When James Arthur Reneau was born on 12 February 1877, in Bates, Missouri, United States, his father, James Louis Reneau, was 43 and his mother, Martha L. Broderick, was 37. He married Mary B Johnson on 21 September 1898, in Harper, Kansas, United States. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 2 daughters. He lived in Kimberly, Twin Falls, Idaho, United States in 1910 and Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States in 1930. He died on 26 November 1955, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States, at the age of 78, and was buried in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States.