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.
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). … Read more: Alexander Escar Pennell
It seems strange to say that I don’t have a lot of information about my Grandmother Smith. There were certainly lots of people in my life who knew her well. Most of what I know came from my mother who did not get along with her and didn’t have many good memories of her. Alice was born April 5, 1876 in Horton Twp., Ontario. She married Adoniram Warner Smith April 13, 1904 in Rutherglen. She became a large woman as her children were born, but developed diabetes in her later years and lost her excess weight. I was born in… Read more: Alice Maria Pennell
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.
Liza was born September 8, 1872, in Horton Twp., Ontario, the first child of Richard and Rachel Pennell to be born in Canada. She married John “Jack” James, the brother of William C. James who married her sister Mary Ann. Liza lived in a small house right across the road from our farm in Rutherglen. Even though I never knew her, “Aunt Liza” was very much a part of my life and I explored her abandoned home many times. Liza died March 6, 1955 in a sanatorium in Gravenhurst, Ontario from tuberculosis. She is buried at St. Margaret’s Anglican Church… Read more: Eliza “Liza” Jane Pennell (James)
Elizabeth was the oldest child of Richard and Rachel Pennell, born May 29, 1853, in Greenwich, England. She immigrated with her family to Canada on the S. S. Niger May 1871, and celebrated her 18th birthday on the ship and remembered having cake. Fourteen months later, Elizabeth married James McNamara, son of John (of England) and Jane (of Lanark Co., Ontario) McNamara, on July 17, 1872. James was a Chef/Hotel Manager. Elizabeth was confirmed on March 10, 1886 in Renfrew with her son James and her daughter Jane. She was short and stout, had brown eyes and was a happy… Read more: Elizabeth Pennell (McNamara)
Frances was born May 15, 1865 in Land’s End, England, and would have celebrated her 6th birthday of the S. S. Niger when they immigrated from Liverpool, England to Quebec City. She married Reuben James Smith (not related to my Smiths), on October 22, 1882 in Renfew, Ontario. Reuben was the son of William and Catherine Smith. Reuben and Frances lived in Rutherglen for a short time in the house across the Trunk Road from the maple tree hill once owned by Richard and Rachel Pennell. Some may remember it as Carl and Millie Sullivan’s house. Frances and Reuben eventually… Read more: Frances Ann Pennell (Smith)
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).
Born April 27, 1858, Lewisham Place, Kent, England, George immigrated with his family on the S. S. Niger on May 11, 1871. George married Charlotte Edmunds and lived in Rutherglen, Ontario. He died August 31, 1930 and is buried at St. Margaret’s Anglican Cemetery in Rutherglen. When Richard Pennell, James Hone and the Crew sisters made their way to Rutherglen, they brought their “children”, but Richard Jr. and George would have been in their 20’s, ready to have their own farms. George Pennell’s descendants are many and integral to the fabric of Rutherglen, Ontario. George was a short stout man… Read more: George Matthew Pennell, Sr.
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… Read more: History of Rutherglen
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.
Jane was born in Ottawa September 1, 1875 and was the daughter of Elizabeth Pennell and James McNamara. Jane was a hairdresser. She died May 5, 1961 in Haileybury, Ontario. Jane married William John Keech, son of Edwin James Keech and Elizabeth Forsey, all of England, on April 22, 1896, in Ewen, Michigan. William was a Butcher. The Keech’s arrived in Quebec City July 1, 1883. The Captain (Molson) had a farm at Sherbrooke and hired William, who stayed with the Molson family for two years. Then he moved to the U.S., meeting up with his brothers, George and Henry.… Read more: Jane McNamara (Keech)
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… Read more: John Thomas Victor James
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).
Mary was born January 19, 1868 in Greenwich, England. She immigrated with her family on the S. S. Niger from Liverpool to Quebec City when she was only 3. She married William C. James of Rutherglen, who was the brother of John “Jack” James who married her sister Eliza. Mary died October 3, 1955 in North Bay, Ontario. The family gossip is that Mary and William “adopted” a daughter Mary. Mrs. McNeilly felt that Mary was overworking the adopted daughter, so took her from Mary and William to the United States. I have no idea is this is true or… Read more: Mary Ann Pennell (James)
The Pennell name was not immune to far-fetched tales, and the story of Rosamond Croker is one of them. This portrait of Miss Croker hangs in the Buffalo (NY) Art Museum. Portrait of Miss Rosamond Croker | Buffalo AKG Art Museum Rosamond Hester Elizabeth was born 5 January 1810, the 13th of 21 children of William Pennell, Esq., British consul-general to Brazil. At the age of six weeks she was adopted by her brother-in-law the Rt. Hon. John Wilson Crocker. Croker (1780-1857) was a well-known politician and essayist and in 1809 was Secretary to the Admiralty. … In 1832, Miss… Read more: Miss Rosamond Croker
As I mentioned in one of my other posts, I have a lot of general information about Pennells, most of which is unproven to be related. I have 4 “stories”: Story #1 – source J. W. Pennell, Arroyo Grande, CA, Letter to Edna Ollivier, March 9, 1978 In about 51 B.C., when the Romans pulled out of Gaul (Normandy) they abandoned a fortress that they had called “Pinnellium”. After the Romans left, the leader of the local peasants took over the deserted fortress and began to exercise authority over the area. Then those, living inside the place became known as… Read more: Pennell – History of the name
When I began researching my family history in the 1980’s, the Pennell and Crew lineage were the first surnames where information was readily available. My Aunt Edna (Ollivier nee Smith) had been gathering information about her maternal heritage for years, before personal computers, printers and photocopiers and the internet, when researching involved a pen and a family group sheet. I visited her several times where she shared copies documents and letters, memories and family gossip. Those visits were great. However, she only shared what was “respectable” and kept silent on anything that would disparage the family’s reputation. As they say,… Read more: Pennell, Crew, Bradfield, Hone
As I posted in a Crew History, Tales and Truths, Bethnal Green was not a great place to live and everyone had a brickyard. Competition likely made eking out a living extremely difficult. Mortality rates were high and life expectancy rates were low. Rachel had lost a baby in 1863 and Eliza lost her last two babies in 1868 and 1870. Life expectancy was low. Of 1,632 deaths in 1839, 1,258 (77 per cent) were of ‘mechanics, servants, and labourers’, who had an expectancy of 16 years, 273 of tradesmen, with an expectancy of 26, and 101 of gentry and… Read more: Pennells, Crews & Hones – Canada
Born June 26, 1855 in Greenwich, England, Richard was the 2nd oldest child of Richard and Rachel Pennell. Richard immigrated on the S. S. Niger with his family from Liverpool to Quebec City May 11, 1871. He married Margaret “Mag” McLaren in 1879. According to the 1891 Census, Richard Jr. lived at the property next to (across the road from) Richard Sr. In 1901, Richard Jr. was in Langford, Manitoba; 1916 and 1921 Marquette, Manitoba; Edna Ollivier remembers her Uncle Dick cutting all the cherry trees down on the maple hill on the Pennell lhomestead. His mother, Rachel, was enraged… Read more: Richard “Dick” William Job Pennell
Rachel wanted to return to England after the Pennells and the Hones brickmaking business in Carlton Place failed. But, undeterred, Richard tried again by applying for a land grant in Bonfield Township at Rutherglen where they obtained crown land in approximately 1879. Richard loaded his family (now 6 children) into a sleigh and made his way in the middle of winter to his 200 acres. The original log house stood on the property until 1990, when it was dismantled by Jourgen Mohr who was planning to rebuild it in another location as a heritage house. To the best of my… Read more: Richard Pennell & Rachel Crew
Bill Keech was born June 5, 1920 in North Bay, Ontario. He was the son of Lester William Keech (WW1) and grandson of Jane McNamara. After he graduated from North Bay Collegiate, he married Iola Grace Berry, December 2, 1939, who became a Registered Nurse. He enlisted in the R.C.A.F. and received the rank of Flt. Lieut. during World War II. On April 27, 1942, Bill was shot down over Belgium and taken prisoner, spending three years in Stalag Luft-3, near Sagan. He participated in the operation of “The Great Escape”. The tunnel had been under his bunk, but only… Read more: William Albert Keech, M. D.
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.