He attended the public schools which he left at the age of 17 years to enter the Confederate States Army in the American Civil War, and on February 25, 1862, enlisted in Company C, 50th North Carolina Infantry Regiment at Smithfield and was mustered into service at Camp Mangum on April 21, 1862, as a sergeant but subsequently was promoted to first sergeant.

[a] [b] It has been reported that although Renfrow was relatively unknown in Oklahoma Territory, President Cleveland was set on appointing him because of his success in finance and his clean reputation.

[1] After his retirement from office, Renfrow lived in Kansas City, Missouri for a few years, but later becoming engaged in the lead and zinc business in northeastern Oklahoma removed to Miami, Oklahoma, where he operated his mining business under the Renfrow Mining and Royalty Company and became an extensive owner of lead and zinc properties.

Some two years prior to his death he embarked in the oil and gas business in the Mexia field in Texas where he spent a considerable portion of his time.

Renfrow died while sitting in the lobby of the Massey Hotel at Bentonville, Arkansas on January 31, 1922, while en route from Miami to Russellville on account of the illness of his brother.