Charles Albert PENNINGTON [142] ^{67,154,155,156}

   Cause of his death was Heart attack.

   FamilySearch ID: LZFT-XSB. Find a Grave ID: 118415976.

  General Notes:

Additional Photos

Charles Pennington, along with his brothers Thomas, William, James, and John, were born in Devonshire, England to John and Ann Pennington. They also had one sister, Margaret. John operated a stone mill, grinding flour. Charles helped his father run the mill, staying home from school. He would cough from the dust of the mill and go to the door for fresh air. His father would tell him to take a puff of his pipe. Eventually, when Charles was about 12 years old, he decided to get a pipe of his own. He continued to smoke a pipe until he was 75.

Charles, Tom, Bill, and Jim left England for Canada to work. Charles signed up to work on a farm for three years. One month before his time was up, Tom, Bill, and Jim came to see if he wanted to go back to England. They had arranged to work their way back on a livestock boat. To break his contract for the remaining month, Charles hired a man named Williams, giving him $16 for the month, though Charles had been earning only $15 per month.

The livestock boat the brothers worked was half-full of wheat. On the way, they were caught in a storm. The boat went on its side as the wheat shifted. The wheat kept the boat from righting itself. There were also 500 sheep and hundreds of head of cattle on the top deck as well as those on a lower floor. The animals piled up on one side of the boat and took the railing off. The 28-man crew was ordered to throw the livestock overboard, as they had to drown in order to collect the insurance. As the men waited out the storm, they could see cattle swimming "in the air" as they were in the trough of the sea. As they went up, the cattle could be seen as far down as they could see. For several days, with engines working, they sat in one place, holding their own until the storm ceased.

At a family reunion, Charles was able to show $300 in gold that he had saved.

The Pennington brothers stayed in England for some time, but eventually they all returned to Canada. Charles married Melinda Davey in 1882 and soon after the marriage brought his new wife to Canada. Once there, he cut cordwood for seven years to earn a living. During their time in Canada, Charles and Melinda started a family. Melinda gave birth to three children; George Edward, Margaret Ann, and Frederick James.

In 1888, when Charles was around the age of 28, the family moved to Stirlingville, Michigan by way of Sault Ste. Marie. They had two teams of horses and a load of furniture. On the way, Charles upset the furniture into a creek, breaking all the glass.

Charles brother, William, had arrived earlier and settled on a hill two miles east and one-half mile north of Pickford. Another brother, James, had homesteaded two miles east and one and one-half miles north of Pickford.

Charles and Melinda lived in Stirlingville until about 1890, when Charles purchased 80 acres of land from the railroad. The heavily wooded land was located two miles east of Pickford, in the same vicinity as his brothers. Charles built a house there of lumber and pole rafters using lumber that he cut on his land. This house stood until it burned in 1949. Charles and Melinda would walk on downed pine logs, stepping from one tree to the next, the one and one-half miles between Stirlingville and his farm. One more daughter, Anne Maria, was born in 1888.

Charles spent the summers clearing land for his farm and in the winter he worked in the lumber camps at Prentiss Bay. He also helped clear land for his brother William, a bachelor, to earn money to live. Once his land was cleared, he farmed for a living.

Saturday nights were saved for going to Stirlingville for groceries. Supplies came there by boat. Fresh beef could only be kept in the winter. The summer menu relied on salt pork. Homemade bread and butter were popular. Pigs and chickens were raised to provide meat and eggs. It was expected in those years that the town would be in Stirlingville.

During the winter of 1888-1889 Charles caught diphtheria at the lumber camp. On his return home, the three older children caught the disease and died. Frederick died on February 18, 1889 at two years of age. A couple of weeks later, his brother George died on March 3, 1889 at six years of age. On the next day, March 4, 1889, Margaret died at five years of age. Charles and Melinda's youngest child, Anne Maria, never caught the disease. Melinda caught diphtheria, but survived.

Over the following years, four additional children were born to Charles and Melinda; Francis, Huldah, Melinda, and Charles Jr. Charles Jr. died in April of 1899 at only eight months old. The couple also suffered the loss of one child, John, at birth in early 1895. In October of 1899, Melinda died of Acute Spinal Meningitis. She was 37 years old at the time of her death. After Melinda's death, Charles, at the urging of relatives, sold the farm in Michigan and returned to England with his four remaining children; Maria, Francis, Huldah, and Melinda.

Charles sold the farm to Bill Darcy, held an auction to sell the family's furnishings, and returned to England. He had difficulty getting through customs with the crowds of people. He got some cardboard boxes piled together and put the children inside, so they wouldn't get trampled. The customs officers had to see the children before they would check the trunks and allow them to proceed.

Once in England, Charles stayed only one year. His parents suggested that relatives could take in the children but Charles kept the children with him. His original intention was to marry the sister of his wife, as was tradition, but she was already taken. In 1901 he married his sister Margaret's best friend, Mary Jane Dunn.

He couldn't make a satisfactory living In England after being in America. Wages in England were low, around 50 cents a day, and he preferred the climate in North America. With his children and new wife, he returned to Michigan in 1901 and repurchased his farm from Bill Darcy.

Back in Michigan, Charles and Mary Jane began their own family, having six children over the next eighteen years. The children were Norman, Charles, Leola, Howard James, Harvey Edwin, Doris Mae, and John Henry. Mary Jane died of a stroke on October 27, 1925, leaving Charles alone once again.

Charles lived for another ten years. During that time, his sons Harvey and Howard purchased the farm from their father and Howard continued to live there for many years. Charles moved in with the family of his son Frank Pennington. Charles died of a heart attack at the home of Frank Pennington, in Pickford, on Thursday, March 21, 1935, at 7:30 PM. He was laid to rest next to his second wife, Mary Jane in Bethel Cemetery, north of Pickford.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He was baptized on 5 July 1860 in Woolfardisworthy, , Devonshire, England.

2. Charles appeared in the household of John PENNINGTON [256] in the 1861 British census on 7 April 1861 in Woolfardisworthy, , Devonshire, England. ^{160 160} This event was shared from John PENNINGTON [256] who also shared it with Ann WAKELY [257], Grace SLEE [4958], James PENNINGTON [240], John PENNINGTON [261], Thomas PENNINGTON [258], and William PENNINGTON [259].

3. He was an occupant at the residence of John PENNINGTON [256] on 7 April 1861 in Woolfardisworthy, , Devonshire, England: Lane Mill. ^{160 160} This event was shared from John PENNINGTON [256] who also shared it with Ann WAKELY [257], Grace SLEE [4958], James PENNINGTON [240], John PENNINGTON [261], Thomas PENNINGTON [258], and William PENNINGTON [259].

4. Charles appeared in the household of John PENNINGTON [256] in the 1871 British census on 2 April 1871 in Woolfardisworthy, , Devonshire, England. 1871_UK_Woolfardisworthy_1 This event was shared from John PENNINGTON [256] who also shared it with Ann WAKELY [257], James PENNINGTON [240], Margaret PENNINGTON [262], and Thomas PENNINGTON [258].

5. He was an occupant at the residence of John PENNINGTON [256] on 2 April 1871 in Woolfardisworthy, , Devonshire, England: Lane Mill. This event was shared from John PENNINGTON [256] who also shared it with Ann WAKELY [257], James PENNINGTON [240], Margaret PENNINGTON [262], and Thomas PENNINGTON [258].

6. He immigrated from England about 1882 to Goderich, Huron, Ontario, Canada.

7. He immigrated from Canada in 1887 to , Chippewa, Michigan, United States. ⁶⁴

8. He worked as a lumberman in 1889 in St. Ignace, Mackinac, Michigan, United States.
Prentiss Bay, 20 miles east of Cedarville.

The abundant white pine in the region was harvested in earnest. In the late 1800s. This cash crop gave rise to Prentiss, a sawmill town with nearly 500 residents located on Old Mill Point. Here, millions of board feet of white pine were processed and the deep channel of the outer bay allowed steamers to export this lumber to satisfy the mighty appetite for construction materials in Chicago and other growing Midwestern cities.

Hassack Brothers Lumbering Co. of Cedarville. The then high monthly wage of $20 - $25 was expedient for tax payments and the purchase of seed for spring seeding.
(Prentiss Bay, Cedarville, Michigan 49719, United States.)

9. He worked as a farmer in 1895. ⁶⁷

10. He was naturalized from Canada to United States on 8 June 1897 in Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa, Michigan, United States.

11. Charles appeared in the household of John PENNINGTON [256] in the 1901 British census on 31 March 1901 in Woolfardisworthy, , Devonshire, England. ^{71 71} 1901_UK_Woolfardisworthy_56-1 This event was shared from John PENNINGTON [256] who also shared it with Ann WAKELY [257], Anne Maria PENNINGTON [149], Francis PENNINGTON [151], Huldah PENNINGTON [148], Margaret PENNINGTON [262], and Melinda PENNINGTON [51].

12. He was an occupant at the residence of John PENNINGTON [256] on 31 March 1901 in Woolfardisworthy, , Devonshire, England: Lane Mill Villa. ^{72 72} This event was shared from John PENNINGTON [256] who also shared it with Ann WAKELY [257], Anne Maria PENNINGTON [149], Francis PENNINGTON [151], Huldah PENNINGTON [148], Margaret PENNINGTON [262], and Melinda PENNINGTON [51].

13. He traveled to the port of Quebec on the Tunisian on 6 June 1901. ⁷³ Arrival in Quebec was on 15 Jun 1901.
The passenger manifest included:
Charles - Adult
Mary J - Adult
Maria - 11
Frank - 9
Aldali - 7 (Huldah)
Milinda - 4 (Melinda)

Liverpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom This event was shared with Anne Maria PENNINGTON [149], Francis PENNINGTON [151], Huldah PENNINGTON [148], Mary Jane DUNN [152], and Melinda PENNINGTON [51].

14. He appeared on the 1910 United States census on 7 June 1910 in Pickford, Chippewa, Michigan, United States. 1910_MI_Chippewa_12_22_13b This event was shared with Francis PENNINGTON [151], Howard James PENNINGTON [155], Huldah PENNINGTON [148], Leola PENNINGTON [154], Mary Jane DUNN [152], Melinda PENNINGTON [51], and Norman C. PENNINGTON [153].

15. On 7 June 1910 he had a residence in Pickford, Chippewa, Michigan, United States. ⁷⁴ This event was shared with Francis PENNINGTON [151], Howard James PENNINGTON [155], Huldah PENNINGTON [148], Leola PENNINGTON [154], Mary Jane DUNN [152], Melinda PENNINGTON [51], and Norman C. PENNINGTON [153].

16. He appeared on the 1920 United States census on 2 January 1920 in Pickford, Chippewa, Michigan, United States. 1920_MI_Chippewa_11_27_06a This event was shared with Doris May PENNINGTON [157], Harvey Edwin PENNINGTON [156], Howard James PENNINGTON [155], John Henry PENNINGTON [158], Leola PENNINGTON [154], Mary Jane DUNN [152], and Norman C. PENNINGTON [153].

17. On 2 January 1920 he had a residence in Pickford, Chippewa, Michigan, United States. ⁷⁴ This event was shared with Doris May PENNINGTON [157], Harvey Edwin PENNINGTON [156], Howard James PENNINGTON [155], John Henry PENNINGTON [158], Leola PENNINGTON [154], Mary Jane DUNN [152], and Norman C. PENNINGTON [153].

18. He appeared on the 1930 United States census on 21 April 1930 in Pickford, Chippewa, Michigan, United States. 1930_MI_Chippewa_17-10_2_7b This event was shared with Doris May PENNINGTON [157], Harvey Edwin PENNINGTON [156], Howard James PENNINGTON [155], John Henry PENNINGTON [158], and Leola PENNINGTON [154].

19. On 21 April 1930 he had a residence in Pickford, Chippewa, Michigan, United States. ⁷⁴ This event was shared with Doris May PENNINGTON [157], Harvey Edwin PENNINGTON [156], Howard James PENNINGTON [155], John Henry PENNINGTON [158], and Leola PENNINGTON [154].

20. His obituary was published in the Soo Evening News in March 1935 in Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa, Michigan, United States.
Charles Pennington, 73, for 50 years a resident of Chippewa County, died at the home of his son, Frank Pennington, at Pickford, Thursday, March 21, 1935, at 7:30 p. m., of a heart attack.

Mr. Pennington was born in Devonshire, England, June, 14, 1860, and came to this country, 50 years ago, settling on a farm near Pickford, where he has made his home since.

He is survived by five sons, Frank, Howard, Harvey and John of Pickford and Norman of Pickford, five daughters, Mrs. Russel Hope and Mrs. Manford Holton of the Sault, Mrs. Reuben Hunter of Dafter, Mrs. Robert Roe of Pickford and Mrs. Clifford Bawks of Barbeau, one sister, Mrs. Thomas Hare of the Sault, and two brothers, Thomas of Goderich, Ont., and John of Hamilton, Ont.

Funeral services probably will be held Sunday at the Pickford Methodist church, the Rev. William Combellack officiating. Burial will be at Bethel cemetery.

21. He was buried at the Bethel Cemetery in Pickford, Chippewa, Michigan, United States on 24 March 1935. Bethel Cemetery Photos (Bethel M. E. Cemetery, M129, Pickford, Michigan, United States.)

The Life of Charles Pennington

Charles Pennington, along with his brothers Thomas, William, James, and John, were born in Devonshire, England to John and Ann Pennington. They also had one sister, Margaret. John operated a stone mill, grinding flour. Charles helped his father run the mill, staying home from school. He would cough from the dust of the mill and go to the door for fresh air. His father would tell him to take a puff of his pipe. Eventually, when Charles was about 12 years old, he decided to get a pipe of his own. He continued to smoke a pipe until he was 75.

Charles, Tom, Bill, and Jim left England for Canada to work. Charles signed up to work on a farm for three years. One month before his time was up, Tom, Bill, and Jim came to see if he wanted to go back to England. They had arranged to work their way back on a livestock boat. To break his contract for the remaining month, Charles hired a man named Williams, giving him $16 for the month, though Charles had been earning only $15 per month.

The livestock boat the brothers worked was half-full of wheat. On the way, they were caught in a storm. The boat went on its side as the wheat shifted. The wheat kept the boat from righting itself. There were also 500 sheep and hundreds of head of cattle on the top deck as well as those on a lower floor. The animals piled up on one side of the boat and took the railing off. The 28-man crew was ordered to throw the livestock overboard, as they had to drown in order to collect the insurance. As the men waited out the storm, they could see cattle swimming "in the air" as they were in the trough of the sea. As they went up, the cattle could be seen as far down as they could see. For several days, with engines working, they sat in one place, holding their own until the storm ceased.

At a family reunion, Charles was able to show $300 in gold that he had saved.

The Pennington brothers stayed in England for some time, but eventually they all returned to Canada. Charles married Melinda Davey in 1882 and soon after the marriage brought his new wife to Canada. Once there, he cut cordwood for seven years to earn a living. During their time in Canada, Charles and Melinda started a family. Melinda gave birth to three children; George Edward, Margaret Ann, and Frederick James.

In 1888, when Charles was around the age of 28, the family moved to Stirlingville, Michigan by way of Sault Ste. Marie. They had two teams of horses and a load of furniture. On the way, Charles upset the furniture into a creek, breaking all the glass.

Charles brother, William, had arrived earlier and settled on a hill two miles east and one-half mile north of Pickford. Another brother, James, had homesteaded two miles east and one and one-half miles north of Pickford.

Charles and Melinda lived in Stirlingville until about 1890, when Charles purchased 80 acres of land from the railroad. The heavily wooded land was located two miles east of Pickford, in the same vicinity as his brothers. Charles built a house there of lumber and pole rafters using lumber that he cut on his land. This house stood until it burned in 1949. Charles and Melinda would walk on downed pine logs, stepping from one tree to the next, the one and one-half miles between Stirlingville and his farm. One more daughter, Anne Maria, was born in 1888.

Charles spent the summers clearing land for his farm and in the winter he worked in the lumber camps at Prentiss Bay. He also helped clear land for his brother William, a bachelor, to earn money to live. Once his land was cleared, he farmed for a living.

Saturday nights were saved for going to Stirlingville for groceries. Supplies came there by boat. Fresh beef could only be kept in the winter. The summer menu relied on salt pork. Homemade bread and butter were popular. Pigs and chickens were raised to provide meat and eggs. It was expected in those years that the town would be in Stirlingville.

During the winter of 1888-1889 Charles caught diphtheria at the lumber camp. On his return home, the three older children caught the disease and died. Frederick died on February 18, 1889 at two years of age. A couple of weeks later, his brother George died on March 3, 1889 at six years of age. On the next day, March 4, 1889, Margaret died at five years of age. Charles and Melinda's youngest child, Anne Maria, never caught the disease. Melinda caught diphtheria, but survived.

Over the following years, four additional children were born to Charles and Melinda; Francis, Huldah, Melinda, and Charles Jr. Charles Jr. died in April of 1899 at only eight months old. The couple also suffered the loss of one child, John, at birth in early 1895. In October of 1899, Melinda died of Acute Spinal Meningitis. She was 37 years old at the time of her death. After Melinda's death, Charles, at the urging of relatives, sold the farm in Michigan and returned to England with his four remaining children; Maria, Francis, Huldah, and Melinda.

Charles sold the farm to Bill Darcy, held an auction to sell the family's furnishings, and returned to England. He had difficulty getting through customs with the crowds of people. He got some cardboard boxes piled together and put the children inside, so they wouldn't get trampled. The customs officers had to see the children before they would check the trunks and allow them to proceed.

Once in England, Charles stayed only one year. His parents suggested that relatives could take in the children but Charles kept the children with him. His original intention was to marry the sister of his wife, as was tradition, but she was already taken. In 1901 he married his sister Margaret's best friend, Mary Jane Dunn.

He couldn't make a satisfactory living In England after being in America. Wages in England were low, around 50 cents a day, and he preferred the climate in North America. With his children and new wife, he returned to Michigan in 1901 and repurchased his farm from Bill Darcy.

Back in Michigan, Charles and Mary Jane began their own family, having six children over the next eighteen years. The children were Norman, Charles, Leola, Howard James, Harvey Edwin, Doris Mae, and John Henry. Mary Jane died of a stroke on October 27, 1925, leaving Charles alone once again.

Charles lived for another ten years. During that time, his sons Harvey and Howard purchased the farm from their father and Howard continued to live there for many years. Charles moved in with the family of his son Frank Pennington. Charles died of a heart attack at the home of Frank Pennington, in Pickford, on Thursday, March 21, 1935, at 7:30 PM. He was laid to rest next to his second wife, Mary Jane in Bethel Cemetery, north of Pickford.

Charles married Melinda DAVEY [143] [MRIN: 36], daughter of George DAVEY [146] and Huldah CORY [147], between April 1882 and June 1882 in Bideford, , Devonshire, England ^150,151.^,152 (Melinda DAVEY [143] was born on 2 March 1862 in Woolfardisworthy, , Devonshire, England,^{150,161,162,163,164} died on 18 October 1899 in Pickford, Chippewa, Michigan, United States ^164,165 and was buried on 20 October 1899 in Pickford, Chippewa, Michigan, United States ¹⁶⁶.). The cause of her death was Acute Meningitis.

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. Death of One Spouse: 18 October 1899, Caledonia, Kent, Michigan, United States. ¹⁶⁵

Charles next married Mary Jane DUNN [152] [MRIN: 84], daughter of James DUNN [723] and Sarah HEYWOOD [724], on 29 May 1901 in Bideford, , Devonshire, England ⁹¹.^,153 (Mary Jane DUNN [152] was born in 1878 in Woolfardisworthy, , Devonshire, England,⁶⁴ died on 29 October 1925 in Pickford, Chippewa, Michigan, United States ¹⁵⁹ and was buried on 1 November 1925 in Pickford, Chippewa, Michigan, United States ¹⁵⁹.). The cause of her death was Stroke.