Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 144] is a representative of one of the oldest families in Lawrence County, and is engaged in farming in Shenango toanship; he was born in North Sewickley township, Beaver County, Feb. 6, 1843. The Reno family is said to be of French origin, and the original orthography is said to have been Renault, which was pronounced the same as it is now. It is on this ground that the claim of the family is based to large tracts of land in and about Peoria, Ill., which were granted to Renault, one of the early explorers and missionaries of the Valley of the Illinois River. Our subject is a son of Martin and Hannah (Iddings) Reno. The latter was born near West Chester, Pa., in the year 1820, and was a daughter of Joseph and Hannah (Hoopes) Iddings, both of Quaker stock, of Eastern Pennsylvania. Notwithstanding his Quaker prejudices and beliefs, Joseph Iddings was a participant in the War of 1812. Martin Reno was born in Sewickley township, Beaver County, July 11, 1816, and died on Feb. 28, 1891. He was a farmer by occupation. Martin Reno was a son of Benjamin and Catherine (Swick) Reno. Benjamin was born in Beaver County about 1785 and died about 1860; he was a farmer, and was also versed in the chemist's profession. In the War of 1812, he was present at the Battle of Lake Erie. Benjamin Reno was a son of William Reno, a farmer and bridge-builder, who lost his life at Beaver Dam by falling from a bridge he was constructing and breaking his neck. Our subject was reared in Shenango township since his third year, at which time his father moved to the township and bought a large tract near the township's center from John Reno, his brother, one of the pioneers of the county, to whom a patent for the land was issued April 6, 1787, before the adoption of the Constitution, and signed by Benjamin Franklin. This old parchment is still extant and is owned by a brother of Mr. Reno, who is living on the old farm, and is considered a valuable old relic of early days. Mr. Reno attended district school until he was eighteen years of age, and supplemented this elementary education with collegiate work at the college at Edinburg until he was twenty-one years of age. He commenced teaching school at the age of eighteen, and thereafter taught several winter terms, his summers being occupied in farm work. When he attained his majority, he bought his present farm, and two years later married and began a successful and thus far happy career. He owns seventy-eight acres, which are for the most part utilized in growing fruit and vegetables, for which ready market is found at New Castle, some five or six miles away. During the late war at the time of the raids in Pennsylvania by the irregular rebel general, Morgan, Mr. Reno served in the State militia some three months. Mr. Reno was married Nov. 2, 1865, in Shenango township, to Mary W. Allen, who was born in that township, a daughter of John M. and Esther (Miller) Allen, the latter a daughter of Moses Miller, a soldier of the War of 1812. Moses Miller was a miller by trade as well as by name; his wife's, name before her marriage to him was Jane Gaston. John M. Allen, a son of Jacob and Eleanor (Munson) Allen, the former a soldier of the War of 1812, was a farmer of Shenango township, and died in the above township where he had spent his life March 12, 1897, aged eighty-four years and six months. Eight children constitute the family of Mr. Reno and his wife, as follows: Charles B., who is farming in Shenango township; Ellis C., who is farming in Slippery Rock township; G. Laurice; Eva Josephine, the wife of Daniel W. Ferree of Slippery Rock township; A. Curtis; Francis H.; Cora L.; Verna Mary. Mrs. Reno and family are members of the Baptist Church. In politics, Mr. Reno is a Prohibitionist, and has served as auditor for the township. He is a member of the P. of Husbandry, and of Hazel Dell Grange, No. 333. Our subject entertains decided opinions on all subjects of national or state-wide interest; these opinions are reached with deliberation, and the conclusions arrived at after much thlought, consequently when once formed they are not liable to change, and he advocates them with the courage of one who believes he is right and dares to maintain his belief. He is considered an important factor of the business and industrial interests of the township, aiding materially in developing its resources, and receives his reward in the esteem and confidence of its citizens.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
Previous Biography | Table of Contents | Next Biography
Explanation/Caution | Lawrence Co. Maps | Lawrence Co. Histories
Updated: 1 May 2001