Maj. Lewis Reno, Jr

Notes for Lewis Reno, Jr.: Known as "Major" or "Gent", probably because of his association with the county militia. Served as sheriff of PW Co., VA in 1753, and was a corporal in the PW Co. militia in 1756 for which he was paid 2,046 pounds of tobacco (Henings, Virginia Statutes, v.7, p.24). From 1761 until his death he was Justice of the Peace and served in the County Court. He dealt extensively in real estate throughout his life. In a deposition entered in a dispute over the will of William Spiller, he stated that he was born in Stafford County 'about 1710' and that we was then [1762] 'about 51 years of age' (PW Co. Deed Book P, p.232). His estate was settled Sept. 3, 1778 (PW Co. Will Bk. G, p.15), but the text of his will was destroyed. His sons Lewis and David Reno, and his brother Thomas Reno were appointed executors of his estate and gave a bond of 2,000 pounds on October 3, 1774 (PW Co. Bond Book 1753-1786, p.110). He made his home on part of the original Reno-Chevalle Grant of 1710 along Broad Run which was left to him by his father Lewis Reno (PW Co. Deed Bk. U, p.467). He left land to at least four of his sons: David (Deed Bk. U, p.263), Zealey (Deed Bk. U p.467), Eli (Deed Bk. X p.89) and Lewis (Kincheloe Families, p. 55, 360)(William Reno 1975). The Fairfax Co. library contains certain records of the Dettingen Parish of the Church of England in Prince Wm. County, where Lewis was Church Warden. He is mentioned in an entry Oct. 30, 1769 and is last mentioned in records on Apr. 19, 1774. An entry for Dec. 5, 1774 says that Major Lewis Reno had died. Church Wardens, or vestrymen, had both religious and civic duties in the church parishes, which governed most of the local affairs in Virginia prior to the Revolutionary War. The vestry conducted the business of the church, built new churches, and looked after the poor. The were responsible for the building and repair of local roads, and they checked land boundaries and kept parish registers containing the names and ages of all births, deaths, and marriages. Those not married in the church were required to post bonds. To carry out these duties, the church levied tithes (usually so many pounds of tobacco) on all males and Negro females over 16 years old. Prince William Co. was originally in Hamilton Parish, but in 1744 that parish was divided and Prince William was put in Dettingen Parish. Most of the records of Hamilton and Dettinger parish were lost or destroyed, and many county records were lost or destroyed during the Civil War. Several of the families whose names appear in the early records of Prince William County and the Dettingen Parish, including the Renos, Kincheloes, Wickliffes, Randolphs, and Doziers, moved to what is now Muhlenberg Co., Kentucky along the Green River near Cypress Creek by 1800 (from The Randolphs of Prince William County, Virginia; Blanche Randolph 1979).

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