Carol Lee Prosser who lives in Missouri has volunteered to help coordinate our 2011 Renick reunion and welcomes those who wish to help plan the event to contact her at: clp1218@charter.net  Carol is a direct descendent of Robert Renick the Indian captive - Renicks of Greenbrier (W)VA 

 

The proposed site for 2011 at this time is Kansas or the Lexington Missouri area.

Named for Lexington, Kentucky, as it was settled largely by Kentuckians who had received land grants for service in the war of 1812. Lexington, Missouri is located on the bluffs overlooking the Missouri River. Lexington was platted in 1822,.Lexington was the most populous and prosperous city west of St. Louis in the 1830's and '40's. It became the primary center for merchants and outfitters as emigrants, traders and trappers prepared their journey westward on the California, Oregon and Santa Fe Trails..

Lexington was the site of two of the largest battles in the western campaign of the Civil War. The first and most famous, known as the Battle of Lexington is better known as the Battle of the Hemp Bales Lexington was also known as the headquarters for Quantrill's Raiders during the war. Eight weeks after the declared end of the Civil War, many of these guerrilla fighters, the infamous Jesse James among them, had refused to honor the cease fire but decided to turn themselves in at Lexington. While riding into town, reportedly under a white flag, they fought with Union soldiers and Jesse  was severely wounded. Many believe this was the pivotal event that turned Jesse James into a legendary bank robber. James, with the rest of his gang robbed the Alexander Mitchell bank in Lexington for the second daylight bank robbery in United States history.

 

Col. Henry Renick the first sheriff of Barren co. Kentucky in 1799, removed to Missouri with several other family members about 1820 and was justice of the peace. He built the first courthouse in 1824-25 on the square. The record is unclear about how much Renick was paid. One payment of $875.15 was made June 27, 1825; another of $467.41-1/4 appeared on Nov. 23, 1825, for construction of the courthouse. Apparently, the court accepted the building Nov. 23, 1825, and continued using it until 1832.William Chiles delivered an address July 4, 1876, and claimed that young "bucks" celebrated the Fourth of July in 1831 by tearing down the walls and blowing up the foundation of the courthouse.

Kentucky, Ohio and Greenbrier Renick cousins were among the Pioneer settlers of this area before the Civil war.

 

As Kansas City became more populated, it eclipsed Lexington and the town faced serious decline. The completion of the transcontinental railroad forever changed the face of river commerce and Lexington was one of the first casualties of that progress.

 

Lexington is still noted for its architecture. In the 1850's Greek Revival architecture was the fashion, and many of the public buildings were designed in that style. Most notably is the Lafayette County Courthouse, built from 1847 to 1849. Lexington is still home to over 150 homes and public buildings built before the Civil War.  Visitors are treated to an historic river town that has preserved the past while embracing progress and the future.