is said that when the MALTA was
ordered out for drill, it only took few
moments for the crowds of visitors to
discover the music of the fife and drum
furnished bv John and Samuel Runk
and that the climax of the excitement
was always reached when John Runk
played the Girl l Left Behind Me-
Ior other familiar tunes on the fife with
one hand and with the other used one
OF the tenor drum sticks while Sam
uel used the other. the two playing
the tune on the drum as perfectly as
one nerson could do it
John died in Wisconsin several years
ago. while Samuel is living in Indiana
at the age of S. years and can play
thegdrum with the ssame spirit and
skill he exhibited seventv-fve wears
ago among the fields of Berkeley coun-
/ ty. He is one of the well. to-do farm
ers of Howard county, Indiana He
is exceedingly proud of his West Vir-
ginia blood, knowing which his son,
our Chambersburg visitor come to
Berkeley county to secure photographs
of the old farm where samuel was born
and other familiar points as memen-
toes of nearly century ago.
At Hedgesvllle, Mr. Runk found
Mrs. Anna Mary Kreglow, the widow
Of Adam Kreglow and the mother of
Geo. T. Kreglow. the well known
merchant of Hedgesyille. Mrs. Kreg-
low is 81 years old She remembered
Samuel Runl1 and brothers, John, ia
cob, Daniel and William and sister.
with all of whom, except John, she
attended school kept by Mr.. Barcas
gentleman who delighted in using
the rod on the unruly.
Mrs. Kreglow directed editor Runk
to the old farm and the place where
his father first faw the light of day,
Ii is needless to say that all films were
exposed in securing snap shots of the
surrounding country. the old haunt
ed spring on the farm. the streets of
Hedgesville. the old brick stone house
erected more than seventy-fiye years
ago by Hezekiah Hedges and Samuel
Robinson. old Mt Zion church, and
last but not of least Importance. neg
ative of grandmother Kreglow. whose
maiden name was Strayer. When pho
tographs shall have been finished, of
each negative, they will form parr of
pleasing package which will go to
Samuel Runk, to revive his memory of
the long ago when his happiest days
were spent among the hills of Berkeley
county.
Mr.. Runk expressed TO The World a
feeling of much gratitude to Ed Hill
of the County Clerk office, Geo Van
Metre. county surveyor, Henry J. Sci
bert of Martinsburg. Geo. I. Kreglow
and mother, and Josiah H. Alexander
of Hedgesville fer assistance in locat-
ing the old homestead.
West Virginia has done her full
share to populate the "Wild and Woody
West. 4" and those of us, who today en-
JOY the fruits of the tolls and struggles
of the pioneers, cannot but feel proud
of the grand old county of Berkeley,
founded in 1872 when defendants of
the early settlers come back from the
hustling and bustling west. seeking