William Cary Renfrow
Encyclopedia
William Cary Renfrow was an American
Civil War
soldier
and Democratic
3rd Governor of Oklahoma Territory.
. Renfrow attended public schools in North Carolina until he was 17 years old. In 1862, Renfrow dropped out of school to fight for the Confederate States of America
in the American Civil War
. He enlisted on February 25, 1862 in Company C of the 50th Regiment of North Carolina Infantry
at Smithfield. Renfrow would be mustered into service at Camp Mangum on April 21, 1862 as a Second Sergeant. He was subsequently was promoted to First Sergeant
. Renfrow would fight for the Confederacy for over two years. The last rolls of his company were for August, 1864 with Renfrow was being present.
After the Civil War ended, Renfrow did not return home to North Carolina. Instead, he moved to Russellville, Arkansas
. There, in 1865, Renfrow married Jennie B. York of Judsonia, Arkansas
on October 17, 1875. Renfrow would remain in Arkansas for the next twenty years, even serving as a deputy official for Pope County.
was opened by land run
on April 22, 1889, Oklahoma Territory
had official begun. Renfrow relocated to Norman
where he opened a banking business. When the Republican
US President
Benjamin Harrison
was replaced by Democratic
Grover Cleveland
, then Governor of Oklahoma Territory Abraham Jefferson Seay
was replaced as well.
President Cleveland appointed Renfrow the Governor, with his term beginning on May 7. 1893. He was the only Democratic Governor of Oklahoma Territory as well as the first at serve the full four year term. During his four year term, only a few major events would occur. The first of these was the opening of the Cherokee Outlet
on September 16, 1893. The Oklahoma Historical Society was formed under his administration and on February 21, 1895, Governor Renfrow approved an act constituting the Society as trustee for Oklahoma Territory.
Governor Renfrow was succeeded by the Republican Cassius McDonald Barnes
, who was appointed by President William McKinley
. Renfrow’s term in office officially ended on May 24, 1897.
, where he would remain for a few years. He would later becoming engaged in the lead
and zinc
business in northeastern Oklahoma. He would return to Oklahoma and lived in Miami
. There, he operated his mining business under the Renfrow Mining and Royalty Company. His business would make Renfrow an extensive owner of lead and zinc properties. In 1920, he would embark in the oil and gas business in the Mexia field in Texas
. His business ventures were highly successful.
Governor Renfrow died while sitting in the lobby of the Massey Hotel at Bentonville, Arkansas
on January 31, 1922, while traveling from Miami to Russellville to visit his ailing brother. Renfrow was interred in the cemetery at Russellville, Arkansas by the side of his wife who died some years before.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
and Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
3rd Governor of Oklahoma Territory.
Early Life and Civil War
William Cary Renfrow was born on March 15, 1845, in Smithfield, North CarolinaSmithfield, North Carolina
Smithfield is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. In 2008, the estimated population was 12,965. It is the county seat of Johnston County...
. Renfrow attended public schools in North Carolina until he was 17 years old. In 1862, Renfrow dropped out of school to fight for the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He enlisted on February 25, 1862 in Company C of the 50th Regiment of North Carolina Infantry
50th North Carolina Regiment
The 50th Regiment North Carolina Infantry was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War and was organized early in the war near Raleigh, North Carolina.-Company Names :...
at Smithfield. Renfrow would be mustered into service at Camp Mangum on April 21, 1862 as a Second Sergeant. He was subsequently was promoted to First Sergeant
First Sergeant
First sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
. Renfrow would fight for the Confederacy for over two years. The last rolls of his company were for August, 1864 with Renfrow was being present.
After the Civil War ended, Renfrow did not return home to North Carolina. Instead, he moved to Russellville, Arkansas
Russellville, Arkansas
Russellville is the county seat and largest city in Pope County, Arkansas, United States, with a population of 27,920, according to the 2010 Census. It is home to Arkansas Tech University and Arkansas Nuclear One, Arkansas' only nuclear power plant...
. There, in 1865, Renfrow married Jennie B. York of Judsonia, Arkansas
Judsonia, Arkansas
Judsonia is a city in White County, Arkansas, United States. Rickey Veach is the current mayor. The population was 1,982 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Judsonia is located at ....
on October 17, 1875. Renfrow would remain in Arkansas for the next twenty years, even serving as a deputy official for Pope County.
Move to Oklahoma and Governorship
When Unassigned LandsUnassigned Lands
Unassigned Lands, or Oklahoma, were in the center of the lands ceded to the United States by the Creek and Seminole Indians following the Civil War and on which no other tribes had been settled...
was opened by land run
Land run
Land run usually refers to an historical event in which previously restricted land of the United States was opened for homesteading on a first arrival basis. Some newly opened lands were sold first-come, sold by bid, or won by lottery, or by means other than a run...
on April 22, 1889, Oklahoma Territory
Oklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...
had official begun. Renfrow relocated to Norman
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
where he opened a banking business. When the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
US President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
was replaced by Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
, then Governor of Oklahoma Territory Abraham Jefferson Seay
Abraham Jefferson Seay
Abraham Jefferson Seay was an American lawyer, soldier, judge, and politician. Seay attained the rank of colonel during the American Civil War...
was replaced as well.
President Cleveland appointed Renfrow the Governor, with his term beginning on May 7. 1893. He was the only Democratic Governor of Oklahoma Territory as well as the first at serve the full four year term. During his four year term, only a few major events would occur. The first of these was the opening of the Cherokee Outlet
Cherokee Outlet
The Cherokee Outlet, often mistakenly referred to as the Cherokee Strip, was located in what is now the state of Oklahoma, in the United States. It was a sixty-mile wide strip of land south of the Oklahoma-Kansas border between the 96th and 100th meridians. It was about 225 miles long and in 1891...
on September 16, 1893. The Oklahoma Historical Society was formed under his administration and on February 21, 1895, Governor Renfrow approved an act constituting the Society as trustee for Oklahoma Territory.
Governor Renfrow was succeeded by the Republican Cassius McDonald Barnes
Cassius McDonald Barnes
Cassius McDonald Barnes was an American Civil War soldier, lawyer and Republican politician who served as the 4th Governor of Oklahoma Territory.-Early Life and the American Civil War:...
, who was appointed by President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
. Renfrow’s term in office officially ended on May 24, 1897.
Post Governorship
After leaving office, Governor Renfrow moved to Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, where he would remain for a few years. He would later becoming engaged in the lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
business in northeastern Oklahoma. He would return to Oklahoma and lived in Miami
Miami, Oklahoma
Miami is a city in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. As of 2009, the population estimate was 12,910. It is the county seat of Ottawa County. The city is named after the Miami tribe...
. There, he operated his mining business under the Renfrow Mining and Royalty Company. His business would make Renfrow an extensive owner of lead and zinc properties. In 1920, he would embark in the oil and gas business in the Mexia field in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. His business ventures were highly successful.
Governor Renfrow died while sitting in the lobby of the Massey Hotel at Bentonville, Arkansas
Bentonville, Arkansas
Bentonville, Arkansas is a city in Northwest Bahamas, and county seat of Benton County, Arkansas, United States The population was 35,301 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area...
on January 31, 1922, while traveling from Miami to Russellville to visit his ailing brother. Renfrow was interred in the cemetery at Russellville, Arkansas by the side of his wife who died some years before.