Frequently Asked Questions

We will be adding information to this page regularly. Please feel free to visit often as we add useful information and answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

If you have any questions, please send them to Gene Pennington, Research Director.

Please Note: The links do NOT work on this page but if you scroll down you'll find the answers to each question.  I'm working to repair the link problem.

• How do I access the Members-Only section of this website?
• How do I access the Members-Only PRA website that contains the JFMF?
• What sources of proof are acceptable for use in my genealogy research?
• How can I share my genealogical information with the PRA?
• Where can I find more help on genealogy research?
• What is a GEDCOM file?
• What are the Family Groups I see referenced and how do I find out which Family Group I belong to?
• Do I need to know which Family Group I belong to in order to do research within the PRA?
• How can I found out which Family Group I belong to?
• How do I obtain a copy of the Pennington Research Association Coat of Arms?
• What are the three words which appear on the scroll of the Pennington Research Association's Coat of Arms?
• How do I join the Pennington Research Association?
• Is there any requirement to join the Pennington Research Association?
• Have I missed the deadline to apply?
• Does the Pennington Research Association accept membership applications online?
• How much are membership dues?
• Where on the Internet can I find a list of Pennington ancestors?

How do I access the Members-Only section of this website?

Answers

How do I access the Members-Only PRA website that contains the JFMF?

To access the Members-Only PRA website that contains the JFMF, you must be a current member of the PRA.  Once you join, you'll be sent an invitation to join.  If you accept, you'll be sent your user name and password.  Access is for valid for each calendar year and expires if you do not renew your PRA membership.

What sources of proof are acceptable for use in my genealogy research?

Click here to read the PRA's guidelines for sources.

How can I share my genealogical information with the PRA?

Click here to learn how to share your genealogical information with the PRA and other Pennington researchers.

Where can I find more help on genealogy research?

Click here to visit our Research Tips page.

Click here to visit our "Where to Start" page.

What are the Family Groups I see referenced and how do I find out which Family Group I belong with?

Click here to visit our Family Group page.

Do I need to know which Family Group I belong to, to be able to do research within the PRA?

It is not necessary to know which Family Group you belong with to continue your research within the PRA. While the actual pedigrees are tied together where possible, and labeled with a group title and number, there is a lot of information the PRA has published in paper format and at this site, that is not attached to any given group. This information can be used to hopefully help you solve your unknowns and eventually connect to a family group.

How can I find out which Family Group I belong to?

The original Pennington Family Group assignments were first designated some 30 years ago at the start of the Pennington Research Association. Constant genealogical study over the years reveals that certain groups can be combined when a common ancestor is found. This genealogical study continues. So our Family Group represent the genealogical work done to date. Likewise, each researcher must engage in this process as well. Please note that any information you find at the Pennington Research Association website is NOT proven and is provided to help you with your research. You must conduct your own research to verify the information.

Like you, the Pennington Research Association is actively engaged in the genealogical study of the Pennington Family. We are working to update our Family Group. This is a painstaking process and will require many hours of work. We really need more help to move this process along. We need Family Group Leaders to help with this research.

As a service to new members we will try with the available resources we have to place you with an established group; however, we are not always able to establish this link.

If you will e-mail your genealogy report, in descendant format starting with the oldest known Pennington ancestor, send them Gene Pennington, Research Director, he will check it against our database of Family Group. If we can find a possible link, you will be advised of which Family Group you may belong to.

Another method which has proved to very successful is to check the old issues of Pennington Pedigrees. Once you have identified some information which is part of your genealogy research, contact the person/s who contributed the information. If you do not have the old issues, you can order back issues by visiting our Publications page.

A great source of help is to join the PRA Mail List. Click here to learn how join the PRA official mail list.

Many researchers have achieved outstanding results by interviewing the older generations of their family and recording or writing what they know. Even though their recall may not be l00% accurate, there is usually a grain of truth in what they say. This may also reveal some unknown parts of your family history which can add real adventure to your search and bring your family history to life.

How do I join the Pennington Research Association?

The Pennington Research Association is no longer accepting membership applications. See our home page for details. 

Is there any requirement to join the Pennington Research Association?

Just an interest in researching the Pennington surname and related surnames. The applicant can be a resident of any state in the U.S. or any nation of the world. In fact, the Pennington Research Association currently has about 400 members representing the United States, Canada, England, New Zealand and Australia.

Have I missed the deadline to apply?

The Pennington Research Association is no longer accepting membership applications. See our home page for details. 

Where on the Internet can I find a list of Pennington ancestors?

There are a number of Pennington ancestors and Family Group progenitors on our website.  For example, go to our Family Group page and you will see a summary description of each Family Group.  Many of these Family Groups are linked to websites maintained by the Group Leaders.  The PRA maintains a master database (JFMF) of approximately 78,000 names but it is not available online except to PRA Members who access the PRA Members only website.

How do I obtain a copy of the Pennington Research Association Coat of Arms?

The Pennington Research Association's official Coat of Arms is not available for sale.  It is a unique Coat of Arms and owned by the Pennington Research Association.  Under specific circumstances, PRA members may request approval from the Pennington Research Association to use the official Coat of Arms.  If you would like to use the PRA Coat of Arms, please contact our President.

By special arrangement, the PRA has a set of Coat of Arms that were designed by Michael Pennington.  He has given his consent for these graphic images to be used by Pennington researchers.  These Coat of Arms graphics were created by him and are based on the official PRA Coat of Arms but he has added more color and depth to them and made them in "gif" format so they are easier to download.

Click here to view Mike Pennington's Coat of Arms and to download them.

Click here to read some interesting articles on heraldry.

What are the three words which appear on the scroll of the Pennington Coat of Arms and what do they mean?

The three words on the scroll of the Coat of Arms are "Vincit amor patriae"

1. "Vincit amor patriae" means "The love of my country prevails."
2. "Vincent amor patriae laudumque immensa cupido" means "The love of my country exceeds everything."

The following motto appears in English above the mountain cat of the original Baron Muncaster Crest.

"Firm, Vigilant, Active" -Virg. AEn. vi. 823 v. Muncaster b. Pennington

Click here to read some interesting articles on heraldry.

What is a GEDCOM file?

GEDCOM was developed by the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to provide a flexible, uniform format for exchanging computerized genealogical data. GEDCOM is an acronym for GE nealogical D ata Com munication. Its purpose is to foster the sharing of genealogical information and the development of a wide range of inter-operable software products to assist genealogists, historians, and other researchers.

Most, if not all, of today's genealogy software programs provide a utility that allows a user to create a GEDCOM file for exporting.  In addition, most of today's genealogy software programs allow a user to import a GEDCOM file.

At this time, the current standard for a GEDCOM file is 5.5.  For more details, go to the GEDCOM Standard Release 5.5 website.