Family Group 11

Our Group 11 Pennington line has been traced to Virginia and North Carolina. Abel Pennington was in Wilkes County, North Carolina, in 1770 with Micajah, Benjamin and William (all of whom may have been brothers) and Benajah, perhaps the father of some or all of these men. Benajah may have been the son of Ephraim. In 1774 Abel had 150 acres on the New river. In 1778, Abel was still in Wilkes Co. where he served on a road jury to lay out a road from Deep Fourd to Benajah Pennington's mill. (Revolutionary War patriot for road duty. Accepted D. A. R.) In that same year Abel was an assessor in Captain Baker's District. Also in 1778 a Wilkes County Grand Jury issued a warrant for the arrest of four couples for "living and cohabiting together without being lawfully married." One of the couples was Abel Pennington and Sarah Sweeten[i]. Abel posted bond to appear in court on the first Monday in December. The case must have been settled, presumably by marriage, because Abel was a juror several times in 1779 and that same year sold land in that part of Wilkes Co., (which became Ashe County) to Enoch Osborn.

Abel Pennington and his wife, Sarah Sweeten, moved from Wilkes County, North Carolina to Greenville, S. C. where Abel received land grants in 1785[ii]. In 1788 he purchased 240 acres of land on Cedar Creek in Wilkes Co., GA[iii], and lived on it until he sold it a year later. In the 1790 Census, Abel Pennington was in the census of Oglethorpe, GA.

In 1805, Both Abel Pennington, Sr. and Abel Pennington, Jr. were in the Georgia Land Lottery. Abel, Sr. got two draws, indicating he was married and had children. Abel, Jr. got one draw, indicating he was over 21, but single.

By 1808, Abel Pennington, Sr. was in Randolph Co. Ga., and by 1811, he was in Jasper Co., Ga. Sometime between 1811 and 1813, Abel Pennington moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama (then in the "Mississippi Territory". Alabama became a state in 1819. Abel Pennington, a very early settler in Alabama, by 1816 owned a substantial plantation on Hurricane Creek. "Pennington's Mill" on this plantation was referred to in the diary of Richard Breckenridge as of 1816. A tree at the North Fork of the Warrior River had the initials "AP" carved into it at this time or earlier. Abel Pennington died in 1819; his son Abel, a deputy sheriff, took over the mill[iv].

Our line of Pennington's lived in Alabama until after the conclusion of the Civil War. Members of the family fought heavily in the war. Immediate members of the family moved to Texas after the conflict but remained for no long period in any one place[v].

Nancy Penington, born CA 1772, in Wilkes Co., NC, maried Henry Johnson in 1794 in Oglethorpe Co., GA

Sarah (Sally) Penington, born CA 1780 in Wilkes Co., NC, married Joseph Wilson, July 4, 1798, Oglethorpe Co. GA

William Thomas Penington, born CA 1782/1784, in Wilkes Co., NC, married Sally Osborn (Asburn), died 1840/1850

John L. Penington, born CA 1782/1784 in Wilkes Co., NC, married Frances (Fannie) _________.

Mary (Polly) Penington, born CA 1785, in Wilkes Co., NC, married Eleazer Lovejoy, died CA 1859 in Jasper Co., GA

Betsy Penington, born CA 1787, Probably in Greenville Co., SC, married Adam Poole

Rebekah Penington, born CA 1792, married John Smith in 1812 in Jasper Co., GA, died CA 1874

James Penn and Abel Pennington bound to Governor for land. 16 April 1818. Book 1, page 1

Son Samuel Pennington; son Isaac Pennington; daughter Nancy Johnson; daughter Sally Wilson; son Abel Penington; daughter Rebekah Smith; grandaughter Rebekah L. Pool; son John L. Penington; daughter Polly Lovejoy; John L. Tindall, executor, also John Smith and Abel Penington. Witnesses: Richard Smith, Benjamin Russell, John Ccrenshaw. Book 1, page 18.

Agreement between John Smith, Abel Pennington, Isaac Penington, John L. Penington, Joseph Willson and Thomas W Johnson, agent for Henry Johnson, part of the legatees of Abel Pennington, deceased. The shares are not equal one to another and also finding no portion devised to the infant children of our deceased sister Betsey Pool, VIZ: Salley Ann Ramsey, John H. Pool, Fielden P. Pool, Abel Penington Pool and Adam W. Pool - these heirs made equal and rest divided between Samuel Penington and Eleazer Lovejoy. 10 March 1819. Book 1 page 50.

I Abel Penington of Alabama Territory and * County being of perfect mind and memory and calling to mind the uncertainty of human life do by those present make and ordain this my last will and testament hereby disa* and revoking all other wills herebefore made by me.

First, it is my will that my Executors herein after to be named out of my worldly effects pay all my just debts.

Secondly, I do give and bequeath unto my son Samuel Penington my Negro Woman Hanny & my Negro boy Nelson.

Fourthly, I do give and bequeath unto my daughter Nancy Johnson my Negro woman Rachel.

Fifthly, I do give and baequeath unto my daughter Sally Wilson my Negro girl Chain.

Seventhly, I do give and bequeath unto my daughter Rebekah Smith my Negro boy Amy

Eighthly, I given and bequeath unto my grand daughter Rebekah L. Pool my Negro girl Clarke*

Ninthly, I do give and bequeath unto my Son John L. Penington by negro boy Hardy

Tenth, I do give and bequeath unto my daughter Polly Lovejoy , my negro girl Betty known by the name of Little Bel.

Eleventh, I give and bequeath unto my aforesaid children the whole of the balance of property goods challets and money to be equally divided amongst them.

Twelfth, I do by these * nominate and appoint John L. Lindale, John Smith and my son Abel Penington as Executors to execute and carry this will into effect. In testimony whereof I have this day hereunto set my hand & seal 26^th December 1818.

Article of agreement made and entered into this tenth day of March 1819 between John Smith, Abel Penington, Isaac Penington, John L. Penington, Joseph Millson, & Thomas W. Johnson, agents for Henry Johnson part of the Legatees of Abel Penington deceased having certain portions devised to us by the last will and testament of the said Abel Penington dec^d, and on a fair estimation find these portions devised to us by our beloved Father not equal one to another and also finding no portion devised to the Infant Children of our deceased Sister Betsey Pool (Viz) Salley, Ann Ramsey, John H. Pool, Fielden P. Pool, Abel Penington Pool, & Adam W. Pool, feeling a determination to equalize the portions of each of us the children of said Abel Penington dec^d, and our of our devised portions to create & make a new share to be paid in & made up by each of us whose names are hereunto subscribed respectively in the following proportions. (viz) By John Smith three hundred & two dollars & 78/100 cents. By Abel Penington two hundred & twelve dollars & 78/100 cents. By Thomas Johnson, Agent for Henry Johnson one hundred & seventy seven dollars & 78/100 cents. By Isaac Penington seventy seven dollars & 78/100 cents. By John L. Penington twenty two dollars & 78/100 cents and by Joseph Wilson seven dollars & 78/100 cents making a sum of seven hundred and ninety one dollars & 68/100 cents of which we allow & appoint five hundred & ninety seven dollars & 22 cents which is the equalized portion of our devised portions to each of us this portion we appoint as aforesaid to be equally divided between the said infant children of our dec^d sister Betsey Pool, & the remaining balance of one hundred & ninety four dollars & 46/100 cents to be equally divided between Samuel Penington & Eleazor Lovejoy to equalize their devised portions in said will with ours, & we whose names are hereunto subscribed do by these presents authorize the Executor of the last will and testament of Abel Penington dec^d to pay over out of our undevised respectively in the proportions aforesaid, to the County Court of Tuscaloosa the said five hundred & ninety seven dollars & 22/100 cents the portion by us allotted to the said infant children, and by said court to be equally divided amongst them under the same rules and regulations as though the same had been divised to them by will with the proviso however that if either any part, or the whole of said children or any other person or persons in their name shall at any time here after enter or bring any suit or action against the Legatees or Executors of the said Abel Penington dec^d on account of their claim as heirs or representatives of said Abel Penington dec^d then and in that case the said portion by us alotted to said children is to revert back to us in the same proportion by shich we pay & we further authorize the Executor of the said Abel Penington dec^d to pay over to Samuel Penington & Eleazor Lovejoy Penington the said sum of one hundred & ninety four dollars & forty six cents as aforesaid out of our undivised portions as aforesaid ---

In testimony whereof --- we have hereunto set our hands & seals the day & year first written

This day M. B. Click @ William Todd whose names appear to the above instrument of writing as witnesses personally appeared before the subscribing Justice of the Peace & being duly sworn declare upon oath that the above bound John Smith, Abel Penington, Isaac Penington, John L. Penington, Joseph Wilson and W. Johnson for Henry Johnsonsigned the same in their presence & acknowledged the same to be their acts of deed for the purposes therein stated

Abel Pennington had served during the Revolution as a Civil Servant in the capacity of road builder and tax assessor. If he was granted land for his part in the Revolution, it was not in North Carolina. The land Abel wa living on in N. Carolina was surveyed for a grant awarded to Gideon Lewis of Virginia in 1779. He did not take up this land until 1785. At about this time, in South Carolina records, we find two tracts of land being taken up by Abel Penningtons, believed to be Abel I and his son Abel II. These tracts were on opposite sides of South Fork of Saluda River, making one in Pickens and one in Greenville, the present day counties. Thus we see that Abel separated from his relatives in N. Carolina and went south.

At least seven of Abel and Sarah Pennington's children were born by 1785. They had ten children in all.

Notes from Alabama Records Volume 100 Madison County -- compiled by Pauline Jones Gandrud:

[i] Living in the immediate vicinity was one Drotten (or Dutton) Sweeting who could have been Sarah's father. On Oct. 15, 1753, the Halifax Co., VA, Court ordered a survey from Fall Creek to Sweeting's Fork, per the Court Records of Halifac Co., VA, for 1752-1755, as reported in the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Fall 1986. Thus Sweeting was an original settler in Halifax Co., VA, on the North Carolina line. The Sweetins could have moved into western North Carolina, as many settlers did, to escape the Tories. It is interesting to note that Abel had four children (Nancy, Abel, Samuel and Issac) by the time of the 1778 arrest warrant. The next one, born 1780, was named Sarah (usually called Sally).

[ii]Land Grants in South Carolina, Dept. of Archives and History, Columbia, shows two "class 2" grants to Abel in Vol. 1, pp 451-2, and two more in Vol. 2, pp 313-4, all in 1785. In 1786, Jacob Pennington received a "class 2" grant, Vol. 11, p. 511, and another grant, Vol. 9, p 452. In 1791, John Pennington received a "class 2" grant, Vol. 28, p 493. In 1799, Thomas Pennington reeived a "class 2" grant, Vol. 45, p. 182. The significance of "class 2" grants in not known at this time.

[iii] Early Records of Georgia in Georgia Genealogical Reprints, in the Section dealing with Wilkes Co., in Vol. 2, p. 46, abstracts the deed as follows: "Abel Pennington and wife Sarah to Jacob Burton, 240 acres on both sides of Cedar Creed where said Pennington now lives, adj. Jones Broach, Peter Oliver and Benj. Hamrick, May 20, 1789. Benj. Baker, Jesse White, test."

[iv] Some Notes from the Early History of Tuscaloosa County, by WM. H. Brantley, Esq., as recorded in Alabama Magazine, Vol. 17, No., 1, p. 5, 1983.

[v]Pennington Pedigrees, Vol 21, No. 1, 1989, Two Abels Named Abel II, by W. W. Lake

For the most recent information concerning this family please refer to the Group 11 Website.

Family Group 11

Abel Pennington - Died 1819, AL