ɹˈeɪnz wʌz bˈɔːɹn ˌɔn ˈeɪpɹəl tˈɛn, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi θɹˈiː, ɪn nˈæʃvɪl, tˌɛnəsˈiː, ðə sˈʌn ʌv mˈɛθədˌɪst mˈɪnɪstɚ ɹˈɛv. dʒˈɑːn ænd luːsˈɪndə kˈɑːɹtɹaɪt ɹˈeɪnz.
Rains was born on April 10, 1833, in Nashville, Tennessee, the son of Methodist minister Rev. John and Lucinda Cartwright Rains.