From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, 
publ. 1912, Page 1357-1358
 
JOHN RENNER.  Germany has sent to Walworth county a very large number of her 
enterprising citizens.  The Germans are known as the most highly educated 
people in the world; their universities rank at the front, and, with the 
exception of fiction writers, in which she ranks among the very lowest, she 
has produced men who are leaders in all departments of art.  The five greatest 
musicians of the world, past or present, bear German names, and in all walks 
of life they have excelled.  They are not only thinkers, but people of 
thrift.  They make a comfortable living where people of other nationalities 
would starve or at least eke out a miserable existence.  So we are always glad 
to welcome them to our shores.  One of this worthy number is John RENNER, of 
Sugar Creek township, Walworth county.  He was born in Baden, Germany, January 
22, 1838, being the fifth of a family of eight children born to Casper and 
Elizabeth RENNER, the father a native of Baden, Germany, where he grew up and 
from there he emigrated to the Untied States in 1848, landing in New York 
City, where he worked two years, on a farm near there.  Then, in 1850, he came 
to Racine, Wisconsin, where he farmed until 1866, then came to Walworth county 
and made his home with his son John, of this sketch, until his death.  He was 
buried in Tibbitts cemetery.  Casper RENNER was a Republican.  His wife was 
born in Baden, Germany, and she died in Walworth county at the age of sixty-
four years.  They were both members of the Evangelical church.
 
John RENNER of this sketch was ten years old when he came to America with his 
parents and here he grew to manhood and attended the common schools.  He 
proved his patriotism to his adopted country by enlisting for service in the 
Union army, when he was twenty-four years old, in December, 1862, in Company 
K, Thirty-first Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, in which he served gallantly 
until the close of the war, taking part in many important campaigns and hard-
fought engagements, such as the battles of Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, 
Savannah, Bentonville, and was on Sherman's famous march to the sea.
 
After his army career Mr. RENNER returned to Wisconsin and bought a farm in 
section 3, Sugar Creek township, Walworth county, and here he has since 
resided, having been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser, 
having accumulated two hundred and seventy-five acres of excellent land.
 
Mr. RENNER was married on November 6, 1859, to Elizabeth GILCHER, who was born 
on April 29, 1835, in Bavaria, Germany, where she grew to womanhood and 
received her education, coming to America when twenty years of age.  Her death 
occurred on October 11, 1910.
 
To the subject and wife one child was born, George Henry, whose birth occurred 
on April 19, 1861, and a sketch of whom will be found on another page of this 
work.
 
Politically, John RENNER is a Republican, and has long been active in local 
politics.  He is a member of the Rutherford B. Hayes Post No. 76, Grand Army 
of the Republic, of Elkhorn, and he and his wife are members of the 
Evangelical church.  Mr. RENNER is one of the substantial and influential 
Germans of Sugar Creek township, and is highly respected by all who know him.
 
Submitted by Carol