Andrew Pennington (born 1745)

Summary: If Andrew is the name of Samuel's father, this Andrew would seem to be a perfect match. Samuel and Celia were both born before this Andrew would have died in 1800. This fits Clabans story that 'There were only two children--a boy and a girl.' This would also match another of his details that 'My father was raised a bound boy by a man by the name of Randlow in Powell's Valley.' Also, he said his mother 'died when my father was quite a boy.' Why would his father have had to be raised a bound boy unless his parents were unable to take care of him and had probably died.

There is some limited information on Andrew that was submitted to the Family Search site. It does add the name of Nancy as Andrews wife. Information found on Family Search is:

1- Benajah Pennington
 2- Andrew Pennington b-1745 Grayson?
                      m-1765
                      d-1800 
 s- Nancy

One statement that may or may not fit is:

Penningtonsearch.net(?) is where I located my Cecila Pennington with father Benajah Pennington and it mentioned he had only one child that was Ceila mentioned no wife. I had heard she had a brother who was killed at a very young age and I assumed she didn't have parents living when she married it only mentioned her bondsman Joseph Sutherland...
-From Sybil Barler

The most complete information known comes from a posting by Ruth Lewis on Genforum. She traces Andrews ancestors back to Ephraim Pennington of New Haven, Connecticut. She includes much more but shows the descendants of Andrews grandfather as:


1- EPHRIAM PENNINGTON b-Abt. 1688, Newark CT
                      d-NC.
s- MARY BRUCKET
  2- BENAJAH (SR.) PENNINGTON b-Abt. 1725, Grayson Co., Va.
                              m-1742
                              d-Aft. 1790, Grayson Co., Va..
  s- ELIZABETH HUMPHREYS (Note: One researcher gives Elizabeth's last name as Lyons.)
    3- MICAJAR (SR.) PENNINGTON b-April 28, 1743, Grayson Co.,. NC
                                d- Abt. 1812, Ashe Co. NC.  
    3- TIMOTHY PENNINGTON.
    3- JEMINA PENNINGTON.
    3- JOSHUA PENNINGTON.
    3- ROBERT PENNINGTON.
    3- ANDREW PENNINGTON b-Abt. 1745, Grayson Co., Va.
                         d-Abt. 1800.
    3- BENAJAH (JR.) PENNINGTON b-Abt. 1750, Grayson Co., Va.
                                d. Abt. 1804.
    3- RICHARD PENNINGTON

  2- LEVI PENNINGTON.
  2- EPHRIAM PENNINGTON

Notes for EPHRIAM PENNINGTON
Researchers are in agreement on major figures in the line of decent of the Penningtons from this point on, however, here the lines diverge in two directions. The line I have not followed here lists Isaac Pennington and Elizabeth Hawes/Hall as the parents of Ephriam III. I chose the line I have followed because the other goes in a round about way to establish a connection to William Penn and I am afraid that it is just another wild goose chase in search of a famous ancestor. Much as the Bollings diverge before Benjamin.

Grayson Co. Va. and Wilkes Co. NC and Ashe Co. were used interchangably as the birthplace of many of the Penningtons. This is probably a case of the name changing but the place being the same. Ashe Co. NC was formed in 1799 from Wilkes Co. From 1799 until 1859, Ashe Co. included most of the land now included in Alleghany and Watauga Counties, and part of what is now Avery Co. NC. Grayson Co.,Va. ajoins Ashe Co. NC.

Notes for BENAJAH (JR.) PENNINGTON:
Land grants were issued to Benajah Pennington in the Upper New River Vally between 1778 and 1783 in the area of Martin's Branch (#1086 and #1088) and Grassy Creek (#371). This could be Benajar Sr. or Benajar Jr. , or both. More likely it was both, since the land was in different areas.
-From Ruth Lewis on Genforum.

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