Reneker's Live 75 Years in Same Spot

RENEKER

Posted By: Sharyl Ferrall (email)
Date: 2/21/2006 at 04:23:19

Iowa Pioneer Live 75 Years in Same Spot
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Couple Married Three-Quarters of a Century Bought Their Farm for $160 in 1845
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Mount Zion, Ia. [Van Buren co.] - Seventy-five years ago Daniel Reneker brought Mary, his bride of a few days, to Iowa from Ohio. Today they still are living on the original homestead they established in the "wild West" in 1845. Reneker will be ninety years of age February 24, and his wife is ninety-seven. Their marriage record and the number of years spent on the same homestead probably can be equaled by few couples.

The couple attribute their long years of life to the fact that they are God-fearing and believe in simple life and simple joys.

Mr. and Mrs. Reneker's married life of 75 years, in the eyes of modern-day folks, contains few thrills. It has been mostly hard work. Reneker, when a young man, left his home in Ohio to go West to see the country. He returned in a short time to get his Mary. Their honeymoon was spent floating down the Ohio river to the Mississippi on a small boat. On landing at the Mississippi the couple headed north for the cabin Reneker had previously erected in the forest wilderness of Iowa, near the present site of Mount Zion. There they went and there they are today.

The early years were spent in clearing the 160 acres of timber Reneker had purchased at $1 an acre. Supplies were brought from a trading post 45 miles away. Ground on their tract was broken with the aid of oxen.

Five children were born to the Renekers. Four of them still survive. All are boys. The eldest is Jacob, aged seventy-two, and the youngest is Dr. George W. Reneker, aged fifty-two. The other two "boys" are Joshua and Dallas Reneker. With the exception of Dr. George, all the sons remained near the old homestead. Dr. George Reneker left home at the age of twelve. Today he is a resident of Falls City, Neb., and is the state representative from the First Nebraska district.

The present home of the Renekers was built in 1861 near the site of the original log cabin. The couple have taken few trips away from their home. They have made several trips to Falls City, Neb., to visit their "boy," Dr. George, and once went back to visit childhood scenes in Ohio.
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-source: Middlesboro Daily News, Middlesboro, Kentucky, April 21, 1921

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