Rennie, William

William Rennie, born in Scotland to coal operator and manufacturer William Rennie and his wife Elizabeth Rennie, was educated in Glasgow and at the Loretto School near Edinburgh. After a year of traveling the Continent and working six years for the New Zealand-Australian Land Company, he arrived in San Francisco in 1886. He partnered with his brother James in Napa County to form Rennie Bros, a dry-wine manufacturing firm headquartered in St. Helena where he also helped build the county first stone bridge. In 1900, he relocated to Fresno County to manage the massive 960 acre Barton Vineyard, overseeing a major operation that produced large quantities of wine and commercial brandy.

His agricultural leadership was tested in 1915 when a devastating fire destroyed a portion of the winery, resulting in a 190,000 dollar loss of buildings, machinery, and wine. Beyond his viticultural work, he engaged in quicksilver mining, served as a director for the Central Bank of California at Fresno, and supported the Republican party. He was also a dedicated member of the Robert Burns Lodge of Masons in Scotland and the Napa Commandery of Knight Templars. Alongside his wife, he raised two children, Elizabeth and William, the latter of whom served overseas in the United States Army during the war.