Among the self made men of Macoupin County, farmers by
vocation, who have succeeded through their own energy and perseverance, and
to-day are proprietors of fine and productive farms, who are able to pass
the sunset of life in the enjoyment of a competency obtained through years
of honest toil and economy, is our subject whose name heads this notice. He
is pleasantly located on his farm of 160 acres, situated in sections 4 and
9. Bunker Hill township. He was born on his present farm, August 12, 1851,
and is a son of James T. and Cynthia (Bullman) Pennington. The Penningtons
are of Scotch descent.
James T. Pennington was born at Liberty
Corner, Somerset County, New Jersey, May 26, 1818, and came to Illinois in
1839, taking up from the government the farm now belonging to our subject.
When he located in this county the country was yet unsettled and he built
his house by splitting out logs. James T. Pennington passed through the
toils and hardships of pioneer life but finally succeeded in attaining a
high position among the prosperous business men of his locality. He was also
a skilled hand at the carpenter's trade, having been an apprentice to that
trade when 17 years of age. In political circles, Mr. Pennington was an
active member of the Democratic party, and was the choice of that party many
times for various offices. He first served in the capacity of justice of the
peace for one year. In 1871 he was chosen the first supervisor of Bunker
Hill township, and, in 1872 was chosen as county sheriff, being later
reelected to that office, serving two terms. Previous to that time, in 1860,
he had been elected a member of the State House of Representatives, and had
helped to pass many bills in support of the war. Mr. Pennington was also
interested in the mercantile business. Fraternally he was a member of the
Masons. Mr. Pennington was married to Cynthia Bullman, who was a natitve of
New Jersey, and five children were born to them, namely: Elias, a resident
of New Mexico, where he is interested in stock raising; Idel (Ament), a
resident of Texas; James W., a prominent farmer of Bunker Hill township;
Joseph, our subject, and Lawrence, who died at the age of 27 years. Mr.
Pennington died on the homestead farm in Bunker Hill township in 1894.
Joseph Pennington has always resided on his present farm, and has
continually cultivated the place. He devotes his farm to general farming and
stock raising and has proved himself to be a skilled hand at both. He also
owns 114 acres in Hilyard township. Politically, Mr. Pennington is a member
of the Democratic party, but takes only a citizen's interest in political
affairs.
On February 24, 1879, Mr. Pennington was married to Mary E.
Ament, who is a native of Missouri, and the estimable daughter of James E.
and Emily Ament, natives of Tennessee and Illinois, respectively. Mr. and
Mrs. Pennington are the parents of one child, Chester, who is a graduate of
the Bunker Hill High School.
Extracted 2018 May 06 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 109-110.
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