renouf was educated at a private school in jersey, and came to canada in 1896, moving to winnipeg in 1898 and to bowsman the following year. in 1906, he married elsie marie le salleur, also from jersey. he worked as a farmer, and was reeve of the minitonas municipality from 1921 to 1932. he was also president of the minitonas red cross. renouf farmed in the swan river valley until 1955.