Edith (Renfrow) Smith

Ancestors

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Biography

Edith (Renfrow) Smith is Notable.

Edith Renfrow Smith was the first Black woman to graduate from Grinnell College.

Edith Renfrow, daughter of L A Renfrow and Eva Craig, was born on 14 July 1914 in Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa, United States.^[1]

In the 1915 census Edith Renfrow (age 0) was in Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa, United States.^[2]

Edith Renfrow Single F 0 Iowa

In the 1920 census Edith V Renflow (age 5) was the daughter of Lee A Renflow in Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa, United States.^[3]

Lee A Renflow M 45 Married Head Texas

Eva P Renflow F 44 Married Wife Iowa

Helen F Renflow F 15 Single Daughter Iowa

Alice L Renflow F 13 Single Daughter Minnesota

Rudolph B Renflow M 12 Single Son Minnesota

Evanel E Renflow F 11 Single Daughter Minnesota

Edith V Renflow F 5 Single Daughter Iowa

Paul J Renflow M 3 Single Son Iowa

In the 1925 census Edith Renfrow (age 10) was the daughter of Lee Renfrow in Poweshiek, Iowa, United States.^[4]

Lee Renfrow Head Married M 51

Eva P Renfrow Wife Married F 49

Alice Renfrow Daughter Single F 19

Evanel Renfrow Daughter Single F 16

Edith Renfrow Daughter Single F 10

Paul Renfrow Son Single M 8

In the 1930 census Edith Renfrow (age 15) was the single daughter of Lee Renfrow in Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa, United States.^[5]

Lee Renfrow M 55 Married Head Texas

Eva Renfrow F 54 Married Wife Iowa

Edith Renfrow F 15 Single Daughter Iowa

Paul Renfrow M 14 Single Son Iowa

Edith graduated from high school in 1932. She then attaneded Grinnell College and was the first black woman to graduate form the college (in 1937). Black woman to graduate from Grinnell College. At the age of 108, she is the oldest living alumni of both Grinnell High School (1932) and Grinnell College (1937).^[6]

In the 1940 census Edith Renfro (age 25) was the single partner of Alice Timms in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States.^[7]

Alice Timms F 30 Single Head Oregon

Edith Renfro F 25 Single Partner Iowa

In the 1950 census Edith R Smith (age 35) was the wife of Henry T Smith in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States.^[8]

Henry T Smith M 34 years Married Head Delivery Man Illinois

Edith R Smith F 35 years Married Wife Iowa

Virginia E Smith F 9 years Never married Daughter Illinois

Alice F Smith F 3 years Never married Daughter Iowa

"After graduating, Edith worked for the YWCA, Univ. of Chicago, the state of Illinois, the city of Chicago, and then as a public schoolteacher in Chicago for over twenty years, and that’s where she resides now, where she has continued to volunteer for the Art Institute and Goodwill. Edith has remained active and sharp in her old age, and her remarkable longevity has garnered the interest of Northwestern University for their study of “superagers,” people over age 80 whose memories are as good – or better – than people 20 to 30 years younger. For her remarkable life of overcoming challenges and serving others, Edith received an honorary degree from the College at the 2019 Commencement ceremony."^[9]

Grinnell College announced 5 December 2022 that their new residential building would be named in honor of Edith Renfrow.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: "Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935", citing Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa, United States; county district courts, Iowa; FHL microfilm 1,769,518, FamilySearch Record: V462-9K1 (accessed 13 May 2023), Edith Renfrow born on 14 Jul 1914, daughter of L A Renfrow & Eva Craig, in Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa, United States.
2. ↑ 1915 Census: "Iowa State Census, 1915", citing Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa, United States, card no. , Iowa State Historical Department, Des Moines; FHL microfilm , FamilySearch Record: QK4T-LXY9 (accessed 13 May 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9PN-C3FN-C Image number 03126, Edith Renfrow (0), single in Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa, United States. Born in Iowa.
3. ↑ 1920 Census: "United States Census, 1920", citing Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Affiliate Film Number: 511; Line: 31; FHL microfilm: 1820511; Record number: 8691, FamilySearch Record: MDM8-ZMR (accessed 13 May 2023) FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GR6Z-97F Image number 00184, Edith V Renflow (5), single daughter, in household of Lee A Renflow (45) in Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa, United States. Born in Iowa.
4. ↑ 1925 Census: "Iowa State Census, 1925", citing Poweshiek, Iowa, United States, Iowa State Historical Department, Des Moines; FHL microfilm , FamilySearch Record: QKQ7-7H5F (accessed 13 May 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89XG-Z9S4-Y Image number 00230, Edith Renfrow (10), single daughter, in household of Lee Renfrow (51) in Poweshiek, Iowa, United States.
5. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930", citing enumeration district (ED) ED 9, sheet 8B, line 87, family 240, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 680; FHL microfilm 2,340,415, FamilySearch Record: XMVR-HD2 (accessed 13 May 2023) FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9R4R-WHN Image number 00173, Edith Renfrow (15), single daughter, in household of Lee Renfrow (55) in Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa, United States. Born in Iowa.
6. ↑ Edith Renfrow Smith
7. ↑ 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940", citing enumeration district (ED) 103-324, sheet 10A, line 13, family 7, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 931, FamilySearch Record: KWYM-RCQ (accessed 13 May 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3QSQ-G9MB-ZHZY, Edith Renfro (25), single partner, in household of Alice Timms (30) in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States. Born in Iowa.
8. ↑ 1950 Census: "United States 1950 Census", citing Page: 16; Line: 10, FamilySearch Record: 6X12-QCVD (accessed 13 May 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3QHN-PQHW-N8P8, Edith R Smith (35), wife, in household of Henry T Smith (34 years) in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States. Born in Iowa.
9. ↑ Edith Renfrow Smith '37
10. ↑ Renfrow Hall: Honoring the True Grinnellian

See also:

• Edith Renfrow Smith
• Wikidata: Item Q107176604, en:Wikipedia
• She was an education pioneer. At 108, Edith Renfrow Smith shares her life lessons.
• Images of Edith Renfrew and her family in Digital Grinnell