1940 Laurel Twp, Ashe Co., NC - Penningtons (Part 1)

I have been tracing the Ephraim Pennington through land records, census records and cemetery records from the early 1800s to the present day.  Today, I got my first chance to take a look at the 1940 census through Laurel Twp in Ashe Co., NC.  Most of those still living in Laurel Twp., Ashe Co., NC can trace their families back to John Pennington and Emeline Kilby Pennington, Elijah Ephraim Pennington and Mary Osborne Pennington especially through their sons Isaac and Elijah.  They are all descended through Levi Pennington and Elizabeth Henson Pennington who was probably the oldest son of Ephraim Pennington b. 1769.  While I don’t have the time to peruse the entire census right now…I thought I would offer some information about those in Laurel Township.  Here are a few highlights.

Page 1A

The family of Ephraim Pennington has lived in the Laurel Township in every census from 1850 until 1930.  If you know where and who to look for, you can locate quite a few in this township.  On the very first page of the township, listed as the third family is that of T. W. Pennington also known as Watt Pennington who was the son of John Pennington and Emeline Kilby.  Just previous to the entry of Watt Pennington is that of J.Q. McCoy with his wife, Emma.  Emma was the daughter of Isaac Pennington whose father was Elijah Ephraim Pennington. 

Watt Pennington's house.

Page 1B

James Oliver is the head of one of the first families listed on the second page.  His wife, Birdie Mae is a daughter of Isaac Pennington and listed within their household is Martitia Osborne Pennington, Isaac’s widow.  Next is Roby Wilson Pennington, the son of Eliajah Amons Pennington and with his household is his mother, Polly Jane Osborne Pennington.  Levi Kelly Pennington is listed with his wife, Emma Lewis Pennington – Levi was the son of John Pennington and Emeline Kilby Pennington.  Rhudy Garfield Pennington is listed with his wife Danford and he is another son of Isaac and Martitia Osborne Pennington.  Then comes Nancy Graybeal Pennington, the widow of Melvin Smith Pennington – son of John Pennington and Emeline Kilby Pennington. After them are the parents of Danford Graybeal Pennington (wife of Rhudy Pennington).

Page 2A

I’m sure the Graybeals and Osborne’s listed at the beginning of this page are somehow connected…but I am not sure of their branch on the family tree, however the next name is recognizable.  Jesse Allen is a son of Tishia Louisa Pennington Allen who was a sister of Isaac and Elijah Amons Pennington – all three were children of Elijah Ephraim Pennington and Mary Osborne.   Clint Pennington is Elijah Clinton Pennington – a son of Isaac Pennington and Martitia Osborne and his third wife, Lillie Jones Pennington and their five children. At the bottom of the page is Freelis S. Owens with his wife, Ollie Pennington Owens, the daughter of Melvin Smith Pennington and Nancy Graybeal and granddaughter of John Pennington and Emeline Kilby.

In the few minutes that I just spent on a few pages of the 1940 census, I was able to fill in several birthdates that had previously been after 1930 as well as added a few children that I didn’t have.  This short exercise shows the promise of census records.  If you have a family group that has stayed in the same region for a long period of time, you can build a family tree using census records and cemetery records.  Those two types of records are extremely valuable in piecing together the threads of families who have lived in Laurel Township, Ashe Co., NC.