Category: Pennell-CAN

Family rumor was that Alexander Cecil Pennell was gassed during the war and this was the cause of his death, so its with no surprize there’s no mention of “gassed” in his death certificate..  It says coma due to diabetes. Included in his military records is how they were treating him with insulin and watching his diet.

He is buried in Mount Pleasant cemetery at Ogleston’s Corners in Rutherglen.

In the slide show below, you see Miss McCullough, the teacher who married Herb Pennell.

Lester was born March 13, 1897, Ewen, Michigan. He served in the 228th Regiment.

Lester was the son of William Keech and Jane McNamara. Jane was the daughter of Elizabeth Pennell and John McNamara. Elizabeth was the sister of my grandmother, Alice Smith (nee Pennell).

In the picture below, Lester is in the 2nd row, middle.

The following is from Myrtle Connolly’s book “Growing Up On A Farm”.

How well I remember the day that my brother Lester came home from Camp Borden to bid us goodbye. How smart he looked in his uniform, so tall and handsome. He knew he would have to go so he enlisted in 1916. We didn’t see Lester again until May 1919, the ar ending November 11, 1918. The sick and wounded were sent home first.

Mother sent him a box of goodies every month. He received them all except three. He used to go to Uncle Johnnie’s in London on his long leaves. He also spent some time with his grandmother Mrs. Edwin Keech (Elizabeth Forsey). Lester was her first grandson. It was a real reunion. All she could talk about weas Father who left England at the age of seventeen.

Finally Lester called Mother that he was coming home and would be stopping at the Bay to see his grandparents, the McNamara’s, which was on a Sunday, but instead came home on Sunday, therefore, there was no one to meet him from our family. Mother was preparing a big dinner. I was the one that saw a soldier coming up the road. I called Mother and sure enough it was Lester. Everybody was excited. He had changed. The war had taken away his youth. He bumped his head on the door, then on the stovepipes. He said, “I guess I had forgotten that I am taller than the door and stovepipes.”

He just stay home a short time, then went to North Bay and got a job on the railroad as a baggage man. He decided that was not for him, became a fireman on the railroad, and then an engineer.

He married Eva McChesney, bought a bungalow beside his grandparents that his grandfather had built. During the war he brought supplies by railroad up the the front lines. With bombes dropping all around this was not the most desirable place to be.

Lester died February 21, 1957, sitting in his car on Main Street, North Bay. He was so looking forward to his retirement. He had two sons, William Albert, M. D., a graduate of Western University, and Gerald Lester, PH.D., McMaster University. Bill was in the Air Force during World War II, shot down over Belgium, a prisoner of Stalag III, was in the Great Escape, which was made into a movie, and also took part in the Wooden Horse Escape.

Mrs. Hugh Ferguson, a cousin, told me “that they don’t make men like Lester Keech anymore”. She bought his bungalow after his death.

“Growing Up On A Farm” by Myrtle Connolly, pages 15-16

George Jr. was born March 22, 1883. He was the son of George Mathew Pennell Sr. and Charlotte Edmunds of Rutherglen, Ontario. George Sr. was the brother of my grandmother, Alice Smith (nee Pennell).

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George joined the war effort February 25, 1916 with the 159th Overseas Battalion, 1st Algonquin and had belonged to the 97th Regiment of Active Militia. He sailed on the S. S. Empress on October 31, 1916 to England. On August 31, 1917, he was hospitalized for a schraple wound in his back and he received the Military Medal for bravery.    He later was transferred to the 58th Battalion. He was promoted from Private to Lance Corporal.
On August 27, 1918 George was killed in action with R.F.B. (Retained Foreign Bodies) and the family legacy was that he died at the Battle on Mons. In fact, George’s sister, Emma, who married L.J. Rose, named her 10th child and first child after George’s death, George Mons Rose (although we all knew him in Rutherglen as Jiggs).

However, the Battle of Mons took place in November 1918, months after George was killed. On August 21–30, 1918, the 58th Canadian Infantry Battalion was in Arras and specifically on August 27 they had just moved into Bois du Sart, France.  George was among 30 “other ranks” killed on the 27th.  There were many small battles in the Hundred Days Offensive that eventually lead up to the Battle of Mons, which ended the war on November 11, 1918.

“Whilst taking part in the advance North West of Boiry-Notre Dame, he was hit in the head and instantly killed by an enemy machine gun bullet.” George is buried at the Vimy Ridge Cemetery in France.

Scroll the images below. The “M.M.” beside George’s name means he received a Military Medal.

Cecil was born February 1, 1898 in Rutherglen, Ontario, to Eliza (nee Pennell) and John “Jack” James.

Cecil married Marie Tremblay and had two sons. From his will below, I can only make out the name of his 2nd son, Leonard.

He fought in World War I in the 12th Reserve, 1st Corp., 75th Battalion CEF, D Co., #3035764 and held the rank of Private. He was discharged May 12, 1919 and returned home in June of 1919 on the R.M.S. Mauretania.

In 1950, Cecil was living in Kapuskasing, and later in New Toronto. He died February 12, 1959.

Cecil-James-2Marie-James-parcel-318

James was born December 27, 1889 to Mary Ann Pennell and William James of Rutherglen, Ontario. He married Margaret I. McDonald and died October 12, 1976. James served in World War I. In 1953, he lived in Englehart and operated Tray Express Company.

John was born December 29, 1887 in Rutherglen, Ontario. He served in the 59th Battalion during World War I. He was a member of Branch 23 of the Royal Canadian Legion in North Bay where he received a 50-year pin. He was also a member of the Orange Lodge and a founding member of the Elk Lake Masonic Lodge No. 507. John also spent some time in jail and he worked for the ONR as an engineer.

He married Annie Gertrude “Gerti” Smith, who was the daughter of Willard Smith and Mary Johnson on Rutherglen. Gerti was a widow, having married William Daniel Smith, and had one some “Billy”. Gerti and John had two daughters: Eleanor James and Ruth James. Gerti died in 1926.

John then married Julia McNulty and had three sons: Jack James, Dale James, Darwin James. All three of these sons spent time in jail and were known to be part of the notorious “Kelly Gang” of North Bay.

William was the son of Mary Ann Pennell and William James of Rutherglen, Ontario.

William was born January 12, 1900 and served in World War I. He lived in Lac Vert, Sask, and died February 10, 1978 in Miracom, Sask.

Alexander Pennell, b. 1892, son of George Matthew Pennell (Gramma Smith’s brother) and Charlotte Edmunds.  This Alex served 4 years in WW1 as a gunner.  He was severely wounded twice and sent to England where he met his future wife, Dorothy Rhodes, a nurse.  Alex worked as a Game Warden in Gravenhurst.  He had one child, Gabriel Pennell.  Alexander’s brother was Herb Pennell, who also served in WW1.

Alexander Pennell’s brother, Richard William Pennell married Carrie Sullivan (Melvin’s sister). He was a Fireman. Their children were Walter Pennell and Austin Pennell. Then Richard married Mary Ellen Farmer (Aunt Hazel’s sister).  One of their children was Alex Cecil Pennell who would be the Alex Pennell who is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. 

Squatters in Bonfield in the register of “Free Grants” under “The Free Grants + Homestead Act” Dated November 22, 1882

Richard Pennell (SR) (lot-26)(Conc 8&9) took claim 200 acres with 16 cleared, length of occupation 2 years, value at $400

Richard Pennell (JR) (lot-25)(Con-9) took claim 100 acres with 8 acres cleared, length occupation 2 years, valued at $200

The Railroad came through Rutherglen in fall 1879, Bonfield – January 1, 1879. First train to arrive in North Bay August 1882… I believe it would be safe to say the Pennells worked their way to Rutherglen by rail and took up land by these grants. James & Andrew Rose held the 1st squatters of these parcels were long gone ahead searching for more land for rail construction by 1881-82, North Bay, Ontario.

From the collection of Mike Brophy passed onto Elmer Rose – December 5, 2020.

Here is a Lot and Concession map from MY memory. Amazing since I was 11 when we moved from Rutherglen. I think Wayne helped me fill in some blanks, but that Hwy. 17 here looks weird. 🙂

A. W. Smith moved the road because it ran between his two 100 acre lots so he had two fences to fix where he could have one or none. This fencing was no simple chore once you got into the bush at the back of the lots.

Main reason – the old road ran up the granite mountain that is beneath Carl Sullivan’s hill beside the red brick school house. It was almost impossible for the horses to get any traction on this polished granite so they would slip and get hurt, along with their passengers and/or cargo. Also hard to dig post holes in granite.

W. L. Smith – December 8, 2020, email