Person:William Runciman (8)

With the discovery (Feb 2012) of William Runciman, baker in London with sons James and William of the right ages to be the Michigan James and William, the "cousin" theory is hereby put on hold, and the "brothers" one brought back into favour, along with bringing the Lauder baker family into Lineage 1a. This London connection certainly fits the family stories about the William who went to London, with children brought up in Wanton Walls with their cousins.

The family charts and stories are from at least one family chart (1965) which believes William and James to be siblings, but later information (from Jean Runciman BOGAN) stated "My grandmother always said "the other side of the family (William) will always tell you that James and William RUNCIMAN from Scotland were brothers ... they were not ... they were cousins who had grown up together and called themselves brothers". (Well they were brought up with their cousins, so perhaps that's where that bit came from?)

George's (Dod) uncle James (b. 1898 d. 1984) said he remembered his grandfather (James married to Eliza WIGHT, b. 1800 d. 1871) telling of a brother who went to London and died leaving 2 small children whom he brought to Wanton Walls and brought up with his own family and he believes they were the ones who went to America. (the grandfather must have meant his father's brother, not his own, but he was well placed to talk about them as he was of an age, and would have been brought up with them at Wanton Walls) "However Mr James Runciman's sister says she remembers conversations about those two boys and their names were James and Richard, not James and William. therefore I believe my grandmother was right, James and William were cousins who had grown up together as brothers .. but what ever happened to Richard?.. Jean" Feb 2012 update: the Richard being remembered is probably the son of James and William's brother John, a baker in Lauder. I'm backing the brothers version of events now that London baptisms for siblings James & William, sons of William and Mary Ann (Hill) Runciman, whose son John is documented as the baker in Lauder have now been found. William Snr died in 1803 when James would be 5, John 3 and William 1 (there were also two older half sisters, Catherine and Elizabeth, as yet unaccounted for beyond father William's will).

With sons William and James previously assumed to be cousins, their mutual grandfather would have to be born around 1740-50s, give or take 20 yrs or so! Apart from the DNA evidence making a descendant of William in Michigan, and a descendant of the Wanton Walls families closely related (66/67 marker match), we had no other real idea where they fitted, so they were temporarily connected as great grandchildren of John & Elizabeth via a theoretical "male Runciman". This connection has now been removed, along with the theoretical intervening generation.

William belongs to a tested line in the RUNCIMAN Surname DNA Project

1. ↑ Scotland. Old Parish Registers, Births & Baptisms. (Edinburgh, Scotland: ScotlandsPeople (National Records of Scotland))
   Bap. 23 Aug 1835 Mary Ann d/o William RUNCIMAN & Mary BROWN, Lauder, 748/ 0030 0082, from RUNCIMAN births 1553 to 1854 Gordon/Earlston/Lauder/Westruther, Berwickshire, index searched Oct 2005.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Census: USA, Record Type: Census images, Film: via Ancestry.com
   1870 Waterloo, Jackson, MI, roll: M593_679; Pg: 472; Image: 392, hsehold of William & Mary RUNCIMAN, extracted May 2007.
3. ↑ Miscellaneous RUNCIMAN web searches and correspondence, Url: Various
   Obit 1875 William RUNCIMAN, from Jan 2003 posting (of 1974 information) by Ros RUNCIMAN, extracted May 2007.
4. ↑ 1841 Census
   Lauder BEW Par. 748 ED 2A Pg 4, hsehold of William & Mary RUNCIMAN, extracted Apr 2007.
5. ↑ RUNCIMAN ( variants) Surname DNA Project, Url: dnasurnames.info/lineages/spRUNCIMANLineages.htm
   Nov 2007.
6. ↑ Scotlands People Index. OPR Berwick, Scotland RUNCIMAN Births, Author Address: scotlandspeople.gov.uk, Recipient Address: Berwick, Sco. (1538-1854)
   Bap. 23 Aug 1835 Mary Ann d/o William RUNCIMAN & Mary BROWN, Lauder, 748/ 0030 0082, from RUNCIMAN births 1553 to 1854 Gordon/Earlston/Lauder/Westruther, Berwickshire, index searched Oct 2005.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} BDM: London Metropolitan Archives (ancestry), Record Type: Birth death marriage (filmed originals), File Numbe
   Birth 6 Aug Bap. 5 Sep 1802 William s/o William & Mary Ann RUNCIMAN, 30 Shoe Lane, from St Bride Fleet Street, Register of baptisms, 1736 - 1812, P69/BRI/A/007/MS06541, Item 001, extracted Feb 2012.
8.   Lorna Henderson. RUNCIMAN Analysis, Author Address: Runciman.lornahen.com
   May 2007, updated Feb 2012.
9.   Miscellaneous RUNCIMAN web searches and correspondence, Url: Various
   William & James RUNCIMAN, cousins from Scotland, letter from Jean Runciman BOGAN in 2003 posting by Ros RUNCIMAN, extracted May 2007.
10.   Lorna Henderson. RUNCIMAN Conclusions, Author Address: Runciman.lornahen.com
    Feb 2012.
11. ↑ Obit: Died at his residence in Waterloo, aged 72, a native of Scotland (Europe) and emigrated to this country some twenty four years ago. During his illness his sufferings were intense, but he bore his sufferings with Christian fortitude. He was aware death was his only relief, and a few hours before his final dissolution he bid his weeping wife and children an affectionate farewell. Dear is the spot where Christians sleep And sweet the strains their spirits pour Oh, why should we in anguish weep They are not lost but gone before
12. ↑ William belongs to a tested line in the RUNCIMAN Surname DNA Project