David Williamson Runciman

BMDB data

     David Williamson Runciman was born on 26 Jun 1837 in Edinburgh St Cuthberts, MLN, SCT.^1,2,3
     D W Runciman married Isabella Agatha Leishman, daughter of Matthew Leishman and Jane Elizabeth Boag, on 24 Apr 1866 in the Manse, Govan, Glasgow, LKS, SCT, cert reads: D W Runciman, 28, Minister of the Par. of Leslie, Fife, s/o David, D.D. Minister of St Andrews Glasgow and Janet m.s. Aitchison; married Isabella Agatha Leishman, 18 of The Manse, Govan, d/o Matthew Leishman D.D. Minister of the Par. of Govan and Jane Elizabeth m.s. Boag, Min. Thomas Leishman, Minister of Linton. Wit: R I Runciman and Grace H McFarlane;
Notice in the Glasgow Herald of Apr 25th reads: At Govan Manse, on the 24th inst., by the Rev. Thomas Leishman, M.A., minister of Linton, Roxburghshire, the Rev David Williamson Runciman, M.A., minister of Leslie, Fifeshire, to Isabella Agatha, youngest daughter of the Rev. Matthew Leishman, D.D., minister of Govan - No cards.^2,4 David Williamson Runciman was buried in the Point England Churchyard, Glen Innes, AKD, NZ, H/stone #75 reads: Rev D W Runciman M A died 24 July 1910, aged 73; & his children - James Bruce aged 5 months died 27 Jan 1879; & Alexander, aged 6 months died 28 Sep 1882; & David aged 18 years died 10 Jan 1887; & Mary Russell Ker died 25 Jul 1889 aged 17 months.⁵
     David died on 24 Jul 1910 at Auckland, AKD, NZ, at age 73; 21st according to probate index, 24th according to h/stone transcription.^6,5

Migration

     David W Runciman and Isabella A Runciman left London 15 Sep 1876 on the Jessie Osborne arriving Auckland on 19 Dec 1876 accompanied by their 7 scottish born children (the Presbyterian archives web site says Rev David arrived Jan 1877).^7,8

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     The census of 1841 showed David and William and their sister Mary in the household of their parents David and Janet Runciman at 8 Salisbury Pl, Edinburgh St Cuthberts, Canongate, MLN, SCT, enumerated as RUNCIMAN: David 36 Min. of Newington Parish, Janet, 25, both b outside county. David W 4, Mary 2, William 1 all b MLN; Also Elizabeth Smith, 20 Independent, b outside cty; and three female servants: Euphemia McCaw, 22, b MLN; Janet Baxter, 24; Jane McKenzie 24, both b outside county.⁹
     The census of 1851 showed David, William, John, Robert and Alexander and their sisters Mary and Janet in the household of their parents David and Janet Runciman at 13 Annfield Pl, Barony, LKS, SCT, enumerated as RUNCIMAN: David D.D. 47, Minister of St Andrew b nr Lauder, Berwick; wife Janet 35 b Edin; Children: David W 13, Mary K (ancestry indexed as R) 12, William A 10, John A 8 all scholars all b Edin; Janet L (ancestry indexed as B) scholar, Robert Peel 2, Alexander E 3mths all b Glasgow; Servants: LANDES, HENNESY; BOWNER.¹⁰
     The census of 1861 showed David, William, John, Robert and Alexander and their sisters Mary, Janet and Elizabeth in the household of their parents David and Janet Runciman at 317 Duke St, Srpingburn, Glasgow, LKS, SCT, enumerated as RUNCIMAN: David D.D. 57, Minister of St Andrew Parish, Glasgow, b Lauder, BEW; wife Janet 45 b Peebles; Children: David W 23 (ancestry has 28) Mat student, Mary K 21, William 20 calico printer clerk, John A 18 merchants clerk, all b Edin; Janet L 15, Robert 12, Alexander 10, all scholars b Glasgow; Elizabeth N 5 b Glasgow; Servants: McNEILLAGE, McCULLICK.¹¹
     Bef. 1864 David Williamson Runciman was Licensed by the Presbytery of Glasgow by Countess of Rothes, Asssitant to Rev Dr Caird, Park Church, Glasgow, Assistant to Rev Dr Leishman, Govan (presumably his later father-in-law).⁸ By 1 Sep 1864 he was ordained at Leslie, FIF, SCT, reported in The Caledonian Mercury of Jun 7th Religious Intelleigence Patronage: The Countess of Rothes has appointed the Rev. David Runciman, now assistant to the Rev Dr Leishman of Glasgow, to the parish of Leslie, Fife, vacant by the translation fo the Rev. Alexander McLaren to Mertoun.^8,12
     The census of 1871 showed David with his wife Isabella, their sons David and Matthew, their dtr Jane in the Manse, Leslie, FIF, SCT, household enumerated as RUNCIMAN (19 (sic) rooms with 1 or more windows): David W 33 Minister of Leslie Parish, b Edinburgh; wife Isabella A 23 b Govan, LKS; Children (all b Leslie FIF): Jane E B 4; David 2; Matthew L 1. 3 servants (Wright, Nichol, Wilson).¹³ Fr Feb 1877 - 4 Jun 1889 David Williamson Runciman was supply AP at St Stephen's, Ponsonby, AKD, NZ, inducted AP 14.2.1878 - resigned 4.6.1889, resigned from the Presb. Council of NZ 1891.⁸ He was Registrar of Auckland University for 13 yrs (dates approx) fr 1889 - 1904 at Auckland, AKD, NZ.⁸
     By 1893 David Williamson Runciman and Isabella Agatha Runciman were living were at Otahuhu, Franklin Electorate, AKD, NZ, RUNCIMAN: David Williamson, a Minister; Isabella Agatha household duties; Jane Elizabeth Boag, domestic; William Atchison farmer.¹⁴

Wills/bequests

     David, Mary, John, Alexander, Robert, Elizabeth and Janet were beneficiaries in the 12 Aug 1872 will of their father David Runciman at Elie, FIF, SCT.¹⁵ His estate was probated on 9 Sep 1910 at Auckland, AKD, NZ; indexed as David Williamson Runciman, died 21 Jul 1910, Regstr Uni Coll, will held Auck archives (ref. BBAE 1569 7715/10).⁶

All the other info

     David Williamson Runciman belongs to a DNA tested line. Click here for further information.
     This family is another New Zealand connection. I was rather surprised to find that I had NZ Runciman relations (not that I've found living ones as yet). David and Isabella apparently had 14 children, so up until recently (May 2007) I had a few more to find, but now I've only to confirm whether there were 13 as family say, or the 14 the Presbyterian archives reported. Several died young. I have found 4 of the 7 Scottish born children in assorted places subsequent to their emigration to NZ in 1877 - in Argentina, London, Edinburgh and NZ, so they are a well-spread family. Wife Isabella appears to have returned to Edinburgh after her husband David's death, as she was there when dtr Eliabeth married there in 1917. At least two of the daughters married Ministers in Scotland.^8,16

A report in the Sunday Tribune newspaper back in 1962 records the diary of John and William RUNCIMAN, who emigrated to Sth Africa as being donated to the Natal Archives.
Extracts include:
     April 13th was William's birthday; April 18th was Mamma's birthday and April 23rd Janet's. Young Lizzie is mentioned and David is wished success in his future career on his birthday 26 May. David and the boys came to see the brothers off at Gourock (Greenock?) on April 10 1862 - the last farewell to members of their family - and there is an entry, 'Now a month since left Annfield Place.¹⁷'
     In May 1874 the Rev David Williamson Runciman gave notice that he has "raised a Process of Augmentation, Modification, and Locality of his Stepend, before the Teind Court, against the Patron, Titulars, and Tacksmen of the Teinds, Heritors and Liferenters, and all others having, or pretending to have, interest in the Teinds of the said Parish, which will be called in Court on Monday the 6th day of July next."¹⁸ He officiated at the marriage of his brother Robert Inglis (Peel) Runciman to Mary Spring on 24 Apr 1876 in the San Andrés del Centro, Buenos Aires, ARG.^19,20,21,22 David Williamson Runciman was educated in Mar 1879 at Auckland, AKD, NZ; the Timaru Herald of 13 March reports that David Wm RUNCIMAN, M.A. Glasgow, received an ad eundem degree. Wikipedia explains that it is a courtesy degree from one college to another, usually where the recipient was a faculty member.^23,24