James Renfrew

James Renfrew 1590 Renfrewshire, Scotland. He was also known as James Rentfro and said to be the Baron of Rentfrew.

Family

• wife: unknown

Children:

1. Charles
2. James
3. Symon 1613 Renfrewshire, Scotland-1690 Va

the story

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. (NOTE: This spelling of Renfroe appears again and again in the research of Granddad’s family.) (2)

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, her ambassador, Trockmorton, described James as one of the most virtuous nobleman, a 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: Compiled from several books)(3)

the discussion

Unfortunately, the previous website does not provide an explanation to the 43 year gap between Baron James Renfrew's death and Symon Renfro's Birth. I would like to have any information that might help with this difference in dates.

According to this web site James Stewart 1st Earl of Moray 1531-1570 (son of James V King of Scots and Margaret Erskine) was assasinated in Linlithgow West Lothian Scotland

James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland

Ultimately, James Stewart, the "old pretender", the "Baron of Renfrew" and his family never possessed Renfrew as a surname.

Either way, I would be extremely cautious in making the accusation of relation to any name of notability for the fact that Scottland's Court of Lyons keeps their royal /Cheiftain bloodlines more heavily guarded than any other nation in the world. It is not lightly that they make links to nobility.

Celtic peoples were some of the best known geneaologists in the world -their records were magnificently kept as far as storing names for notable family trees. That, after all, was a noblemans livelihood... if he couldn't proove his blood relation, he was a nobody; thus, bloodline is a heavily guarded thing!!!

Even today in Scottland, it is even against federal Scottish law to bear any coat of arms if you are not THE direct single recorded descendant of a House. And there is only ONE direct descendant that has rights to it, which is usually a male. Most of those direct descendants are todays recognized Clan Chieftains. (4)

I see it mentioned a lot but usually copied from someone else who copied it from somewhere else for the last ten years. There's no original source material that discusses who is parents were or that there is any royal connection. From the Ancestry message board:

The famous James Stewart, the 1st Earl of Moray, was an illegitimate on of James V and Lady Margaret Erskine. But he had no sons, only daughters, and so could not be a direct ancestor of American Renfros. He was famously assassinated in 1570 in Linlithgow, Scotland.

All who were named James who held title of Baron/Lord Renfrew, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland became king or died young. No Baron of Renfrew fled to France.. The only son of James V to hold the title died in infancy.

I also remember seeing that there is no DNA connection with the American Renfro/Renfrew/Renfrows and the royal family.

Links

1. http://sherrysharp.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I15227&tree...
2. http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/RENFROE/2007-01/11681...
3. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/w/i/l/Delores-S-Willey/F...
4. http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/w/i/l/Delores-S-Willey/F...
5. http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.renfro/707/mb.ashx