- William Cary Renfrow
Infobox US Territorial Governor
name= William Cary Renfrow
caption=
order= 3rd
office= Governor of Oklahoma Territory
territory= Oklahoma Territory
term_start=May 7 ,1893
term_end=January 31 ,1897
appointed=Grover Cleveland
predecessor=Abraham Jefferson Seay
successor=Cassius McDonald Barnes
birth_date= birth date|1845|3|15|mf=y
birth_place=Smithfield, North Carolina
death_date= death date and age|1922|5|24|1845|3|15|mf=y
death_place=Bentonville, Arkansas
spouse= Jennie York Renforw
profession=Soldier ,Businessperson
party= Democrat
footnotes=William Cary Renfrow (
March 15 ,1845 –January 31 ,1922 ) was an American Civil Warsoldier and Democratic 3thGovernor of Oklahoma Territory .Early Life and Civil War
William Cary Renfrow was born on
March 15 ,1845 , inSmithfield, North Carolina . Renfrow attendedpublic school s in North Carolina until he was 17 years old. In 1862, Renfrow dropped out of school to fight for theConfederate States of America in theAmerican Civil War . He enlisted onFebruary 25 ,1862 in Company C of the 50th Regiment of North Carolina Infantry at Smithfield. Renfrow would be mustered into service at Camp Mangum onApril 21 ,1862 as a Second Sergeant. He was subsequently was promoted toFirst 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 ofJudsonia, Arkansas onOctober 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 Lands was opened by land run onApril 22 ,1889 ,Oklahoma Territory had official begun. Renfrow relocated to Norman where he opened abanking business. When the Republican US PresidentBenjamin Harrison was replaced by DemocraticGrover Cleveland , thenGovernor 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 theCherokee Outlet onSeptember 16 ,1893 . The Oklahoma Historical Society was formed under his administration and onFebruary 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 PresidentWilliam McKinley . Renfrow’s term in office officially ended onMay 24 ,1897 .Post Governorship
After leaving office, Governor Renfrow moved to
Kansas City, Missouri , where he would remain for a few years. He would later becoming engaged in thelead andzinc 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 theMexia field inTexas . His business ventures were highly successful.Governor Renfrow died while sitting in the lobby of the Massey Hotel at
Bentonville, Arkansas onJanuary 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.ee also
* [http://digital.library.okstate.edu/chronicles/v020/v020p218.html Chronicles of Oklahoma entry]
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