Marcellus Renfro

     Marcellus Renfro was born on 22 September 1821 at Tennessee. He was the son of William Renfro and Nancy VanBebber. Marcellus Renfro married, at age 21, Elizabeth Gibson, age 17 on Thursday, 18 May 1843 at Grundy County, Missouri, Date of marriage could be 4 May 1843.¹ Marcellus Renfro died on 18 December 1901 at Modena, Mercer County, Missouri, at age 80 years, 2 months and 26 days.
     From Gary R. Hawpe, ed. and Bev Tout, comp., 'Marcellus Renfro,' Van Bibber Pioneers E-Newsletter, Vol. 4 No. 10 (August 2001), p. 18.

MARCELLUS RENFRO

Marcellus Renfro, an old resident, dies suddenly Tuesday night, December 18. The scythe of time is laying a heavy hand on the pioneer residents of Mercer Co. during the last few years. The last one to answer the final call was our good old neighbor and friend Marcellus Renfro, who passed to that bourn from whence no traveler ever returns Tuesday night the 18th instant, 79 years 2 months and 26 days.

Mr. Renfro was born in Tennessee, September 22, 1821, and moved to Missouri in his early youth, locating in Grundy Co. On the 4th day of May 1843 he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Gibson in that county. He entered several farms in Mercer county and located on a farm two miles southwest of Modena in the early forties. He lived on that farm for upwards of forty years. He sold the old homestead in the fall of 1891 and in the spring of 1892 again located in Grundy Co., but it was not like the old homestead and after a trial of two or three years he again moved back to Mercer Co. locating with his son-in-law, Charles Brush, within less than one quarter of a mile from the old homestead. Here he lived fairly well contented until the death of his beloved wife, who died on the 14th of April, 1900, since which time life appeared to loose its greatest pleasure.

Mr. Renfro was the father of eleven children, five sons and six daughters, one died in her infancy and one, Mrs. Sallie Pratt, a couple of years ago. Two sons, the oldest and youngest, live in California, the other children all live in this and Grundy Counties, and all were present at the funeral Thursday. In addition to the children above mentioned, he left 36 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. Mr. Renfro united with the Free Will Baptists Church in 1870, and his life was that of an exemplary Christian. He visited his daughters December 14 and 15, and while he came to consult a physician, not one of his friends or relatives had the remotest thought of his early dissolution. He done chores about the farm on Tuesday ate his supper and retired to bed apparently in his usual health. A pain in his left arm caused him to get up and while his son-in-law went to get something to ease his pain and while sitting up by the side of his daughter, he said' I am gone' and fell over into his daughter's arms, death ending his sufferings. It was not over fifteen minutes from the time he got up until it was all over.

His life was not a failure, his example was always a good criterion to follow, and he was a devoted husband, an indulgent father, a kind neighbor and a noble citizen.

Funeral services were held at the Wild Chapel, 5 miles southwest of Modena, Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock, Rev. I. R. M. Beeson preached the funeral discourse from Proverbs 14-32, several appropriate songs were sung, including 'Nearer My God to Thee', 'We Shall Know Each Other There' and 'Meet Me There'. The remains were interred by the side of the departed wife.