According to the registry in the Bible of her older brother Thomas, Elizabeth Shepherd was born on December 3, 1774, presumably in Halifax County, Virginia, where her family was living at the time. Her father was James Shepherd, whose parents George and Elizabeth (Daye) Shepherd had immigrated from Scotland. Her mother is thought by some to have been Lucy Goodpasture, daughter of Jacob and Maria (Schmid) Goodpasture (= Vollenweider) of Switzerland, and this is supported by the existence of DNA matches between descendants of Elizabeth and descendants of her uncle Solomon Goodpasture.
In 1776 the Shepherd family moved to North Carolina and settled in Wilkes County (then part of Surry County), which is where Elizabeth grew up. In March of 1778 her father, James Shepherd, registered ownership of 150 acres of land on the north side of the Yadkin River, opposite the mouth of Moravian Creek. In 1780 he served in the militia under William Lenoir and fought in several battles of the Revolutionary War.
Her brother Thomas seems to have stayed in Virginia, and around 1779 was married to Nancy Stanton. Nancy had a sister Susannah in Bedford County who was married to John Runnion (born 1752 NJ). That same year, 1779, John Runnion enlisted in a Virginia regiment of the Continental Army, so Thomas and Nancy stayed with Susannah Runnion and her children. When the war ended, these two families moved to Wilkes County, where Elizabeth lived. There she became acquainted with Joseph Runnion, although both were children at the time.
Around 1793, Joseph Runnion was married to Elizabeth’s sister Mary, who gave birth to a daughter in 1794. Sometime after that Mary died, perhaps from complications of childbirth. Elizabeth and Joseph were then married, and moved to Buncombe County with Joseph’s parents and their family. His father John is mentioned in Buncombe County records beginning in 1795, so that is probably when they all moved there. Both families are listed in the 1800 and 1810 census records for Buncombe County. Elizabeth had children of her own there, as well as caring for Mary’s daughter, who was also named Mary. In late 1810 or soon afterwards they moved across the Appalachian ridge into Cocke County, Tennessee, and eventually settled in Sevier County, where her husband Joseph had cousins. In 1814 Joseph Runion and his second cousin John Wesley Runion served in the East Tennessee Militia, defending Mobile, Alabama, from British forces. In 1817 she gave birth in Sevier County to a son Joseph Jr., and in 1824 her husband was issued a land grant in Sevier County.
Joseph and Elizabeth Runnion had eleven known children:
Rodman Runyan 1800 – AFT 1848
John Stuart Runnion 1801–1874
Henry M. Runyan 1804–1875
Nancy (Runnion) Carter Robinson 1804–1868
George W Runnion 1806–1881
Elias "Eli" Levi Runnion 1810–1870
James Runyon 1810 – BET 1870-1880
Elizabeth Martha (Runyon) Leatherwood 1812–1887
Thomas Runyon 1814–1874?
Joseph R. Runion Jr 1817–1903
Isaac Runnion 1819–1877
Afterwards Joseph and Elizabeth moved back to Cocke County, where in November 1827 they purchased land along Cosby’s Creek, which empties into the Pigeon River. The next year their sons George and John Stuart bought neighboring land. They farmed the land for about ten years, then most of the family moved to Blount County. Their son Henry remained on the farm in Cocke County, and their son John Stuart remained for a while on his farm there as well, but their younger sons moved with them. Their married son George Runnion and married daughter Elizabeth Leatherwood developed farms of their own in Blount County, while Joseph and Elizabeth ran their farm as an extended family with their sons Levi, James, and Joseph Jr. By 1838 their farm had 190 acres, and most of Elizabeth’s children and grandchildren lived nearby, where she could enjoy them. Between 1840 and 1843 Elizabeth passed away, most likely in Blount County.
In 1776 the Shepherd family moved to North Carolina and settled in Wilkes County (then part of Surry County), which is where Elizabeth grew up. In March of 1778 her father, James Shepherd, registered ownership of 150 acres of land on the north side of the Yadkin River, opposite the mouth of Moravian Creek. In 1780 he served in the militia under William Lenoir and fought in several battles of the Revolutionary War.
Her brother Thomas seems to have stayed in Virginia, and around 1779 was married to Nancy Stanton. Nancy had a sister Susannah in Bedford County who was married to John Runnion (born 1752 NJ). That same year, 1779, John Runnion enlisted in a Virginia regiment of the Continental Army, so Thomas and Nancy stayed with Susannah Runnion and her children. When the war ended, these two families moved to Wilkes County, where Elizabeth lived. There she became acquainted with Joseph Runnion, although both were children at the time.
Around 1793, Joseph Runnion was married to Elizabeth’s sister Mary, who gave birth to a daughter in 1794. Sometime after that Mary died, perhaps from complications of childbirth. Elizabeth and Joseph were then married, and moved to Buncombe County with Joseph’s parents and their family. His father John is mentioned in Buncombe County records beginning in 1795, so that is probably when they all moved there. Both families are listed in the 1800 and 1810 census records for Buncombe County. Elizabeth had children of her own there, as well as caring for Mary’s daughter, who was also named Mary. In late 1810 or soon afterwards they moved across the Appalachian ridge into Cocke County, Tennessee, and eventually settled in Sevier County, where her husband Joseph had cousins. In 1814 Joseph Runion and his second cousin John Wesley Runion served in the East Tennessee Militia, defending Mobile, Alabama, from British forces. In 1817 she gave birth in Sevier County to a son Joseph Jr., and in 1824 her husband was issued a land grant in Sevier County.
Joseph and Elizabeth Runnion had eleven known children:
Rodman Runyan 1800 – AFT 1848
John Stuart Runnion 1801–1874
Henry M. Runyan 1804–1875
Nancy (Runnion) Carter Robinson 1804–1868
George W Runnion 1806–1881
Elias "Eli" Levi Runnion 1810–1870
James Runyon 1810 – BET 1870-1880
Elizabeth Martha (Runyon) Leatherwood 1812–1887
Thomas Runyon 1814–1874?
Joseph R. Runion Jr 1817–1903
Isaac Runnion 1819–1877
Afterwards Joseph and Elizabeth moved back to Cocke County, where in November 1827 they purchased land along Cosby’s Creek, which empties into the Pigeon River. The next year their sons George and John Stuart bought neighboring land. They farmed the land for about ten years, then most of the family moved to Blount County. Their son Henry remained on the farm in Cocke County, and their son John Stuart remained for a while on his farm there as well, but their younger sons moved with them. Their married son George Runnion and married daughter Elizabeth Leatherwood developed farms of their own in Blount County, while Joseph and Elizabeth ran their farm as an extended family with their sons Levi, James, and Joseph Jr. By 1838 their farm had 190 acres, and most of Elizabeth’s children and grandchildren lived nearby, where she could enjoy them. Between 1840 and 1843 Elizabeth passed away, most likely in Blount County.
According to the registry in the Bible of her older brother Thomas, Elizabeth Shepherd was born on December 3, 1774, presumably in Halifax County, Virginia, where her family was living at the time. Her father was James Shepherd, whose parents George and Elizabeth (Daye) Shepherd had immigrated from Scotland. Her mother is thought by some to have been Lucy Goodpasture, daughter of Jacob and Maria (Schmid) Goodpasture (= Vollenweider) of Switzerland, and this is supported by the existence of DNA matches between descendants of Elizabeth and descendants of her uncle Solomon Goodpasture.
In 1776 the Shepherd family moved to North Carolina and settled in Wilkes County (then part of Surry County), which is where Elizabeth grew up. In March of 1778 her father, James Shepherd, registered ownership of 150 acres of land on the north side of the Yadkin River, opposite the mouth of Moravian Creek. In 1780 he served in the militia under William Lenoir and fought in several battles of the Revolutionary War.
Her brother Thomas seems to have stayed in Virginia, and around 1779 was married to Nancy Stanton. Nancy had a sister Susannah in Bedford County who was married to John Runnion (born 1752 NJ). That same year, 1779, John Runnion enlisted in a Virginia regiment of the Continental Army, so Thomas and Nancy stayed with Susannah Runnion and her children. When the war ended, these two families moved to Wilkes County, where Elizabeth lived. There she became acquainted with Joseph Runnion, although both were children at the time.
Around 1793, Joseph Runnion was married to Elizabeth’s sister Mary, who gave birth to a daughter in 1794. Sometime after that Mary died, perhaps from complications of childbirth. Elizabeth and Joseph were then married, and moved to Buncombe County with Joseph’s parents and their family. His father John is mentioned in Buncombe County records beginning in 1795, so that is probably when they all moved there. Both families are listed in the 1800 and 1810 census records for Buncombe County. Elizabeth had children of her own there, as well as caring for Mary’s daughter, who was also named Mary. In late 1810 or soon afterwards they moved across the Appalachian ridge into Cocke County, Tennessee, and eventually settled in Sevier County, where her husband Joseph had cousins. In 1814 Joseph Runion and his second cousin John Wesley Runion served in the East Tennessee Militia, defending Mobile, Alabama, from British forces. In 1817 she gave birth in Sevier County to a son Joseph Jr., and in 1824 her husband was issued a land grant in Sevier County.
Joseph and Elizabeth Runnion had eleven known children:
Rodman Runyan 1800 – AFT 1848
John Stuart Runnion 1801–1874
Henry M. Runyan 1804–1875
Nancy (Runnion) Carter Robinson 1804–1868
George W Runnion 1806–1881
Elias "Eli" Levi Runnion 1810–1870
James Runyon 1810 – BET 1870-1880
Elizabeth Martha (Runyon) Leatherwood 1812–1887
Thomas Runyon 1814–1874?
Joseph R. Runion Jr 1817–1903
Isaac Runnion 1819–1877
Afterwards Joseph and Elizabeth moved back to Cocke County, where in November 1827 they purchased land along Cosby’s Creek, which empties into the Pigeon River. The next year their sons George and John Stuart bought neighboring land. They farmed the land for about ten years, then most of the family moved to Blount County. Their son Henry remained on the farm in Cocke County, and their son John Stuart remained for a while on his farm there as well, but their younger sons moved with them. Their married son George Runnion and married daughter Elizabeth Leatherwood developed farms of their own in Blount County, while Joseph and Elizabeth ran their farm as an extended family with their sons Levi, James, and Joseph Jr. By 1838 their farm had 190 acres, and most of Elizabeth’s children and grandchildren lived nearby, where she could enjoy them. Between 1840 and 1843 Elizabeth passed away, most likely in Blount County.
In 1776 the Shepherd family moved to North Carolina and settled in Wilkes County (then part of Surry County), which is where Elizabeth grew up. In March of 1778 her father, James Shepherd, registered ownership of 150 acres of land on the north side of the Yadkin River, opposite the mouth of Moravian Creek. In 1780 he served in the militia under William Lenoir and fought in several battles of the Revolutionary War.
Her brother Thomas seems to have stayed in Virginia, and around 1779 was married to Nancy Stanton. Nancy had a sister Susannah in Bedford County who was married to John Runnion (born 1752 NJ). That same year, 1779, John Runnion enlisted in a Virginia regiment of the Continental Army, so Thomas and Nancy stayed with Susannah Runnion and her children. When the war ended, these two families moved to Wilkes County, where Elizabeth lived. There she became acquainted with Joseph Runnion, although both were children at the time.
Around 1793, Joseph Runnion was married to Elizabeth’s sister Mary, who gave birth to a daughter in 1794. Sometime after that Mary died, perhaps from complications of childbirth. Elizabeth and Joseph were then married, and moved to Buncombe County with Joseph’s parents and their family. His father John is mentioned in Buncombe County records beginning in 1795, so that is probably when they all moved there. Both families are listed in the 1800 and 1810 census records for Buncombe County. Elizabeth had children of her own there, as well as caring for Mary’s daughter, who was also named Mary. In late 1810 or soon afterwards they moved across the Appalachian ridge into Cocke County, Tennessee, and eventually settled in Sevier County, where her husband Joseph had cousins. In 1814 Joseph Runion and his second cousin John Wesley Runion served in the East Tennessee Militia, defending Mobile, Alabama, from British forces. In 1817 she gave birth in Sevier County to a son Joseph Jr., and in 1824 her husband was issued a land grant in Sevier County.
Joseph and Elizabeth Runnion had eleven known children:
Rodman Runyan 1800 – AFT 1848
John Stuart Runnion 1801–1874
Henry M. Runyan 1804–1875
Nancy (Runnion) Carter Robinson 1804–1868
George W Runnion 1806–1881
Elias "Eli" Levi Runnion 1810–1870
James Runyon 1810 – BET 1870-1880
Elizabeth Martha (Runyon) Leatherwood 1812–1887
Thomas Runyon 1814–1874?
Joseph R. Runion Jr 1817–1903
Isaac Runnion 1819–1877
Afterwards Joseph and Elizabeth moved back to Cocke County, where in November 1827 they purchased land along Cosby’s Creek, which empties into the Pigeon River. The next year their sons George and John Stuart bought neighboring land. They farmed the land for about ten years, then most of the family moved to Blount County. Their son Henry remained on the farm in Cocke County, and their son John Stuart remained for a while on his farm there as well, but their younger sons moved with them. Their married son George Runnion and married daughter Elizabeth Leatherwood developed farms of their own in Blount County, while Joseph and Elizabeth ran their farm as an extended family with their sons Levi, James, and Joseph Jr. By 1838 their farm had 190 acres, and most of Elizabeth’s children and grandchildren lived nearby, where she could enjoy them. Between 1840 and 1843 Elizabeth passed away, most likely in Blount County.
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