Mason County, Kentucky USGenWeb Free Genealogy Pioneers


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On This Page: Mason County Pioneers - The men and women who settled a frontier: Submission Guidelines Edmund Martin Daniel Runyon Ralph Robinson Peter Degman Aquilla Standiford
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This page is dedicated to Mason County's pioneers who settled the county while Kentucky was still a wilderness. These are biographical summaries of Mason County pioneers who arrived before public records were commonly collected. The submitter has documentation proving the place from which the pioneer migrated into Kentucky.
How to Submit Your Mason County Pioneer There are only three guidelines for submission: The biography must be of the pioneer who made the trek, not descendants The pioneer must have lived in Mason County (county lines as drawn at the time he or she arrived) You must cite a source proving your pioneer's place of origin outside of Kentucky.

EDMUND MARTIN Submitted by: Beth Pany Edmund Martin Edmund Martin was born 6 Mar 1744/45, in Basking Ridge, Somerset, New Jersey. He died 28 Nov 1811, in Mason County, Kentucky. Edmund served in the Revolutionary War, and is registered in the DAR Patriot Index as "Pvt. NJ." Edmund married Hannah (Martin) about 1767, she born about 1749-1752, probably in New Jersey. Hannah died Jul 1787. He married second Susannah Fristoe/Fristow. The family migrated to the area of Brown County, Ohio, and Mason County, Kentucky, about 1787. Children by his first wife: Elijah, Micajah, Jeremiah, Sarah, Nancy Ann, Lucretia, Isabelle Elizabeth, Rachiel(1), Rachel (2), Amelia "Milly". Children by his second wife: Edmund Hiram, Hannah, (poss.) Mary. Edmund Martin is recorded as one of the trustees of Maysville. Also contributed are detailed family group sheets and a lengthy newspaper article concerning Edmund Martin and his descendants.

DANIEL RUNYON Submitted by: Richard Writt Vincent Runyon The Runyon family are early settlers of Mason County having come here in 1787. The family originated in France. Vincent Runyon sailed from the Isle of Jersey and landed at Elizabeth, New Jersey in the year 1665. The Daniel Runyon family of Mason County are descendants of Vincent and Ann/Martha Boutcher. Daniel Runyon Daniel Runyon was born 9 August 1750 in New Jersey and died in 1815 at Mayslick, Mason County, Kentucky. He married first Ann Lennox in New Jersey. Children by his first marriage were Ruth, David L. Anna and Susannah. After the death of Ann, Daniel married second Rachel Morris in 1775 in New Jersey. The family immigrated to Mason County, Kentucky late in 1787. They settled in Mayslick. He was a large land and slave owner. On 2 June 1810 Daniel Runyon purchased for $5, 96 poles of land on Lees Creek. On 9 October 1811 Daniel and Rachel sold 70 1/4 acres for $728.75. The children of Daniel and Rachel were Daniel Jr. born 1787 in New Jersey, Asa R., James Morris, Peter, Benjamin, Sarah and Rachel. Asa R. and James Morris were twins. Daniel Runyon Jr. Daniel Runyon Jr. was born 23 March 1787 in New Jersey and died 6 May 1874 in Maysville, Kentucky. He married Ruth Robinson 25 May 1812. She was the daughter of Richard Robinson and Ann Robinson. Richard Robinson came to Mason County Kentucky from Maryland and settled on Tuckahoe Ridge. He was one of the early members of the Lees Creek Baptist Church. Daniel Jr. was a farmer, land speculator and slave owner. Daniel Jr. and Ruth's name occur frequently in the Mason County Deeds Index. They are buried in the Runyon Cemetery near Minerva, Kentucky. Their daughter, Mary Ruth Runyon married Eli Monroe Writt.

RALPH ROBINSON Submitted by: Phillip Fazzini Robinson, Ralph Born about 1748 PA Died Mason Co Ky (Will dated Mar 2, 1801-will probated 1802) Married: Elizabeth Rossiter 1769 (?)-prior to 1775) Born 1754 PA Died 13 Feb 1845 Adams Twp Champaign Co Ohio (Vital dates from a genealogical chart from a near relation-she was the daughter of Thomas Rossiter Jr. (b.before 1727-d.1798) and Elizabeth (Adams) Bull (b.1704/1714-d.1803/1810). Thomas Rossiter Jr. served as Lt Flying Camp 1776 (DAR # 592712) War service: Private in Captain Daniel Griffith's 2nd Company, 2nd Battalion, Chester County Milita (PA) comamnded by Colonel Thomas Bull. Return of Sept 24, 1781. (DAR Application # 0676875 A670) Note: The PA State Archives report in 1781 he was subject to Muster Fines 10.10.0 (10 pounds/10 shillings/0 pence)!!

PETER DEGMAN II Submitted by: George Edmondson Degman, Peter (II) Father: Peter Degman I, born in Ireland in 1749. Parents not known. Peter Degman I is first mentioned in the last will and testament of John Ponder of Milton, Delaware in which he leaves the family bible to his daughter Levenia, wife of Peter Degman I. Peter Degman I died in Sussex County, Delaware in 1776 Mother: Levinia Ponder, descendant of John Ponder, who immigrated 1674 to Annapolis, Maryland aboard the ship Charles of London. Peter II married: (1) Ruth Killin 1 March 1791, Delaware 14 children from first marriage Occupation: Boat builder Rem. to Mason County, KY in 1789 Taught school in Manchester, Ohio in 1814. (Certificate of appreciation from the City Fathers of Manchester, Ohio) Pur. land at Springdale, Mason County, Kentucky on Cabin Creek and built a home called Maplewood. Ruth died and is buried on the family farm. Married: (2) Rose Ellen Love on 20 July 1840, in Georgetown, OH. Rose Ellen was age 20, Peter was age 74. 5 children from second marraige Last born to them was Howard Sylvester or Sylvester Howard (Ted) Degman who would be my grandfather. On the death of Peter Degman II, Rose Ellen married William Hall who was also a boat builder. Will of Peter Degman II on file at the Mason county court house. See Degman and Akles family history excerpts.

AQUILLA STANDIFORD Submitted by: Marla McCullough Standiford, Aquilla Born 24 August 1741 MD, fraternal twin of Averilla Standiford (Vestry Records, St. John's and St. George's Parish, Baltimore (Harford) Co., MD. Bible of Aquilla Standiford) Father: William Standeford listed Dorchester Co., MD leaseholder records, February 25, 1742, enumerated: William age 58, Aquilla age 25 Married: Sarah Clarke December 27, 1764 (Vestry Records; Baltimore, MD Marriage Records) Sarah born June 10, 1744 (Bible of Aquilla Standiford) Harford County census, Bush River Lower Hundreds 8/15/1776 Oath of Fidelity, Harford Co., MD, March 23, 1780 The family first migrated to what is now Shelby County, KY Standiford land grants in 1784 found in Jefferson Co., KY Arrived in Bourbon County, KY before September 19, 1787. On September 19, 1787, Aquilla was a signer of the petition to divide Mason County from Bourbon County. Aquilla was a local Methodist Episcopal preacher in Mason County, KY, and is mentioned in the Journal and Letters of Francis Asbury. (Kentucky Wesleyan College records) Aquilla died in Mason County, KY. Will signed and dated January 10, 1799; Mason County Order Bk. C, p.254. Many persons with roots in Mason and surrounding counties have a Standiford ancestor in one or more bloodline. Children: Hannah, b. 1766; Milcah, b. January 21, 1767; m. James Little, September 05, 1787, Bourbon County, Kentucky; Nathan, b. July 08, 1768; George, b. July 08, 1770; Sarah, b. April 28, 1773; Mary, b. April 21, 1775; m. __ Smith; Rebecca, b. August 06, 1776; d. September 11, 1780; Elijah, b. January 13, 1778; Aquilla II, b. June 03, 1780, Maryland; d. 1857, Harrison County, Indiana; Rebecca, b. July 27, 1782; m. Ebenezer Bartlett; John, b. January 27, 1785, Maryland; Cassandra, b. November 07, 1789, Maryland.
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