Virginia: 1734 - 1750
The Penningtons left Coxsons Rest after only a few years and crossed to the south side of the Potomac River to settle in Frederick County, Virginia. The Penningtons were early settlers in this area. Abraham(2) was granted 600 acres on the west side of the Shenandoah River on October 3, 1734. He later conveyed this land to his son, Jacob. Frederick County is located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. The families who settled in this wilderness chopped down trees and built log cabins. They also built their tables, beds and other furniture out of wood. The cracks between the logs in their cabins often were not chinked very well with clay or moss, so people were able to see the stars shining through their ceilings as they lay in bed at night! Fireplaces kept the log cabins warm at night and during the wintertime. Food was also cooked over the fireplaces in big pots. The frontier families had to find all their own food. Both men and women hunted deer, bear and other wild game. The settlers ate the meat and, like the Indians, made clothes out of the animal skins. One of the favorite foods on the frontier was corn, which the people ate in different forms for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Other favorites were soups and stews, including vegetable-and-squirrel stew. The frontier children spent most of their time helping their parents farm, hunt and make clothes and furniture. The wealthy planters who controlled Virginia's political life were not interested in free public schools for the people. Because of this, the children of farm families usually grew up with little or no education. Parents who could read, write, and "cipher" taught these subjects to their children. The Pennington’s, though, probably couldn’t read or write … Abraham’s signature on his Last Will and Testament is an "X" mark. But these skills were not thought to be as important on the frontier as knowing how to plant corn or shoot a gun anyway. The children were taught to shoot as soon as they could hold and aim a rifle. Shooting was important not only for bringing home food, but also for protection against the Indians. Because the families felt isolated and alone on the frontier, they especially enjoyed the times when they could get together with their neighbors. Because husking corn was boring, the people held "cornhusking bees". When a new family moved into an area, their neighbors got together with them for a "house-raising". While the men and older boys put the finishing touches on the new family's house, the women had quilting bees, and the children played. Once the new family's house was finished, the people would hold a party. They would barbecue food, play the fiddle, dance and drink homemade whiskey and apple cider. Around this same time and just about 65 miles to the southeast, another baby was born. His name was George Washington and he was born on February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Abraham(1) Pennington’s death came shortly after the birth of George Washington. Abraham died sometime around 1733. Abraham’s son, Jacob, married Mary Cannon, although the date of their marriage is unclear. Jacob made his living as a blacksmith, making horseshoes and other iron objects. Blacksmiths would first heat the iron in an open furnace until it became red hot. They would then remove it and hammer it into shape. Jacob and Mary had nine children and their birthdates are also a matter of controversy. It is possible that the first two children, Mary and Sarah, were born around 1740, and that their mother was not Mary Cannon, but another woman who would have been Jacob’s first wife. Years later in another state, the remainder of Jacob’s children were born, with Mary Cannon being their mother. Children of Jacob and Mary Pennington: 1. Mary Pennington born c. 17402
. Sarah Pennington born c. 1740 3. Abigail Pennington born c. 1762 4. Charity Pennington born c. 1762 5. Elizabeth Pennington born c. 1762 6. Delilah Pennington born c. 1762 7. Ruth Pennington born c. 1763 8. * Jacob Pennington born c. 1765 9. Naomi Pennington born c. 1767I must address a point of controversy at this point. There is some confusion as to who Jacob(2)’s parents are. Let’s go back to Abraham(2) and Katerina’s sons, Isaac (born in 1715) and Jacob (born in 1716). They EACH had a son named Jacob. Some people believe Isaac’s son Jacob (born in 1739) was the Lawrence County pioneer. Others believe that Jacob’s son Jacob (born in 1765) was the Lawrence County pioneer. If we use Isaac’s son, Jacob, he would have been 77 years old when he crossed the Appalachians and came to Lawrence County. If we use Jacob’s son, Jacob, he would have been 51 when he came to Lawrence County. Based on the age factor alone, I believe Abraham and Katerina’s son, Jacob, and not Isaac, was the father of Jacob, the Lawrence County pioneer. Jacob’s parentage is the only point in question … all other facts are agreed upon.
GEORGE WASHINGTON SLEPT HERE! " . . . George spent the night at the home of Isaac Pennington, who was Jacob’s brother!" In 1746, George Washington was 14 years old. He was determined to join the British Royal Navy, but he needed his mother’s permission. No matter how much he argued, she would not let him go. George finally had to give up his dreams of being a sailor, but he soon found a new interest . . . exploring the frontier. Becoming a surveyor and marking out new farms in the wilderness would give him a change to seek adventure and earn money. He enjoyed mathematics and he easily picked up an understanding of fractions and geometry. He took his father’s old set of surveying instruments out of storage and at age 15, he began studying to be a surveyor. One day, George met Lord Fairfax, the largest property owner in Virginia. Lord Fairfax owned more than five million acres of land in northern Virginia. These lands extended to the Allegheny Mountains and included much of the Shenandoah Valley. Lord Fairfax began planning an expedition to survey his western lands. Sixteen-year-old George Washington was invited to go along. The month-long expedition set out on horseback in March of 1748. Washington learned to hunt for food and sleep in the open. Sometimes, though, they would be invited to spend the night at someone’s home. On one such occasion, George spent the night at the home of Isaac Pennington, who was Jacob Pennington’s brother! Little did they know that 41 years later, this young man would become the first President of the United States!
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