Sheriff Walter H. Renear was born Sep. 17, 1863 in Vineyard Haven.

He married Celestia Josephine Wetherell of Connecticut on Oct. 24, 1887 in Vineyard Haven. Their children, all born in Tisbury, include Frances Rockwell Renear (b. Jan. 23, 1889; m. George Walker), Mildred Renear (b. Mar. 11, 1890), and Leland Walter Renear (b. Nov. 10, 1893).

In 1897 he was living on Church Street and working as a liveryman. By 1907, he had a real estate business and a livery business on Main Street, and was a partner in the undertaking firm of Hinckley and Renear (with H. N. Hinckley) on Church Street. Their undertaking parlor was originally on Church Street and later moved to Main Street. In 1920, Walter sold the livery business to Bartlett Mayhew.

He began his automobile dealership in 1906 as a Reo dealer. In 1911 he became a Ford dealer. He built Renear's Garage, adjacent to his home on Church Street.

He served several terms as Sheriff of Dukes County.

Walter Renear died Feb. 27, 1924 in Vineyard Haven. Celestia died Nov. 14, 1948 in Vineyard Haven.

Walter's son Leland Walter Renear took over several of the family businesses: the garage and Ford dealership, and the undertaking business. He sold the undertaking business about 1950, and his son Robert Renear took over the dealership, garage, and service station.

Leland married (1st) Austis Maida Fairbrother on Dec. 3, 1917 in Vineyard Haven. They had a son Miles Wetherell Renear, born Dec. 5, 1919 in Vineyard Haven. Maida died May 24, 1920 in Vineyard Haven.

Leland married (2nd) Mary Borland Hume on June 26, 1924 in Vineyard Haven. Their children were Walter Hume Renear (1925), Dixon Borland Renear (1927), and Robert Leland Renear (1929).

Leland Renear died Dec. 15, 1968 in Vineyard Haven. His wife Mary Hume Renear died Apr. 16, 1970.