Volume 9 , Issue 48

Pioneer Rufus O. Renfrew

[This information came from the history book, A Standard History of Oklahoma, compiled by Joseph Thoburn, 1916.]

Rufus O. Renfrew had liberal, progessive policies and clear vision that characterized his signally successful business career. He brought much initiative energy, resourcefulness and mature judgment to bear in connection with the development of the substantial and important business controlled by the Renfrew Investment Company, of which he was president. The headquarters were maintained in the city of Woodward, judicial center of the county of Woodward. He was one of the public-spirited citizens and progressive business men of Oklahoma and he was entitled to special recognition in the history of the state of his adoption.

Rufus Renfrew was born in Caldwell county, Missouri, on 6 July 1872, the place of his nativity having been the homestead farm of his parents, James P. and Ella (Black) Renfrew.

His early education was acquired in public schools of his native county and those of Barber county, Kansas, in which latter the family home was established when he was about fourteen years of age, in 1886.

In 1894 he was graduated in the commercial department of the Central Normal College at Great Bend, Kansas, and devoted three years to teaching in schools of Barber county, Kansas and Woods county, Oklahoma to which latter county his parents removed in the year 1893.

In 1894-95 he served as deputy treasurer of Woods county, under the administration of his father, who held the office of treasurer of the county two years.One year after retiring from the position, Rufus was engaged in the wholesale produce business at Alva, judicial center of Woods county.

From 1897 to 1899 he was a salesman in a retail mercantile establishment at that place. During the following 5 years he was associated with his brother-in-law, Dyas Galbois, in the furniture and undertaking business at Alva, and soon after severing his connection with this enterprise he removed, in March 1905 to Woodward, where he established himself in the abstract, loan and investment business, the enterprise was a roving success from the time of its initiation and rapidly expanding in scope and importance.

In 1912 the organization of Renfrew Investment Company, which incorporated under the laws of the state, with a paid-up capital of $25,000, the home office of the company being maintained at Woodward and being under the direct supervision of Renfrew, who was the president of the company from the time of incorporation.

The Renfrew Investment Company controlled an extensive farm-loan business through northwestern Oklahoma and was rated as one of the leading concerns of its kind in the entire western part of the state, with a reputation that constitutes its best asset and gave to it invioable claim of confidence and support. Renfrew was a vigorous, aggressive executive and was the dominant force in directing the large affairs of the company which beared his name and which owes its high prestige and large success mainly to his effective policies and able administration.

Jan. 1, 1916 renfrew was elected president of Woodward Commercial Club for one year. He and his wife held membership in the Presbyterian church in their home city and were active and liberal in the support of the various departments of its work.

It was in a pioneer sod house near Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma, where he solemnized, on 13 Feb. 1898, the marriage of Rufus Renfrew to Miss Stella Long. Stella Long was born at Columbus, Kansas, on the 14 Nov. 1885, and her parents were, Rev. Matthew T. and Etta (Noble) Long, who were born in Indiana and became pioneers in both Kansas and Oklahoma. Rev. Long being a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church. The Renfrew's had one child, Edith Lillian, who was born April 14, 1900.
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