Hiram Runnels
Hiram George Runnels was a U.S. politician and businessman from the state of Mississippi.
He was a Democrat who served as the ninth Governor of Mississippi from November 20, 1833 to December 3, 1835.
Runnels was born on December 15, 1796, in Hancock County, Georgia. At an early age he moved with his parents to Mississippi. During the Indian Wars he served for a short time in the United States Army. On March 3, 1821, President James Monroe nominated Runnels to be Collector of the Customs and Inspector of the Revenue for the District of Pearl River.
From 1822-30, he was state auditor of Mississippi. In 1829, he was elected to represent Hinds County in the Mississippi Legislature. He was defeated in the race for the office of governor of Mississippi in 1831, was elected governor in 1833, and ran unsuccessfully again in 1835. Runnels's service as president of the Union Bank in 1838 led to a dispute wherein he caned then-Mississippi Governor McNutt in the streets of Jackson and dueled with Mississippian editor Volney E. Howard in 1840.
In 1841, he again represented Hinds County in the legislature. Runnels moved to Texas in 1842 and became a planter on the Brazos River. He represented Brazoria County in the Convention of 1845. He died in Houston on December 17, 1857, two days after his 61st birthday, and was buried in Glenwood Cemetery.
Runnels County, Texas was named in his honor.
Runnels was the uncle of Texas Governor Hardin Richard Runnels, and William R. Baker, a Texas State Senator was married to Runnels’ niece, Hester, He is also a distant relative of wrestler Dusty Rhodes.
