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p. 436 GLEN F. REDFERN, clerk of the
District Court of Keokuk County, was born and reared in that
county, where his people have lived for three generations.
The Redfern family came to Iowa from Zanesville, Ohio.
They are of Irish ancestry. Mr. Redfern's parents, James
William, and Laura (Schultz) Redfern, are honored residents of
Martinsburg in Keokuk County. His father was born in this
county, was educated in local schools and for twenty-five
years has been employed in the duties of township offices. He
and his wife have four children: Glen F; Mrs. Audrey B.
Halferty, of Des Moines; Mrs. Beatrice I. Craig, of Chicago;
and Mrs. Almeda A. Perkins, of Churdan, Iowa.
Glen F. Redfern, was born near Martinsburg, February 7,
1893, and lived on the home farm with his parents while
attending the common schools and the Martinsburg High School,
from which he was graduated in 1910. While in high school he
played baseball and a part of every day in school he assisted
around the home farm and after graduating remained a factor on
the home place until 1913. He then completed a course in the
Cedar Rapids Business College, receiving his diploma in 1914,
was employed by several firms in that city and in the fall of
1914 returned to Keokuk County and engaged in farming and in
work as an auctioneer.
Mr. Redfern in 1918 enlisted and joined the colors for
training at Camp Mabry at College Station, Texas, where he was
trained for work in the motor transportation corps and was
advanced to the grade of truck master. Later he was
transferred to the Infantry Officers Training School, and
received his honorable discharge at College Station, Texas, in
December, 1918.
After his military service he returned to Keokuk County,
and gave his industrious attention to his farming interests.
Mr. Redfern in 1924 was elected district clerk, beginning his
duties in that office on January 1, 1925, and he has been
twice reelected. Prior to that he had served as tax assessor
and township clerk of Steady Run Township.
Mr. Redfern is a member of the American Legion Post at
Sigourney, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is a Republican and a
Methodist. He married, May 21, 1919, Miss Mildred A. Williams,
of Sigourney. They have one child, Don W., born June 7, 1925.
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p. 235
HENRY RUNGE, who died August 13, 1916,
was the founder of the Davenport business long known as the
Henry Runge funeral directing establishment, now conducted by
his sons Martin and Harry H., under the firm name of Henry
Runge's Sons, proprietors of the Runge Mortuary. This was the
first modern funeral conducting service in Davenport and has
long been counted one of the real civic assets of the
community. The business is located at 822-824 West Third
Street, occupying a building erected by Henry Runge more than
a quarter of a century ago.
Henry Runge was born at Davenport, June 7, 1861, one of
the nine children of Martin L. and Wilhelmina (Schwartz) Runge.
His father came from Germany and after a brief residence at
Chicago moved to Davenport, where he was connected with the
packing business and for many years with the Davis Mill.
Henry Runge grew up in Davenport, attended the common
schools, and was a pupil in night school while serving an
apprenticeship at the upholsterer's trade. He was employed in
the upholstering and furniture business for twenty years, and
after a special course in embalming at Des Moines organized
the firm of Weiss & Runge. In February, 1896, Mr. Runge
established his own business, and carried it on through the
twenty years before his death. In 1902 he erected the Runge
building.
Mr. Runge was a very popular citizen and business man and
was affiliated with many social and fraternal organizations,
including the B. P. O. Elks, Knights of Pythias, and
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He and his family were
Lutherans. His first wife was Emma Tess, who died in 1886,
leaving two children. On October 1, 1891, Henry Runge married
Christina M. Juergensen and of the five children born to their
marriage four grew up, Edna, Martin L., Harry H., and
Henrietta.
The proprietors and managers of the Runge Mortuary today
are Martin and Harry H. Runge, both of whom were born in
Davenport and were given liberal opportunities for an
education. Both are graduates of the Hohenschuh College of
Embalming at Des Moines and both had training in the business
under their father before his death. In recent years they have
remodeled the Runge Building, converting it into the first
modern funeral chapel and funeral parlors at Davenport. The
brothers are members of the National Funeral Service Bureau
and the Mississippi Valley Funeral Directors Association, of
which Martin Runge is a past president. They also belong to
the Iowa State Association.
Harry H. Runge married Frances Smith. Martin Runge
married Mida Gilbarith, a native of Illinois, and has five
children, Henry Charles, William Martin, Albert Fred, Joan and
Joyce. |
