John Bartlett Runey is noted as being the first settler to the area in 1841. Some accounts note him as being named Bartley Runey.
Runey was born in Frederick County, Maryland in 1795. He married Margaret Garnett in 1815 who was also from Frederick County, Maryland. The following year, their first child, Susannah, was born in 1816. Three years later, they moved to Patterson, Hampshire County, Virginia. While there the family added three more children: Jane Catherine in 1819; Eliza Ellen in 1821; and Rezin (Reason) in 1823.
Next, it was on to Licking County, Ohio. Runey operated a mill there and later purchased a farm in Preble County. During their time in Ohio, more children were born: Greenwill in 1825; Mary in 1827; Catherine in 1830; and Garrett in 1832.
The family moved again in 1835 to Goshen, Indiana. The eldest daughter, Susannah, and Bartlett and Margaret’s third child, Eliza, found husbands and were married while the family grew again adding two more daughters, Clara, born in 1838 and Lily Clarys in 1839.
In the spring of 1841, with a covered wagon and a team, Bartlett and Margaret along with their children (ranging in age from 21 to 3) moved yet again, stopping in Rockford, Illinois. The family was accompanied by their married daughter, Susannah, her husband, and their two children. Such a large family struggled to find living accommodations and continued on to Janesville, where their other married daughter, Eliza, had already settled with her husband. Susannah and her family remained in Janesville, where they became neighbors with Eliza’s family.
In the autumn of 1841 Runey traveled on to the Rutland area where he made the first claim, built the first house, and became the first white settler in the area. His family joined him in the following spring of 1842.
Runey’s home was a log house. In 1843, a frame addition was added and it became known as the “Pioneer Hotel,” which was located near the junction of the mail route from Madison to Janesville and the road from Mineral Point to Milwaukee; known as the “old lead trail.” The Pioneer Hotel was a favorite stopping point for the teamsters hauling lead. Often 10 to 14 teams of oxen could be seen pulling one stalled wagon out of the mud near the pioneer tavern. The first religious services in the area were also held at the Pioneer Hotel because it was the only place large enough to house the congregation. A circuit minister named Hawks led evening prayers with the early settlers.
The number of settlers to the area grew rapidly. Quite often new settlers to the area would stay at the Pioneer Hotel while they built their own homes.
Bartlett Runey’s life was filled with the adventure of being a pioneer and he was blessed with a large family but not with long life. In September, 1846, while returning home from Madison with supplies, Runey’s wagon overturned on a steep hill three miles south of Madison which would later be named “Breakneck Hill.”Runey did not survive the accident and died on September 9, 1846 at the age of 50 or 51.
Runey’s wife Margaret continued to live on the farm of 168 acres and died there in 1850.
Information about Bartlett’s children is listed below.
- Susannah Runey Russell (1816-1919), had a large family with nine children. She is buried in Janesville, Wisconsin.
- Jane Catherine (1819-1892) Jane married David Anthony (1806-1886) It was the first marriage held in the area.
- Eliza Ellen (1821) married S. Hutson.
- Reason (1823-1848)
- Greenwill (1825)
- Mary (1827-1919) into a large Irish family of James Hurbert Fox (1816-1888). Their first home was five miles off a highway – a log cabin built in the woods.
- Catherine (1830-1923) Catherine married Levi Hanan.
- Garrett (1832-1914) Garrett married Maria Costleman. They had six children – Joseph, Frank, Helen, Willis, Clarence and Clara (twins). Garrett continued to work the farm until his death,
- Clara (1838-1910) married George Tarrant in 1860. He was a pioneer citizen of Durant, Wisconsin where he opened a mercantile business. He was a founder of the Bank of Durand in 1884 and served as its president. He was mayor Durant in 1881-1882 and also served in the State Assembly.
- Lily Clarys (1839)