Welcome to The Rainwater Collection

Why The Rainwater Collection?

The purpose of The Rainwater Collection is to assist serious genealogical researchers in their research by providing an archive of well-documented, accurate and uninterpreted data related to the Rainwater family in America. It is the product of thousands of hours of work on the part of Susan and Steve Rainwater, and our many contributors. Avail yourself freely of all of the resources of the collection, but please give appropriate credit if you quote the site in a written work or database.

Rainwater Book Now In Print

The Family Tree of Clois Miles Rainwater and Nancy Jane McIlhaney: One Texas Family’s Origins, 1706-2012 is now available through Lulu.com for $19.99.

This book explores the family roots of one contemporary Texas family, from their origins in North Carolina to present day. The two major family groups are the Rainwaters (Kentucky branch) and the McIlhaneys (Tennessee). The book includes profiles of each of the couple’s ancestors, and short profiles of all of the ancestors’ children. Photographs and register reports are included.

Centenarian Rainwaters

  1. Mollie Rainwater Aderholt, 28 Apr 1879-4 Nov 1984, 105 years 6 months 7 days, daughter of Josiah W. Rainwater & Elizabeth Jane Weddle
  2. Walter Eugene Rainwater, 18 Jul 1915-12 Aug 2019, 104 years 0 months 28 days, Mollie’s nephew, son of Roscoe C. Rainwater & Gertrude Caughron
  3. Ruby Bragg Rainwater, 8 Mar 1912 - 11 Aug 2015, 103 years 5 months 3 days, wife of Lester Franklin Rainwater
  4. Pauline Ballard Rainwater, 18 Jul 1918-25 Nov 2020, 102 years 4 months 7 days, wife of Woodrow Rainwater
  5. Lucy Rainwater Felknor, 25 Oct 1867-27 Sep 1969, 101 years 11 months 2 days, daughter of George A. Rainwater & Elizabeth A. Hill
  6. Frances Louise Sharp Rainwater, 8 Nov 1914-7 Nov 2015, 100 years 11 months 30 days, wife of Arlis D. Rainwater
  7. Emma Margarette Rainwater Zimmerman, 1 Apr 1918-17 Dec 2018, 100 years 8 months 16 days, daughter of Charles Luther Rainwater & Sinie Kelly
  8. Jeremiah Leonard Rainwater, 20 May 1879-6 Jul 1979, 100 years, 1 month 16 days, son of Abraham Butler Rainwater & Sarah Catherine Waters
  9. Vera Rainwater Maxey, 10 May 1903-26 May 2003, 100 years, 0 months, 16 days, daughter of Isiah Rainwater & Lula Hawk
  10. Ennis Lee Rainwaters, 9 Oct 1912-13 Oct 2012, 100 years, 0 months, 4 days, son of Allen L. Rainwaters & Mary Emma Reineke