The prompt for this week is: Same Name.
I had a few choices like Mordecai and Daniel. Instead I chose Renatus.
The first Renatus, Renatus Thomas, was born about 1799 in either South or North Carolina. His father was Billy THOMAS, Jr. (?-1820). I wrote about Billy Jr. and Sr. here.
Renatus was the oldest, and only, son of Billy and his wife, Polly WALSTON THOMAS (?-1851). Billy and Polly settled in the Richland County area of South Carolina when Renatus was a small child.
Renatus married Mary Malaha FAUST (1808-1887). They had 16 children. Renatus was a planter all his life with quite a large amount of land in Richland County, South Carolina.
The first Renatus had a son named Renatus. He may have gone by Nate or Nathan. The younger Renatus died from an injury sustained in an incident with a train. I wrote about it here.
Renatus N. “Wren” ABBOT (1851-?) was the nephew of the first Renatus. Wren’s mother, Dorcas THOMAS ABBOT (1816-1880), was sister of the first Renatus. I don’t know much about Wren.
Wren Abbot
Howell Renatus THOMAS (1890-1897) was a grandson of the first Renatus. His father was Jeremiah M. “Jerry” THOMAS (1852-1930). Howell died of diphtheria according to a Thomas cousin.
James Renatus “Ren” THOMAS (1864-1949) was also a grandson of the first Renatus. Ren was on the son of James S. Thomas, oldest child of the first Renatus. Ren was a farmer first in Richland County and then in Orangeburg County.
Siblings L to R: Dan Thomas, Sallie Thomas Grant, Ren Thomas (Dan is my great-grandfather)
There is also possibly one more Renatus. Renatus H. THOMAS (1875-1947), who went by Nathan, all his life, may have actually been named Nathan. I’m just not sure. This possible Renatus was also a grandson of the first Renatus.
Why Renatus? No clue. Learn more about its meaning and origin here.
Will it be used again?
Maybe. My daughter wants to use it as a middle name for a girl and call her Wren. I guess we’ll see!
Copyright © 2018 Nancy H. Vest All Rights Reserved
Interesting. I love the name Wren. 🙂
I do, too. Maybe one day I’ll actually have a granddaughter called Wren.
Interesting, Nancy! Renatus is not a common name. If I remember correctly, I worked with a Renato who’s ancestry was Sri Lankan.
My husband went to elementary school with a Renata, a young man with Italian or Spanish ethnicity. Maybe all those names are related in meaning.
Renatus means “born again.” Could this family have had a religious awakening?
I hadn’t considered that, Linda. Sounds like I need to do some research on revivals in the area where he was likely born. Thanks for that idea. 🙂