Complex Family Ties - Edward Pennington Family

Edward Pennington is probably one of the more well-known children of Micajah Pennington and Rachel Jones.  Edward and Micajah, Jr are the only sons of Micajah, Sr and Rachel that we can be sure of the majority of their descendants.   After the family moved to Lee Co., VA from Ashe Co., NC – the area where Edward lived was called Pennington Gap and is still called that today.  “Neddy” Pennington as he was called married Martha “Patsy” Flanary and they had eleven children.  As the area was not too largely populated – it is not surprising to find a few intermarriages.

Neddy and Martha had six daughters and five sons.  There are several family connections with their marriages – here are a few.

• The first such family that is found in close connection with this group of Penningtons is the Parsons.  Phoebe Pennington married William Simmons Parson on 18 Aug 1814 in Lee Co., VA Phoebe’s younger sister Rebecca married William’s younger brother John “Jack” Parsons around 1826 in Lee Co., VA.  John and William were the sons of John Parsons and Mary Simmons.   
• The eldest son, Thomas F. Pennington married Mary Smyth on 29 Jan 1818.  When she died in 1848, he married Mourning Minerva Jones who was the daughter of Abraham Jones and Mary Kyle.  His younger brother, Elijah also married a daughter of Abraham Jones and Mary Kyle.  Elijah and Sarah Elizabeth Jones were married around 1831 in Lee Co., VA.    Thomas sister, Elizabeth married George Smyth, the brother of Mary Smyth who were the children of Edward Smyth and Hannah Crabtree.
• Then there is John Dees Pennington who married Rachel Zion on 2 Jan 1823 in Lee Co., VA.  Rachel was the daughter of John W. Zion and Lucy McCormick.  Rachel’s niece (by her brother John W. Zion and wife Susannah Davis) married John Dees Pennington’s younger brother Levi Pennington (m. Elizabeth Zion abt 1831)

The other children of Neddy and Martha did not intermarry with the in-laws…but by the time you get to the next few generations…it really gets messy.  When you start to throw in more Zions, Parsons, Jones, Grahams, Russell’s, Bishops,  Caltons and Flanary’s – then the tree really gets complicated.  It has been a while since I last tackled this family.  It is an imposing prospect think of pursuing these lines again!

Descendants of Edward "Neddy" Mitchell Pennington

Generation No. 1

1.  EDWARD "NEDDY" MITCHELL³ PENNINGTON  (MICAJAH², BENAJAH¹) was born 29 Dec 1769 in Wilkes Co., NC, and died 05 May 1860 in Lee Co., VA.  He married (1) AGNES LITTLE.    He married (2) MARTHA "PATSY" FLANARY Abt. 1793 in Wilkes Co., NC, daughter of JOHN FLANARY and PHOEBE BOGGS.  She was born 30 Dec 1779 in Wilkes Co., NC, and died 25 Dec 1852 in Lee Co., VA.

More About EDWARD "NEDDY" MITCHELL PENNINGTON:

Burial: May 1860, Pennington Cemetery, Lee Co., VA

Census 1: 1850, 1850 - Lee Co., VA, Pg 356, Family #621

Census 2: 1820, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 16 - 201-10133001

Census 3: 1830, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 315, Ln 11

Emigration: Went to Lee Co., VA...Pennington's Gap named for him

More About MARTHA "PATSY" FLANARY:

Burial: Dec 1852, Pennington Cemetery, Lee Co., VA

Census: 1850, 1850 - Lee Co., VA, Pg 356, Family #621

       

Child of EDWARD PENNINGTON and AGNES LITTLE is:

                   i.    ANN LITTLE⁴ PENNINGTON, b. 1792, Ashe/Wilkes Co., NC; d. 1796.

       

Children of EDWARD PENNINGTON and MARTHA FLANARY are:

                  ii.    PHOEBE⁴ PENNINGTON, b. 26 Sep 1794, Wilkes Co., NC; d. 1863, Lee Co., VA; m. WILLIAM SIMMONS PARSONS, 18 Aug 1814, Lee Co., VA; b. 16 Nov 1789, Ashe Co., NC; d. 06 Jan 1856, Lee Co., VA.

More About PHOEBE PENNINGTON:

Census: 1850, Lee Co., VA, Pg 340, Fam # 538

More About WILLIAM SIMMONS PARSONS:

Census 1: 1850, Lee Co., VA, Pg 340, Fam # 538

Census 2: 1820, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 16 - 200-0101-0100

                 iii.    THOMAS F. PENNINGTON, b. 05 Jul 1797, Wilkes Co., NC or Ashe Co., NC; d. 27 Mar 1858, Lee Co., VA; m. (1) MARY SMYTH, 29 Jan 1818; b. 09 Jan 1793; d. 16 May 1848, Lee Co., VA; m. (2) MOURNING MINERVA JONES, Bef. 19 Jun 1849; b. Abt. 1825, Lee Co., VA; d. 1906.

More About THOMAS F. PENNINGTON:

Burial: Mar 1858, Pennington Cemetery, Lee Co., VA

Census 1: 1850, Lee Co., VA, Pg 347, Family #626

Census 2: 1820, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 16 - 0001-001-0010

Census 3: 1830, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 315, Ln 12

More About MARY SMYTH:

Burial: May 1848, Pennington Cemetery, Lee Co., VA

More About MOURNING MINERVA JONES:

Census: 1850, Lee Co., VA, Pg 347, Family #626

                 iv.    DAVID PENNINGTON, b. 11 Mar 1799, Ashe Co., NC; d. 28 Apr 1886, Lee Co., VA; m. VIRGINIA "JENNIE"JANE STAMPER, Abt. 1819, Lee Co., VA; b. 1803, Lee Co., VA; d. 30 Mar 1893, Ocoonita, Lee Co., VA.

More About DAVID PENNINGTON:

Burial: Apr 1886, Ocoonita Cemetery, Lee Co., VA

Census 1: 1850, Lee Co., VA, Pg 351, Fam # 683

Census 2: 1820, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 16. 1001-000100

Census 3: 1830, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 315, Ln 2

Census 4: 1870, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 15, #95

Census 5: 1880, District 41, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 204A

More About VIRGINIA "JENNIE"JANE STAMPER:

Date born 2: 14 May 1808, Lee Co., VA or NC

Burial: Mar 1893, Ocoonita Cemetery, Lee Co., VA

Census 1: 1880, District 41, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 204A

Census 2: 1870, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 15, #95

                  v.    ELIZABETH H. PENNINGTON, b. 19 Jan 1801, Ashe Co., NC; d. 31 Jul 1818, Lee Co., VA; m. GEORGE P. SMYTH, Abt. 1817, Lee Co., VA; b. 25 Nov 1790, Lee Co., VA; d. 08 Aug 1849, Zions Mill, Lee Co., VA.

                 vi.    JOHN DEES PENNINGTON, b. 05 Oct 1802, Lee Co., VA; d. 29 Dec 1891, Greene Co., TN; m. (1) REBECCA ZION; m. (2) RACHEL ZION, 02 Jan 1823, Lee Co., VA; b. 22 Jan 1807, Washington Co., VA; d. 15 Jun 1885, Dryden, Lee Co., VA.

More About JOHN DEES PENNINGTON:

Burial: Dec 1891, Greene Co., TN

Census 1: 1850, Lee Co., VA, 31st District, Pg. 340 Fam #542

Census 2: 1830, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 315, Ln 20

Census 3: 1870, Yokum Station, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 39, #247

Census 4: 1880, Yocum Station, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 313A, # 206

More About RACHEL ZION:

Burial: Jun 1885, Pennington-Zion Cemetery, Lee Co., VA

Census 1: 1850, Lee Co., VA, 31st Dist. Pg 340, Fam. #542

Census 2: 1870, Yokum Station, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 39, #247

Census 3: 1880, Yocum Station, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 313A, # 206

                vii.    REBECCA PENNINGTON, b. 12 Jul 1805, Pennington Gap, Lee Co., VA; d. Abt. 1886, Pennington Gap, Lee Co., VA; m. JOHN "JACK" PARSONS, JR., Abt. 1826, Lee Co., VA; b. Abt. 1802, NC; d. 05 Feb 1857, Lee Co., VA.

More About REBECCA PENNINGTON:

Burial: Abt. 1886, Parsons-Smyth Cemetery, Lee Co., VA

Census 1: 1850, Lee Co., VA, Pg 349, Fam # 642

Census 2: 1870, Jonesville PO, Rocky Station, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 5, #27

Census 3: 1880, Rocky Station, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 212D

More About JOHN "JACK" PARSONS, JR.:

Burial: Feb 1857, Smith Cemetery, Woodway, Lee Co., VA

Census: 1850, Lee Co., VA, Pg 349, Fam # 642

               viii.    SUSAN "SOOKIE" PENNINGTON, b. 20 Mar 1808, Lee Co., VA; d. Abt. 1846, Jackson, Cape Girardeau Co., MO; m. ABRAHAM CHRISMAN, SR., 06 Jan 1825, Lee Co., VA; b. 22 Dec 1801, Lee Co., VA; d. 1850, Sacramento, Sacramento Co., CA.

                 ix.    ELIJAH B. PENNINGTON, b. 12 May 1810, Lee Co., VA; d. 04 May 1882, Poor Valley, Lee Co., VA; m. SARAH ELIZABETH JONES, Bef. 1832, Lee Co., VA; b. 12 Sep 1809, Lee Co., VA; d. 09 Jun 1891, Acuff, Union Co., TN.

More About ELIJAH B. PENNINGTON:

Burial: May 1882, Pennington Cemetery, Lee Co., VA

Census 1: 1850, Lee Co., VA, District 31, Pg 347, #625

Census 2: 1880, Rocky Station, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 217 B

More About SARAH ELIZABETH JONES:

Census 1: 1850, Lee Co., VA, District 31, Pg 347, #625

Census 2: 1880, Rocky Station, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 217 B

                  x.    LEVI PENNINGTON, b. 10 Oct 1812, Lee Co., VA; d. 16 Jun 1889, Pennington Gap, Lee Co., VA; m. (1) ELIZABETH ZION, Bet. 1831 - 1832, Lee Co., VA; b. 03 Apr 1815, Lee Co., VA; d. 29 Sep 1862, Lee Co., VA; m. (2) MARTHA AMANDA STEPHENS, 06 Dec 1864, Lee Co., VA; b. 22 Apr 1843, Bedford Co., VA; d. 07 May 1871, VA; m. (3) MARY VERMILLION LITTON, 09 Nov 1873, Lee Co., VA; b. 11 Sep 1820, Lee Co., VA; d. 09 Jun 1898, Lee Co., VA.

More About LEVI PENNINGTON:

Burial: Jun 1889, Pennington/Zion Cemetery, near Dryden, VA

Census 1: 1880, District 41, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 204B

Census 2: 1870, Yokum Station, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 38, #246

More About ELIZABETH ZION:

Burial: Sep 1862, Pennington/Zion Cemetery, near Dryden, VA

More About MARTHA AMANDA STEPHENS:

Burial: May 1871, Pennington/Zion Cemetery, near Dryden, VA

Census: 1870, Yokum Station, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 38, #246

More About MARY VERMILLION LITTON:

Census: 1880, District 41, Jonesville, Lee Co., VA, Pg. 204B

                 xi.    MARTHA "PATSY" PENNINGTON, b. 06 Jul 1815, Lee Co., VA; d. 15 Aug 1867, Lee Co., VA; m. ISAAC RUSSELL, 19 Jan 1833, Lee Co., VA; b. 22 Feb 1805, Lee Co., VA; d. 1863, Lee Co., VA.

More About MARTHA "PATSY" PENNINGTON:

Census: 1850, 1850 Lee Co., VA Census, Dist. 31, pg 350 #669

More About ISAAC RUSSELL:

Census: 1850, 1850 Lee Co., VA Census, Dist. 31, pg 350 #669

                xii.    MARY "POLLY" S. PENNINGTON, b. 11 Nov 1817, Pennington Gap, Lee Co., VA; d. 06 Feb 1901, Dryden, Lee Co., VA; m. MITCHELL CECIL, 11 Jul 1833, Lee Co., VA; b. 11 Jan 1803, Tazewell Co., VA; d. 04 Apr 1887, Dryden, Lee Co., VA.

More About MARY "POLLY" S. PENNINGTON:

Burial: Feb 1901, Ely Cemetery, Lee Co., VA

Census 1: 1850, 1850 Lee Co., VA Census, Dist. 31, pg 337 #501

Census 2: 1900, Dryden Precinct, Lee Co., VA, Pg 8B, #155

More About MITCHELL CECIL:

Burial: Apr 1887, Ely Cemetery, Lee Co., VA

Census: 1850, 1850 Lee Co., VA Census, Dist. 31, pg 337 #501

What is in a Name?

Sometimes my mother bemoaned the fact that she had such a plain name.  The name “Betty” seems to be a vanilla type of name and there was nothing “vanilla” about my mother.  Mom got her name because her mother’s name was so unusual…but then so was her great grandmother and great great grandmother.

Buena Vista Bailey Dollar

When I first heard that my great great grandmother’s name was Buena Vista – I had to wonder where that came from.  This was a child born in the late 1800’s in North Carolina.  Buena Vista seems to be a name that should belong to a Hispanic girl – not a girl born in the Appalachian Mountains.  Her parents (Jasper Bailey and wife Margaret) were both most likely of Irish descent so you have to wonder where that name came from.  They also had children named Colorado and Ninevah – so perhaps Buena Vista isn’t so bad.  Buena Vista married John Dula Dollar and had three children very quickly.  Their first two children had the fairly normal names of Bessie and Claude, but their third child received the name of Sophia Vestelle.  Sophia Vestelle is a very elegant name that doesn’t seem like it should have come from a little house in Shingletown, TN.  In fact – there wasn’t really anything all that elegant about my great grandmother.  She was always referred to as Sophie…because Sophia really didn’t fit.  In fact, for much of her life she was referred to as “Mom Friddle” by all of her family and many of the neighbors and friends.  So…when I think of her – I think of Mom Friddle!

David Carl Friddle & Sophia Vestelle Dollar - abt 1908

Mom Friddle gave her sons names that must have had some family meanings.  Her oldest son was named Jasper James Friddle.  Jasper seems to be from her maternal grandfather’s name.  The James probably came from my great grandfather’s older brother.  It didn’t really matter where the names came from – because Jack didn’t like either name.  When he turned 18, he had his name legally changed from Jasper James to Jack.  Mom Friddle’s younger son was named Carl Claude Dean.   The Carl was my great grandfather’s middle name (David Carl Friddle) and the Claude must have come from Mom Friddle’s only full brother, Claude.  I’ve no idea where the Dean came from.  Throughout his life – I don’t know anyone who ever called him Carl and within the family he wasn’t always referred to as Claude.  He was called the nickname of “Buddy!”  I know that is what my mother referred to him as for the most part.  My great grandparents got really creative when they named their only daughter.  I suspect that the name came from Pop Friddle more than Mom Friddle.  My grandmother’s name was Capitola.  I never really heard her referred to by her full name – it was almost always “Cappy!”  Mom said that when she was a kid and someone would come up to my grandmother on the street by a classmate she was referred to as “Tola!”  Mom thought that name sounded a little too close to "toilet."

Capitola Ester Friddle - High School Graduation  - 1930

So, when my mother and her sister were born, my grandmother decided that they needed plain ordinary names.  Mom’s older sister was named Joan and Mom’s name was Betty.  Pop Friddle tried to get Grandma Cappy to name my mother “Bettina” instead.  Mom was rather glad that that didn’t happen.  My grandmother had the best intentions thinking that my mother already had the unusual last name of Tannahill – I don’t think she ever foresaw my mother marrying a Johnson.  So started the numerous name issues.  A neighbor lived exactly a block over with the same address but different street number with the name of “Betty Johnson!”  Mom’s bank information even got messed up at one point.  There were a few too many Betty Johnsons…but I have to say that my mother was definitely unique. 

Gene & Betty Johnson holding me (Carmen) at my baptism

When it came time to name her children, my mother was a bit more creative than Betty.  My sister was named Gwendolyn after her grandfather; my brother was named Russell after my mother’s first boyfriend.  I’ve no idea where the name Christopher came from – but when he was born it wasn’t a common name.  Mom told me that she named me Carmen because I had black hair and looked like a little Carmen.  Of course my hair fell out and came in very blonde.

Grandpa Frank

When I was a little girl, I was lucky to have two complete sets of grandparents, a set of great grandparents and two other great grandmothers.  I remember special moments with each one but when we lost my Dad’s father when I was eight years old – I didn’t truly understand the loss until later in life.

My Dad’s father didn’t have an easy life.  He grew up near Dunn Center, ND.  It may have a booming economy now, but back in the 20’s and 30’s, life was not so good.  Grandpa Frank’s mother died when he was 13 years older and life got much harder.  Grandpa quit school and worked to support his father and sisters.  When he was about 20, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and traveled and worked with the CCC’s.  He came to Idaho with a friend which is how he met my grandmother, Marian Gage.

Marian & Frank shortly before their marriage in 1939.

After their marriage, my grandfather took my grandmother back to North Dakota and by the time four years had passed, they had three children.  My grandfather worked desperately to support his family  - at times working four different jobs.  Good paying jobs were not to be found in that part of the country, especially during the early 1940’s and Grandpa Frank couldn’t even serve as a soldier because of his feet.  My grandmother wanted to come back to Idaho and so she arrived on a train in early January 1943 with her three children, and my grandfather came out a few months later after he had taken care of his father and sister.  Life was a bit easier in Idaho, although they could never be called wealthy or even well-to-do.  I’ve heard it said that Grandpa Frank wasn’t a good provider because his family didn’t have a lot of the things that many people think they need.  My father said that while he was growing up – they had what they needed and never went hungry or without clothes and shoes.  But money should never be the guage of how a father provides for his family.  Grandpa Frank was a father who showed affection, love, and respect towards his wife and was a loving and gentle man to his children. 

Grandpa Frank with his first granddaughter, my sister - Gwenda!

My father has told me many times that his Dad was old before his time.  When he was 40 years old – he looked and acted like he was about 60.  I don’t know when Grandpa was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth but I know that he had the disease in his later life.  Basically it is a disease that affects the nerves in the body.  My Dad said that his father could place his hand on a hot stove and not even feel it.   From what I have read, the muscles in the body grow weaker and there is mild to severe pain and the the disease is incurable.  As  a child, I didn’t know any of this.  I just knew that my Grandpa was kind and gentle.  I have two specific memories of him.  Since we lived so far away from him – we didn’t see them more than once a year.  We were visiting and my grandmother sent my Grandpa to the store for some groceries.  My Dad and I joined him on the little trip to the store.  Once there, Grandpa gave the grocery list to my father and took my hand and led me to the barrels of penny candy.  We carefully picked out a bag of candy with my favorites in there.  Then we picked another bag for my other siblings.  I remember his patience, gentle smile and attention.  During that same trip, Grandpa taught all of us how to peel an orange.  He sat down on the couch, cleared off the coffe table and then rolled the orange around to loosen the peel and then peeled the orange off in one string.  To this day, the smell of oranges remind me of my grandpa! 

Grandpa Frank in about 1972.  This is the way I remember him!

I’ll never forget the day in September in 1975 when my mother answered that phone call.  I was home from school because I was sick.  She called my father at work and he came home almost immediately.  I remember the devastation and sorrow on his face as he and my mother packed quickly to get on the road towards Canby, OR.  Someone was supposed to take us kids down a day or two later – but those plans fell through and we weren’t able to go. At eight years old, there aren’t a lot of clear memories.  I’ve talked to a lot of people who have told me many stories about my Grandpa Frank.  I’ve also heard that my father is a lot like his father.  I know my father to be a kind, giving man and a patient father who has managed to make every one his children feel special and important to him.  I know a man who was a wonderful husband to a wife who deeply loved him and a devoted son to his parents and brother to his siblings.  From what I have heard, my grandfather was all those things.  I only wish I could have known him better.

Frank Johnson b. 14 Oct 1914 Dunn Center, ND d. 17 Sept 1975 Canby, OR

Son of Ulpian Johnson and Shirlie Louisa Pope

Elisha "Dock" Pennington

There have been numerous reported children of Levi Pennington and Elizabeth Henson attached to them because the researcher wasn’t really sure where to fit them in.  Elisha Pennington is one of those children.

Elisha “Dock” Pennington was born 21 Jul 1832 probably in Grayson Co., VA to Samuel Pennington and Elizabeth Anderson. (This means that he would be part of Group 12 in the Pennington Research Association) He fits quite nicely in terms of dates with their children.  He was born two years after his brother Claiborne Harvey Pennington and four years before his other brother David Pennington. (Levi Pennington and Elizabeth Henson had another son, Anderson Pennington who was born in 1832 and died in a drowning death in 1850)  Elisha was the third youngest of his family – his two younger brothers both died in a Civil War Prison camp and while Elisha served in the VA Home Guard – he did not suffer the same fate.  On 23 Jan 1859, Elisha married Tabitha Jane Anderson in Ashe Co., NC and their first child was born 10 months later.  Previous to 1860, I’ve been unable to locate Elisha in the census records – at that point he is located in Ashe Co., NC around the Helton area - where he is in every census until the 1920 census when he is recorded in Johnson Co., TN. 

Elisha and Tabitha Jane were the parents of the following children:

• Jesse Harrison Pennington b. 3 Nov 1859 in VA d. 19 May 1945 in Giatto, Mercer Co., WV m. America Jane Ashley
• Malissa Ellen Pennington b. 5 Nov 1861 Ashe Co., NC d. 8 Feb 1952 Johnson Co., TN m1. 20 Mar 1880 Ashe Co., NC - George Washington Hines m2. James M. Sluder
• Alice L. Pennington b. 18 Jan 1864 Ashe Co., NC d. 14 Mar 1947 Ashe Co., NC m. abt 1882 Jesse Ballard Jones
• Zilla Elizabeth Pennington b. 5 Mar 1868 Ashe Co., NC d. 24 May 1900 Ashe Co., NC m. abt 1884 William Huffman Jones
• Byram Bowman Pennington b. 26 Jun 1873 Sturgill, Ashe Co., NC d. 10 Mar 1929 m. 7 Feb 1897 Ashe Co., NC Laura Malinda Sturgill
• Mattie Badora Pennington b. 16 Apr 1880 Ashe Co., NC d. 16 Jan 1884 Ashe Co., NC

Tabitha Jane Anderson died on 14 Sept 1899 and is buried at the Pennington-Anderson Cemetery in Sturgill, Ashe Co., NC.  Elisha survived his wife by living another 32 years – dying on 18 Aug 1922 and probably buried by her in the same cemetery with an unmarked grave.

It is interesting to note that I know of no death certificate for Elisha Pennington so his death location is not known for certain.  I believe that he was living with his daughter, Malissa, when he died.  I’m told that Malissa lived in Johnson Co., TN but rather close to the state line.  Malissa  was married to George Washington Hines in her first marriage and had nine children with him.  It is interesting that if you search and locate George Washington Hines’ death record that he is noted as being murdered in Crandull, Johnson Co., TN.  Not sure of the location – but an interesting sidenote.  She married a second time to James M. Sluder who preceded her in death and she died at the age of 90, obtaining the same age as her father at the time of his death.

On that Fateful Day....

I have had a love of history my entire life.  Perhaps that is why I was drawn to obtaining a degree in History at the University of Idaho.  I’ve always been very interested in Revolutionary War history – perhaps it has something to do with my fascination with John Adams or maybe it was the Betsy Ross costume my mother made for me to march in the parade in 1976.  I’ve always enjoyed learning and reading about the time period.  During some research, I found that one of my ancestors participated in that very first day of battle on 19 April 1775.

Asa Wheelock was the third of the eleven children of Jonathan Wheelock and Martha Wight.   He was born on 2 Oct 1741 in Charlton, Worcester Co., MA.  He married Rachel Drury on 3 Dec 1763 in Charlton, Worcester Co., MA.  She was the daughter of John Drury and Susannah Goddard and was born 13 Feb 1744 in Framingham, Middlesex Co., MA.  By the time 1775 had come along, Asa and Rachel had five children with oldest being just 10 years old.  During that fateful year, I’m sure Asa, like many other area farmers took up practicing on the village green as their village militia.  Asa served under Ebenezer Learned during that first day on April 19, 1775 when the militia after hearing word about the Battle at Lexington marched to Roxbury, MA where he served 12 days.  In my imagination, I see his wife waiting at home with their five children probably wondering if he would ever make it home and waiting for twelve days until they saw him again.

Asa probably came back home like many of those early soldiers and planted his spring crops.  He served again as a Sergeant in Captain Abijah Lamb’s company and Col Jonathan Holman’s regiment for 21 days when the company marched home from Providence, RI during the alarm on December 10, 1776.  It doesn’t look as if he served a lot of time –but he did do his part and survived.  Longfellow called the first shot on that day as the “shot heard round the world!”  There were a lot of militia men like Asa Wheelock who served on the first day and went back home to plant their fields.  Asa and Rachel both lived long lives.  After the war, Asa and Rachel moved to Calais, VT and became some of the earliest settlers.   Asa was 75 when he died in March 1816 and Rachel was 86 years old when she died 2 Apr 1830.

Asa and Rachel went on to have eleven total children who are:

               i.   RHODA⁹ WHEELOCK, b. 28 Mar 1765, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA.

              ii.   MARTHA WHEELOCK, b. 09 Dec 1766, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; m. DAVID GODDELL, 01 Nov 1786, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA.

             iii.   GODDARD WHEELOCK, b. 25 Sep 1768, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; d. Abt. 1814, Calais, Washington Co.,VT; m. ELEANOR HATHAWAY.

             iv.   JENNISON WHEELOCK, b. 31 May 1770, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; d. 25 Feb 1813, Calais, Washington Co.,VT; m. MOLLY WELLS.

              v.   AMOS WHEELOCK, b. 05 Mar 1772, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; d. Aft. 1835, Calais, Washington Co.,VT; m. HANNAH WHEELOCK, 24 Feb 1799, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; b. 11 Apr 1779, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; d. 21 Mar 1812, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA.

             vi.   SALEM WHEELOCK, b. Abt. 1776, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; d. Abt. 1853, Auburn, NY; m. ABIGAIL MCKNIGHT, Abt. 1798, Calais, Washington Co.,VT.

            vii.   LEONARD WHEELOCK, b. Abt. 1777, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; m. LORINDA JAMES.

            viii.   MARY WHEELOCK, b. 29 Apr 1778, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; d. 31 Jan 1854, Shipton, Richmond Co., Quebec; m. WINSLOW POPE, 08 Dec 1793, Berlin, Washington Co., VT; b. 10 Aug 1770, Rochester, Plymouth Co., MA; d. 18 Feb 1847, Shipton, Richmond Co., Quebec.

             ix.   HULDAH WHEELOCK, b. Mar 1780, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; d. 18 Jan 1863.

              x.   ASA WHEELOCK, b. Abt. 1783, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; d. 24 Feb 1858, Apple River, IL; m. (1) LUCY HUBBARD, Abt. 1807; d. Bef. 1818; m. (2) WELTHA ADALINE HORR, Abt. 1817.

             xi.   JARED WHEELOCK, b. 05 Aug 1785, Charlton, Worcester Co., MA; d. 17 Oct 1872, Calais, Washington Co.,VT; m. MARY DAVIS, 01 Jan 1805, Calais, Washington Co.,VT.

I am descended from their daughter Mary Wheelock who married Winslow Pope in 1793.  Asa and Rachel are my 5^th great grandparents.  On this 236^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, I salute the militia men who were brave enough to stand up to the most powerful military in the world and especially my 5^th great grandfather, Asa Wheelock.

Watch Out!!!

I was quite disgusted when I was in junior high to find surprises in many of the drinking fountains around the school.  Those in my age group probably saw the same thing – it was not pleasant, in fact it was gross.  In just about every drinking fountain, some junior high boy must have thought it was cool to spit their chew of tobacco into the drinking fountains making it pretty well unusable until it was cleaned.  I remember coming home from school and complaining about this disgusting habit to my parents.  They agreed that it was pretty bad…but as they told me, there are worse things.

My mother didn’t remember her grandfather terribly well.  He died when she was four years old.  She did remember visiting at his house not too long before he passed away.  He sat in his chair across the room and would spit his tobacco to the spittoon across the room.  My mother understood that this was not something that she wanted to get hit with.  It didn’t sound very good and she was pretty suspicious of the smell.  So, she sat in wait – trying to time her run across the room to miss it.  She stopped and started a few times and then decided to make her dash.  She took only a few steps when she felt the unmistakable spat on her face.  I can’t say that he did it on purpose…although it wouldn’t surprise me.  It really is too bad that the only memory my mother really has of her grandfather was getting between him and his spittoon.

My father lived near his grandparents when he was young and there were many rides to town on the back of the truck with his uncles.  My great grandfather wasn’t a good driver.  He had to learn to drive a car by trial and error.  Granddad grew up riding and driving horses…I’m not sure who taught him how to drive.  To be honest…if the pupil is the example of the teacher – the teacher was not sufficiently qualified.  So, Dad and his uncles would be riding in the back of the truck holding on for dear life as Granddad didn’t believe in taking the trip slowly.  There were lessons taught in the back of that truck.  The most important one was to pay attention to the motor.  If Granddad was shifting, then it was time to duck behind the cab of the truck.  When he shifted, he would let “it” fly.  If you weren’t behind the cab…you would get a rude surprise.

Dad told me though that his mother got back at of the neighbors.  My grandmother had a thing about cleaning windows…and while the men were talking and she was trying to find something to do…she decided to clean the old neighbor’s truck windows.  So she rolled them up and cleaned them so they were crystal clear.  They were so clear that when the neighbor started down the road, shifted and then spit out his tobacco…he found that the window was closed and had an unexpected blowback.

Occasionally, I still see the remnants of this disgusting habit in unexpected places.  It isn’t as common as it was in my youth.  However, I must admit that I have never experienced getting hit in the face as a little kid or having to worry about ducking behind the truck cab to avoid an unpleasant surprise.  I have to admit that after hearing my parent’s stories of their experiences…the exclamation “Watch out!!!” takes on a more significant meaning.