Los
Angeles County
Biographies
GEORGE O. RENNER
“A friend of many of California’s
distinguished citizens,” wrote an earlier biographer, “George O. Renner was
recognized as the peer of all, and the state profited by his residence within
her borders, as his public service was far-reaching and beneficial.” He was born in Maysville, Missouri, September
7, 1861, son of John and Eliza (Kost) Renner. He was a grand-nephew of General James B. Fry
of Civil War fame, and a nephew of Senator David L. Kost
of Missouri.
In the public schools of his native
town George O. Renner mastered the elementary branches of learning, continuing
his studies in Gallatin College at Gallatin, Missouri, where he qualified for
teaching. He had specialized in
mathematics, serving as assistant instructor.
After spending a year in Colorado he returned to Missouri, where he
engaged in teaching for a time in De Kalb County. He later turned his attention to agricultural
pursuits and became the owner of two hundred acres of land.
In young manhood Mr. Renner gained
prominence as a debater, and it was this feature of his make-up perhaps that
led to his interest in politics. He
always supported the Republican Party and was elected county assessor. At one time he was candidate for county
treasurer and in political circles of his township he was a leading
spirit. There was still another phase of
his activity that made him a valued citizen of the community in which he lived,
for he was a zealous Christian worker, prominently identified with religious
interests of his city. He served as a
teacher of the Bible class, as Sunday school superintendent and was a deacon of
the Baptist Church. His varied
activities contributed to the material, political, civic and moral progress of
his community and made him a citizen of worth.
On the 12th of October,
1884, Mr. Renner was married in Maysville to Miss Rebecca Schuchmann,
and they became the parents of a daughter, Ina.
In 1894 Mr. Renner came to California for the benefit of his health and
remained for about a year in Orange and Santa Ana, managing a mercantile
establishment in Orange during that time.
He established his home in Monrovia in 1895 and for eleven years
remained in that place. He accumulated a
tract of several acres in the residential section as well as many other pieces
of property, including a business block and engaged in buying and selling
property. His worth as a man and citizen
was soon recognized, and he was chosen city clerk, acting in that capacity from
1900 until 1904. He was so capable in
the discharge of his duties and manifested such a progressive attitude in
relation to public questions that he was offered the nomination of assemblyman
for his district but declined to become a candidate and urged the nomination of
B. F. Cogswell, whom he was instrumental in electing. While in Monrovia, as city clerk Mr. Renner
purchased for Henry E. Huntington the land for the Pacific Electric station
there and was one of the main factors in having the line extended through to
Monrovia. As he had done previously in
Missouri, he also took part in church work and his Sunday school activities
were of an outstanding nature. He served
as superintendent, as a deacon in the Baptist Church and on various church
boards and committees, and thus he aided in furthering the moral progress of
the community, which deeply regretted his removal, for he had won many friends
there.
In October, 1906, Mr. Renner
established his home on San Gabriel Boulevard, in what is now San Marino where
he had a country estate and because of the forty-two splendid oaks on the property
he call it Oak Grove. There he kept open
house, his home being known throughout Southern California for its warm-hearted
hospitality and its generous entertainment, which was enjoyed by many prominent
people. Again Mr. Renner became active
in public projects and was instrumental in getting gas and electric light put through
into San Marino, donating money for the poles, which sum, however, was later
refunded by the Edison Company. The
prominent part which he took in public affairs naturally brought him
acquaintance with the leading men of the state.
One of his outstanding friendships was with Senator Hiram W. Johnson,
whom he first met in 1910, when the Senator was a candidate for governor, and
the acquaintance thus formed ripened into a warm friendship that endured until
the death of Mr. Renner.
It was in May, 1920, that Mr. Renner
removed to Laguna Beach, building a home on Coast Boulevard, where he lived for
a year and a half, and during that period he was superintendent of the Sunday
school and a trustee and member of the board of the Community Church. His daughter, Ina, sharing with him his deep
interest in the church, had a large Bible class.
On leaving their Coast Boulevard
home the family went to live for a time near Palm Springs, and there again he
was superintendent of the Community Sunday school. In the fall of 1922 he came to Pasadena,
where his death occurred November 1, 1924.
He had traveled through the Middle West and Southwest and had written
many articles for the papers of the different communities in which he had
lived. Throughout his life he was guided
by a most progressive spirit and at all times sought advancement not only for
himself but for others along lines of material, intellectual, social, political
and moral progress. His influence for
good was widely felt, and his teachings bore fruit in the lives of many with
whom he came in contact.
His daughter, Miss Ina Renner, is a
Bible teacher and lecturer and is also an artist of merit. She was graduated from the Monrovia high
school and from her father received special training in business management,
thus becoming qualified to take charge of his business affairs. She also had musical training in Los Angeles
and has taught music in Pasadena and other places. She studied art under various noted artists
and has sold a number of her paintings to art collectors and art
directors. Many of her canvases are
found at various points along the Pacific coast and as far away as Honolulu and
Chicago. She covers many subjects in her
work, but she has been called the “Queen painter of fruits and flowers.” In addition to her work in this line Miss
Renner gave Bible lectures over the radio at The Bible Institute of Los Angeles
for more than a year and many distinguished people have attended her Bible
classes at different times. She has
taught in various churches and communities of Southern California and at the
Young Women’s Christian Association of Pasadena. Miss Renner also aided in the work of
missionary societies, women’s bible classes and men and women’s bible classes,
and served on the educational committees, the music committees and the calling
committees of various churches. For two
years she was vice president of the Young Woman’s Missionary Society of
Pasadena and was a member of the Missionary Cabinet of the Pasadena First
Baptist Church. Miss Renner and her
mother reside at 969 Topeka Street, Pasadena.
They have toured the United States and Canada by auto and greatly enjoy
the out-of-doors.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. III, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 191-194, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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