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Family Group 33
John Penington,
abt. 1585, Aston-by-Sutton, near Runcorn Cheshire, England
This is a new family group approved by the PRA Board at the PRA meeting in July 2001.
Gene Pennington, Research Director
Introduction
The earliest record found of this family is that of John Penington (Pinington, Pynyngton) who had two sisters, Alicin and Margaret and who married Emma Morrett in the parish Church of St. Peter's Aston on 7 May 1635. John was listed as son of John but the church records do not go back further than 1635.
In 1642 a local as yet unidentified "Pennington" served in Sir Thomas Aston's Regiment of Horse and Dragoons. This group fought for the King. At the time of the Restoration of the Monarchy (1660) "John Pennington of Aston, Yeoman, was indiscreet in voicing his opinion that he 'hoped the young king's head would come to the block as well as his father's '" (in "Old Runcorn" by H.F. Starkey, 1990).
There were consequences for opening his mouth at such a time. John was tried in Chester on 27 October 1662 whereupon he was sentenced to be put in the stocks and whipped until the blood ran, he was then chased out of town and put in the Jail of Chester castle until his fine could be paid.
The local landowner has documented leases back to 1161 to be found in the British Museum that, to date, have not been fully checked. In these papers there is a "Survey Booke of Aston" (1636) that describes and documents some of his tenants as anciently holding land from him. This includes the Penington family, and we know they were Yeoman farmers of Aston at least during the period 1635 to about 1850.
In any documents actually signed by members of the family they steadfastly spelt their surname with one "n". The earliest example is that of John Penington born 1671 who signed a document in 1722 (John Rylands Charters 2023a list of tenants in Aston 13/6/1722, University of Manchester). John's father Thomas is listed as "Penington" in the IGI also. This was one of the mysteries that I hoped to solve when starting the quest to reveal my family history.
The quest confirmed that this spelling wasn't simply an affectation! Thomas Penington, Yeoman of Little Mollington (1734-1807) was the first we know of to leave Aston, but after his death he was brought back to be buried there in the family tomb in St. Peter's graveyard. Thomas farmed the land around, and resided at, Crab Wall Hall Little Mollington, 3 miles north of Chester.
This large house is now a luxury hotel. Thomas's will is listed in the Cheshire Record office. Although the will reveals that he was a man of means, it was not very helpful when it comes to describing family relationships. His brother William however, described as "Gentleman" and sister-in-law Ellen, left a long will that is a joy to genealogists and in which they bequeathed about 2000 pounds in 1834, along with land in Little Leigh and Bartington.
One of Thomas's sons John, a cotton manufacturer, married Jane Moore of Wigan, Lancashire and subsequently moved to Bolton (Lancs). John and Jane's grandson John moved back to Cheshire (Liscard) and one of his sons, John Herbert, was a Merchant Navy officer during the first world war and subsequently became a Director of the company International Combustion (recently bought by GE) based in Derby.
John Herbert had two brothers Frederick Arthur and Thomas William and at least two half brothers Harold (died in the Great War) and John Pye Penington.
John Herbert's son (Kenneth) Jon was a film producer in the sixties and seventies and he made several films out of Shepperton Studios, near London. Some of the better known ones were: "The Case of the Mukkanese Battle Horn", "The Liquidator", "The Valiant", "The Comedy Man", "The Mouse that Roared", and "Till Death Do Us Part".
FIRST GENERATION
1. John Penington (1) was born in Aston-by-Sutton.
John Penington had the following children:
+2 i. John Penington.
3 ii. Alicin Penington was born on January 7, 1614/15 in Aston-by-Sutton. (2) She was buried on August 1, 1632 in Runcorn all Saints. (3)
4 iii. Margaret Penington was born in 1611 in Aston-by-Sutton.
SECOND GENERATION
2. John Penington was born. Since the birth for John Penington of Aston has not been found the
pedigree is not certain beyond here but we do know that his father was a John Pen(n)ington. A John Pinnington of Aston that had two daughters Alicin and Margaret is recorded in indexes of the earliest available records of Runcorn of which Aston is a parish. Further research will have to proceed in land and deed records.He was married to Emma Morrett on May 7, 1635 in Aston-by-Sutton. (4) Emma Morrett was born. John Penington and Emma Morrett had the following children:
+5 i. Thomas Penington (born on March 21, 1639/40).
6 ii. John Penington (5) was born on February 18, 1636/37 in Aston-by-Sutton. (6)
+7 iii. Peter Penington (born on June 28, 1644).
THIRD GENERATION
5. Thomas Penington (7) was born on March 21, 1639/40 in Aston Cheshire.
He was married to Ann. Ann was born. Thomas Penington and Ann had the following children:
+8 i. John Penington (born on October 19, 1671).
9 ii. Peter Penington was baptized on February 4, 1674/75. He was born.
10 iii. Sara Penington was baptized on January 7, 1677/78 in Aston-by-Sutton. (8) She was born.
7. Peter Penington (9) was born on June 28, 1644 in Aston-by-Sutton. (10)
Peter Penington had the following children:
11 i. Thomas Penington was born on October 1, 1679 in Aston-by-Sutton. (11)
12 ii. Anne Penington was born on March 26, 1682 in Aston-by-Sutton. (12)
FOURTH GENERATION
8. John Penington (13) was born on October 19, 1671 in Aston-by-Sutton. (14)
He was married to Hannah Dean on May 3, 1697 in Aston-by-Sutton. (15) Hannah Dean was born. John Penington and Hannah Dean had the following children:
+13 i. Thomas Penington (born on March 10, 1697/98).
14 ii. Elizabeth Penington was born in 1701 in Aston-by-Sutton.
15 iii. John Penington was born in 1703 in Aston-by-Sutton.
16 iv. William Penington was born on May 14, 1707 in Aston-by-Sutton.
17 v. Hannah Penington was born on May 28, 1710 in Aston-by-Sutton.
18 vi. Phoebe Penington was born on March 15, 1711/12 in Aston-by-Sutton. She died on December 26, 1786 in Aston-by-Sutton.
19 vii. Mary Penington was born on July 12, 1717 in Aston-by-Sutton.
FIFTH GENERATION
13. Thomas Penington (16,17) was born on March 10, 1697/98 in Aston-by-Sutton. He was buried on August 9, 1787 in Aston-by-Sutton. Thomas is interred in the family tomb at St. Peter's Aston
He was married to Martha Jackson on October 16, 1730 in Runcorn. Martha Jackson was buried on January 21, 1777 in Aston-by-Sutton. She was born. Thomas Penington and Martha Jackson had the following children:
+20 i. Thomas Penington (born on March 16, 1733/34).
21 ii. Margaret Penington was born on March 29, 1731 in Aston-by-Sutton.
22 iii. John Penington was born in 1736 in Aston-by-Sutton.
23 iv. Elizabeth Penington was born in 1738 in Aston-by-Sutton. She was buried on April 25, 1771 in Aston-by-Sutton.
24 v. Ann Penington was born in 1742 in Aston-by-Sutton.
25 vi. Hannah Penington was born in 1745 in Aston-by-Sutton.
26 vii. Jonathan Penington was born on August 12, 1750 in Aston-by-Sutton.
+27 viii. William Penington (born on July 12, 1754).
28 ix. Mary Penington was born in 1731. She was buried on January 12, 1802 in Aston-by-Sutton.
SIXTH GENERATION
20. Thomas Penington (18,19,20) was born on March 16, 1733/34 in Aston-by-Sutton, Cheshire. (21) He was buried on November 20, 1807 in Aston-by-Sutton. Thomas was described as Yeoman of Little Mollington he lived in Crab Wall Hall which is now a luxury Hotel just three miles north of
Chester. Thomas did not own this impressive land and building but rented it for many years from the reverend Dobb for six pounds a year.Thomas farmed this land quite successfully raising a large family and
leaving his wife Catherine about 400 pounds in his will proved 1809. I obtained a copy of his will from the Chester Public records Office (UK). In the will he mentions his son William and his brother William.Thomas's marriage to Catherine (found on the IGI) and located in
Weaverham lead us to Aston-by-Sutton near Runcorn Cheshire as his birth place.He was married to Catherine Swain on November 21, 1769 in Weaverham, Cheshire. (22) Catherine Swain was buried in 1828 in Aston-by-Sutton. She was born. Thomas Penington and Catherine Swain had the following children:
husbands eldest brother. She leaves him one-thirteenth share of her estate to share with his siblings and the silver cup that her husband won from the Manchester Horticultural Society.+29 i. John Penington (born on January 6, 1784).
30 ii. Nancy Penington was born on November 3, 1770 in Weaverham. (23)
31 iii. Matty Penington was born on July 17, 1774 in Weaverham.
32 iv. Thomas Penington was born in 1776.
33 v. Catherine Penington was born on February 11, 1780 in Weaverham. (24) She died on July 22, 1872 in Aston-by-Sutton.
34 vi. Martha Penington was born in 1774. She was buried on March 25, 1791 in Aston-by-Sutton.
35 vii. William Penington was born in 1772. He died on March 31, 1840 in Aston-by-Sutton. Is mentioned in the will of Ellen Penington as the oldest son of her
27. William Penington (25) was born on July 12, 1754 in Aston-by-Sutton. He died on November 20, 1833 in Aston. William Penington left a will found in the CRO where he was described as Gentleman. This will was not very helpful as basically he left his lands in Little Leigh and Bartington (Near Aston) to his wife Ellen.
On his gravestone recorded on microfilm by the Cheshire FHS It is stated that William was a faithful Steward to the Aston family for upwards of 30 years.
He was married to Ellen Beckett. Ellen Beckett was born in 1756. She died on October 30, 1833 in Aston Lodge. William Penington and Ellen Beckett had the following children:
36 i. Thomas Penington was born in 1774. He died on February 20, 1801.
SEVENTH GENERATION
29. John Penington (26,27,28) was born on January 6, 1784 in Chester. He died on May 31, 1868 in Little Bolton 2 Davenport St.. (29) In the Wigan Baptism registers John father of William, John and James Penington is listed as a manufacturer of Standishgate Wigan along with Jane his wife, daughter of Richard and Jane Moore. In the baptism record of John he is listed as son of Thomas Penington of Crab Hall by Catherine his wife.
He was married to Jane Moore on August 14, 1809 in St. Mary's Chester. (30) Jane Moore (31) was born in 1788. She died on December 17, 1858 in 89 Kay St. Little Bolton. John Penington and Jane Moore had the following children:
+37 i. James Penington (born on April 20, 1817).
38 ii. William Penington was baptized on June 28, 1812 in Wigan, Lancashire. He was born.
39 iii. John Penington was baptized on June 28, 1812 in Wigan, Lancashire. He was born.
40 iv. Jane Penington was born on March 28, 1819 in Bolton, Lancashire.
41 v. Catherine Penington was born in 1815. (32)
42 vi. George Penington was born in 1825. (33)
43 vii. Joseph Penington was born in 1826. (34)
44 viii. Betsey Penington was born on April 23, 1826 in St. Peters Bolton. (35)
45 ix. Edward Penington was born on April 26, 1829 in St. Peters Bolton. (36)
46 x. Jonathan Penington was born on January 20, 1832 in St. Peters Bolton.
EIGHTH GENERATION
37. James Penington (37) was born on April 20, 1817 in Bolton, Lancashire. James Penington was listed as a boot and shoemaker in his marriage
certificate, his father John Penington was listed as a Manufacturer. James's family was found in the census (1861) of Liscard Cheshire. This provided the names of his children and a date for his birth in Bolton Lancashire in 1816/1817. The Parish Registers of St. Peters Bolton located the Baptisms of James and Jane Pennington in 1817 and 1819 respectively. In the IGI there was a reference to the baptism of John son of John Pennington and Jane Moore. At Wigan in 1812.Transcripts of the Wigan registers found the baptism of two sons John and William.
He was married to Eliza Quin on January 15, 1844 in St. Nicholas Liverpool. Eliza Quin was born. James Penington and Eliza Quin had the following children:
+47 i. John Penington (born on April 4, 1857).
48 ii. George Penington was born in 1844 in Liscard, Cheshire.
49 iii. Catherine Penington was born in 1850 in Bolton, Lancashire.
50 iv. Ellen Penington was born in 1852 in Liverpool.
51 v. Thomas Penington was born in 1854 in Liverpool.
52 vi. Sarah Penington was born.
NINTH GENERATION
47. John Penington (38,39) was born on April 4, 1857 in Liscard Cheshire. John is listed on his marriage certificate as an Engineer.
He was married to Margaret Ashton (daughter of James Ashton) on July 8, 1888 in Birkenhead. Margaret Ashton was born. John Penington and Margaret Ashton had the following children:
+53 i. John Herbert Penington (born on March 12, 1893).
54 ii. Thomas Penington was born.
+55 iii. Frederick Arthur Penington.
Notes from Nick Penington, Group Leader:
1. The birth order was Thomas William born 1890, John Hebert born 1893 (correct) and Frederick Arthur born 1895. That changes the numbers assigned to these individuals a bit. I just learnt this as the free Cheshire BMD has just reached these dates in that part of the county (i.e. all these records are on the internet as of two days ago - 5/29/01).
2. John married first Susannah Pye July 12th 1879 in the parish church of Wallasey. John had a son Harold on the 13th August 1883 and another son John Pye Penington in December 1884, while living at 4 Greenfield Cottages Liscard. Harold Penington died in WW1 in 1917 and was described as a Sapper (engineer). John married secondly Margaret Ashton.
TENTH GENERATION
53. John Herbert Penington (40) was born on March 12, 1893 in Liscard, Cheshire. He died in 1939. Herbert John (who called himself John) was the first engineering officer on board many Merchant Naval vessels out of Liverpool during the first world war. Family stories recount tales of him coming back hours after setting sail out of Liverpool wearing someone else's attire because the ship was torpedoed a few miles out to sea. It was even said that they were all machine-gunned in the water at one time, but thankfully John Herbert survived. Lisa Penington has his Merchant Navy log book. I am told that John eloped with his wife Edith Jones to Gretna Green in Scotland as his parents did not approve of the match.
Later after leaving the Merchant Navy John was elected to the Board of Directors of International Combustion in Derby where the family lived
for a while. He was one of the first people in this town to own a motor car.He was married to Edith Jones. Edith Jones was born on October 23, 1892 in Wrexham Wales. John Herbert Penington and Edith Jones had the following children:
+56 i. Kenneth Jon Penington (born on March 30, 1922).
55. Frederick Arthur Penington was born.
He was married. Frederick Arthur Penington had issue
ELEVENTH GENERATION
56. Kenneth Jon Penington was born on March 30, 1922 in Wallasy, Cheshire. Known as Jon to friends and family Jon -like his father was quite a
character. He was the one that dominated the conversation in a room.This may have come from his theatrical background. Jon became a film producer producing many feature films out of Shepperton studios, near
London, in the sixties and seventies. Some of the better known ones were: The Liquidator, The Valiant, Comedy Man, Case of the Mukanese Battle Horn, Till Death Do Us Part.Kenneth Jon Penington Had issue (Living)
TWELFTH GENERATION
SOURCES
1. Gedcom File Submitted by Researcher. Submitted by Nick Penington to PRA in 2000. Added by James Pennington, Assistant Research Director for the PRA in 2000.
2.
3.
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5.
6.
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8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13. note the spelling of the name.
14.
15.
16. Jackson of Sutton. Thomas is listed as being 30 years old and Martha
was 29.17. which can be found at the Cheshire Record office in Chester. He was
baptized March 23 1698 but was born March 10th. He is listed as son of John Pinnington of Aston.18. Marriage is listed in the Litton index. Thomas Pinnington yeoman of
Chapelry of Aston Catherine Swain of this parish by license at weaverham.19. NAME: Tombstone Inscription
NAME: St. Peters Church Aston-by-Sutton PLAC: Cheshire near Runcorn OTHER: Microfilmed by Cheshire FHS.20. OTHER: Burials at Aston-by-Sutton 1807-08 list Thomas Pennington of Mollington aged 73 years.
21.
22.
23. NAME: Baptismal entry
DATE: November 11 1770Weaverham baptisms 1769-1779 NAME: Bishop's Transcripts at Chester CRO.24.
25.
26. in Mawdsley Street Bolton. His occupation is listed as Cotton
Manufacturer. In the 1851 census of Little Bolton H0107/2209 E.D. 16 the Family of John Pennington is listed at Kay St. John is 67 then placing his birth in 1784. The location is listed as at Chester.27. NAME: John Pennington to Jane Moore
NAME: Marriage entry DATE: August 14 1809St. Mary's Chester Church Records NAME: Marriage License deposited in the Cheshire RO PAGE: 2027 PLAC: Chester Cheshire UK.28. NAME: John Penington
NAME: Baptismal Record at the Church of ST. Mary's Chester DATE: January 6 1784 NAME: No. 29 PLAC: Chester.29. NAME: John Penington
NAME: Death Certificate NAME: HC 146823 DATE: First June 1868 PLAC: London England.30.
31. NAME: Jane Penington
NAME: Death Certificate NAME: HC 146816 DATE: December 17 1858 PLAC: Bolton.32. NAME: 1841
NAME: Little Bolton PLAC: Lancashire.33. NAME: 1841
NAME: Little Bolton PLAC: Lancashire.34. NAME: Little Bolton
PLAC: Lancashire.35.
36.
37. NAME: James Penington
NAME: Mrs. Eliza Quin NAME: Marriage Return DATE: January 15 1844 VOL: MB 285305 PLAC: London, England.38. NAME: Mrs. Margaret Ashton (Atkin)
NAME: Marriage Return DATE: July 8 1888 VOL: MX 775138 PLAC: London, England.39. NAME: John Penington
NAME: Birth Certificate NAME: BXA 835914 DATE: April 4 1857 PLAC: London, England.40. NAME: Birth Certificate
NAME: BXA 823929 DATE: March 12 1893 PLAC: London. England.Copyright © 2001 ,
Nick
Penington Family Group 33 Leader, 6/01/01.