William Nelson Runyon (March 5, 1871 – November 9, 1931) was the acting

governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official r ...

from 1919 to 1920 and a

United States district judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district cou ...

of the

United States District Court for the District of New Jersey The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (in case citations, D.N.J.) is a federal court in the Third Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the ...

. Runyon was nominated by President

Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party, he was one of the most popular sitting U.S. presidents. A ...

on December 30, 1922, to a new seat created by 42 Stat. 837; He was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

on January 16, 1923, and received commission the same day. Runyon's service was terminated on November 9, 1931, due to death.

Education and career

Born on March 5, 1871, in Plainfield,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, Runyon received an Artium Baccalaureus degree in 1892 from

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

and a

Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Ch ...

in 1894 from

New York Law School New York Law School (NYLS) is a private law school in Tribeca, New York City. NYLS has a full-time day program and a part-time evening program. NYLS's faculty includes 54 full-time and 59 adjunct professors. Notable faculty members include E ...

. He was a member of the Plainfield Common Council from 1897 to 1898. He was a Judge of the Plainfield Municipal Court from 1899 to 1910. He was a member of the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

from 1915 to 1917. He was a member of the New Jersey Senate from 1918 to 1922. He served as Acting

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official r ...

from 1919 to 1920. He was a member of the Republican Party.

Federal judicial service

Runyon was nominated by President

on December 30, 1922, to the

, to a new seat authorized by 42 Stat. 837. He was confirmed by the

on January 16, 1923, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on November 9, 1931, due to his death in Plainfield.National Association of Referees in Bankruptcy, Journal of the National Association of Referees in Bankruptcy, Death notice, William Nelson Runyon, Volumes 6-10, January 1932, page 116 He was interred in Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.

References

Sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Runyon, William Nelson 1871 births 1931 deaths Politicians from Plainfield, New Jersey Yale University alumni New York Law School alumni New Jersey lawyers Republican Party governors of New Jersey Republican Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly Republican Party New Jersey state senators Presidents of the New Jersey Senate New Jersey state court judges Judges of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey United States district court judges appointed by Warren G. Harding 20th-century American judges Burials at Hillside Cemetery (Scotch Plains, New Jersey)