| 4. | Baron James Rentfrew was born about 1568 in Renfrewshire, Scotland; died after 1589. Notes:
RENFREW, SCOTLAND
Renfrew, Scotland's history dates from Roman times and in later years included in the Kingdom of Strathclyde which stretched from Cumberland to the River Clyde. From the time of the Roman departure until the district's union with Scotland in the 11th century, Renfrew's history was one of constant bloodshed. From the 9th century on, the inhabitants had to also contend with attacks by plundering Danes and Norsemen.
The city itself is thought to have been built by David I, who became king of Scotland in 1124.
The parish of Renfrew is distinguished for its connection with the ancient house of Stewart. In 1157, King Malcolm IV, confirming the previous grant by David I, bestowed Renfre Castle and its lands on Walter Fitz-Alan. He was appointed High Steward of Scotland, the office being hereditary and the family took the name of Stewart. One of the family married Marjory, daughter of Robert the Bruce. Their son became Robert II of Scotland, the first Stewart King, in 1370. (This interests me very much since my Stewart family lines can be traced back to this king).
Subsequent charters confirming the Royal Burg of Renfrew were granted by Janex VI in 1575 and 1614. The title of Baron Renfrew was bestowed by the burg and district on the heir-apparent to the Scottish throne in 1404 - a title that is still held by the Prince of Wales.
From this report it is evident that variants of this name existed in Scotland from before 1296 into the present generations.
THE NAME OF RENFREW
Renfroe is the 6,256th most popular last name in the US. There is a Renfro Valley in Rockcastle Co., KY and Renfroe Creek in Nicolas Co, KY, both of which were named for descendants of William and Elizabeth Renfro.
The origin of the name, RENFREW, is obscure. It is believed that it was derived from the work RHYN, meaning "a point of land", and FREW, meaning "the flowing of water".
Renfroe is a Scottish name, spelled Renfro/Renfrow. It comes from the location Renfrewshire, Scotland. Its Gaelic elements translate to mean "running stream". The man that immigrated from there to a new location, was called by that name: Renfro. This was to differentiate him from others in the new town with the same first name.
The first record of the RENFROE family name was found in Edinburghshire, which is located in the Scottish English Border Ridings. The Renfroe family traces their ancestral roots back to Strathclyde Briton origin before the year 1100. The Renfroe family Shield is a ship in full rigging, furled. There is no crest or motto.
In Surnames of Scotland, Their Origin, Meaning and History by George Fraser Black, page 688, Mr. Black states: "RENFREW, of local origin, of the same name in Renfrewshire. The name first appears with Adam de Reynfru of the county of Edenburk when he paid homage to the King of Scotland in 1296. Robert Reynfreu or Reynfru, a Scots prisoner of war from Stirling, was incarcerated in the Castle of Old Sarum between 1304 and 1307. The name Renfrew appears with Galfridus Renfrew in Aberdeen in 1408. Bartholmew Renfrew appears as a charter witness in Glasgow in 1841, Robert Renfrew in Abby Parrish, Paisley, 1772, Andrew Renfrew in Englesham died 1939.
About 1525, after the defeat of the clan, the then reigning Baron, James RENFREW, was exiled from Scotland and the title claimed by a younger brother. The exiled Baron moved to France. There he accepted the French spelling of RENFREW as RENTFRO and this James Rentfro married a French woman. Thereafter, he and his family became citizens of, and bore their allegiance to, France.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=116563730
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Updated: Wed Oct 29 23:45:48 2003 Contact: Delores Willey (felinesmama@msn.com)
http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GED&db=:2619333&id=I539511753
7/27/01
Sue: I've been referred to you by Harlan Rentfrow, who tells me you've been doing research on the early Renfro/Rentfro/Renfrews,etc., as have I. I'm a descendant of Wm.Rentfro/Eliz.Cheney and Joseph Rentfro/Mary Owens.
The only data I've had for years comes from long standing family lore and my mother's old DAR and DAC papers, but it sort of conflicts with information I've been getting from various web sources. What I've had in my records is as follows:
The county of Renfrew(shire) was the chief patrimony of the Stewarts of Scotland and granted to them by Robert III in 1404. Since that time the eldest son of the reigning Sovereign has borne the title "Baron of Renfrew". In the last part of the first quarter of the sixteenth century (circa 1525), and after a defeat of the clan, the then reigning Baron JAMES
RENFREW, was exiled from Scotland. He went to France where he married a French woman and he and his issue were citizens of France until after the settlement of Jamestown,Va . inn the then new British colonies. It was descendants of THIS Baron James Renfrew, namely William and James Rentfro, who came to Virginia around 1630 and settled there. Then my data skips to the grandchildren: "In 1698, 1700 and 1 702 three grandsons were born, James, Joseph and William respectively." James married Esther VanBibber, Joseph married Mary Owens and Wm. married Eliz. Cheney.
Further: One of the Rentfro's who came in 1630, and I don't know which one, had a son--another William, who was born circa 1680. He died in Franklin Co, Virginia. around 1749. Land records place him in Frederick Co. in 1740 where he and his wife Jane (last name unk.)
purchased 340 acres from a Rober t McKay. They sold this property in 1747 and moved to Lunenburg Co, Virginia. (no w northern Franklin Co.)
It has always been thought by my family that this W illiam with wife Jane were the parents of above James, Joseph and William. I am interested to know what documentation you have that Symon is brother to the William and James Rentfro who first came to Jamestown. I never knew, unti l corresponding with Harlan and Theresa Rentfro that there was such an individual, but until the last year or so have done little research on the matter-- only accepting what's been family lore todate.
So, anything you come up with on this I would very much appreciate hearing about.
I'm also wondering if any one has had the opportunity to check French records, as it is fairly well documented that Baron James Rentfro was in France. I haven't the slightest idea of how to go about this, but will see what I can find out. Seems like several generations of Rentfro's
must have left a trail there somehow!
Thanks in advance for whatever you can tell me.
Jan Cleave e-mail: ronbon@inreach. com
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http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/RENFRO/2014-04/1398803357
This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Author: DeloresWilley
Surnames: RENFRO(E)
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.renfro/870.1/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
While it is of very little importance to me if our Renfro(e)'s descend from King James V, other than genealogy and knowing the origin of our roots, it does interest me about your stated facts.
Firstly while both of his legitimate sons died in infancy, King James V had nine known illegitimate children, at least three of whom were fathered before the age of 20. In addition to these aristocratic liaisons, David Lyndsay described the king's other affairs in the poem, The Answer to the King is Flyting: 'ye be now strang lyke ane elephand, And in till Venus werkis maist vailyeand.'
Five of the illegitimate sons of King James V were named "Priors" as children. This meant they held the five richest livings in the Scottish Church-Holyrood, Kelso, Melrose, Coldingham, and St Andrews. (This did not happen, of course, without the approval of the Pope. James apparently wrote asking his permission for three of his illegitimate sons to receive ecclesiastical positions before 1532, when the boys were still babes.) Many of the sons of his aristocatic mistresses entered ecclesiastical careers.
It is suspected that there may have been other illegitimate children and from written documents, he appeared to care for his illegitimate children. It would not be unreasonable to assume he might bestow the title of Baron on one of them.
Of the nine known illegitimate children, there is little know about several of them. Anyone of the unknowns or those who have little information known about them could have fled Scotland to France.
The "family tradition" of "James Stewart also known as Baron James Renfrew, Earl of Moray: James was the eldest son of King James V and an unknown mistress. The eldest son inherits the title of Baron at birth and would normally become king. However; because he was an illegitimate son, of the king and an unknown mistress, he was ineligible to inherit the thrown. Instead his half sister Mary, Queen of Scots became queen. He was a trusted advisor to Mary who deferred to him for many of her decisions. He also won the confidence of Elizabeth I, whose ambassador, Trockmorton, described James as one of the most virtuous nobleman, one of whom religion, sincerity and magnanimity as ever he knew in any man or in any nation. It is said that James left Scotland and went to France for religious reasons, Scotland was converting to the Catholic faith and the Renfrew family was predominantly Protestant. In France he married a French woman (name unknown). (Reference: Co!
mpiled from several books)" has been document in several writings and passes from generation to generation. Baron of Renfrew is currently an English Title. It It was held by the Scottish heir apparent beginning in 1404. It is closely associated with the title Duke of Rothesay. An act of the Scottish Parliament passed in 1469 confirmed the pattern of succession. Renfrew, a town near Glasgow, is sometimes called the "cradle of the royal Stewarts."
In Scotland, barons hold feudal titles, not peerages: a Scottish lord of Parliament equates to an English or British baron. Some, however, claim that the Act of 1469 effectively elevated the Barony of Renfrew to the dignity of a peerage. Others suggest that the barony became a peerage upon the Union of the Crowns in 1603. Finally, some scholars argue that the uncertainty surrounding the text of the 1469 Act leaves the barony as only a feudal dignity, not a peerage dignity. [From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
I believe that this leaves the matter still very much unproven. Personally, I have never been able to find a direct line from our Renfro(s), to King James V. Though I have listed a possible line from John R. Renfro (1665 PA - 1748 NC) I have yet to see any proof of this lineage beyond John.
Thank you for your posting. It's always interesting to get the opinion of others researching the Renfro(e) clan.
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1640 - 1690 (50 years)