France, who has given so many of her sons to the building up of this country, was the early tramping ground of our subject, and where he was born February 3, 1834. His parents, Frank and Jeanne Claude (Roussy) Brenot, were also natives of France, where the father spent his entire life engaged in farming, but the mother came to America and died in East Toledo, Ohio, in July, 1871. Four of their children also became residents of the United States: Mrs. Mary Martin, who died in Lake township, Wood county; Francis, of this sketch; John, of Blissfield, Mich. ; and Philomaine, who died in Wood county. In his native land Francis Brenot was reared and educated, and crossed the Atlantic at the age of nineteen years. He first located in Pennsylvania, where he worked in a sawmill, and in the woods, and later was similarly employed in Wisconsin. In 1861, at East Saginaw, Mich., he enlisted in Company H, 2nd Mich. V. I., for three months, and, on the expiration of that term, re-enlisted in the same company and regiment, for three years. He was mustered into service at Detroit, Mich., as a member of the army of the Potomac, and participated in the following engagements: Blackburn's Ford; siege of Yorktown; Williamsburg; Fair Oaks; Richmond; Glendale; Malvern Hill; second battle of Bull Run; Chantilly; Frederickburg; Vicksburg; Knoxville, where he received a gunshot wound; Jackson; Blue Springs; Campbell's station; siege of Knoxville, the battle of the Wilderness, and others. At the close of his enlistment he was honorably discharged in July, 1864, at Detroit, Mich., and was mustered out with an army record of which he may be justly proud. From Detroit, soon after his discharge, Mr. Brenot came to Wood county, and has since made his home here. In addition to the farm on which he is now located, he owns another in the same township, comprising 12o acres, 100 of which he has placed under the plow. For about twelve years also, he engaged in the grocery and saloon business in Ross township.