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 McNamara (nee Pennell), taken circa 1915, Ontonagon/Ewen, Michigan
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 person.
James found employment in lumber camps as a chef and for years followed the railroad. Sometimes he would have 200 to 300 men in the boarding cards. Around 1890, he bought a hotel in Duluth. In 1902, he came back to Canada and bought a general store on McLeod Street in North Bay, operating it until 1914 when he retired. He had built several bungalows, one being 93 McLeod Street where the McNamara’s themselves lived.
Elizabeth and James had 5 children, only Jane surviving to adulthood. The other four all died of diphtheria and are buried together at St. Margaret’s Anglican Cemetery in Rutherglen. Dolly was the first and she died in her mother’s arms enroute from Renfrew to Rutherglen. It is very solemn to stand at the cemetery and look down at the 3 little grave markers. I’m not sure where John’s marker is as he died in 1883.
NAME
BORN
DIED
NOTES
James “Jimmy”
1873 (ON)
1888 (ON)
diphtheria
Jane
1875 (ON)
1961 (ON)
hairdresser
Elizabeth
1879
1888 (ON)
diphtheria
John
1881
1883 (ON)
diphtheria
Ann “Dolly”
1884
1888 (ON)
diphtheria
graves of Ann “Dolly”, Jas. R. & Elizabeth – all died in 1888
Elizabeth died Mar 28, 1931, North Bay, Ontario, at her daughter’s home.
Centre: Elizabeth “Lizzie” McNamara nee Pennell, (R) maybe Myrtle Connolly (others to be identified)
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 knowledge, he never did and the fate of the timbers are unknown. I have nothing in my notes about the Hone family, but they ended up in Rutherglen as well.
Rachel was a devoted Anglican and was hostess to many Vicars who passed through Rutherglen, mostly on horseback. She died April 21, 1916 on Good Friday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. James McNamara, at 93 McLeod St., North Bay. Her last words were, “I can hear the angels singing”. In the church records it is written that she was “a true and earnest daughter of the church, worked for the parish from its foundation.” She was known as an Angel of Mercy, one that was always on call, attending the sick and needy.
The church burial records for Richard indicate that he was a “True and faithful son of Mother Church. R.I.P.”
Richard was a small man and had no formal education. At the age of 8, he worked in brick yards [likely his father’s] for a few pennies a day. After several years, he became a bricklayer. When living near the Woolwich Military Unit, Richard and his brothers used to race cannonballs down the hills.
Myrtle Connolly
The author of the following is unknown to me. Its a photocopy of a handprinted 2-page document where the edges have been cut off. It could have been written in the late 1960’s.
PENNELLs
Richard and his son George Pennell where early settlers in Rutherglen. The Pennells were originally from England. The reason that brought them to what is now ? community was chance of getting themselves some free grant land. This is land that was give[n] to anyone who would try and settle in the wilderness.
Richard Pennell settle[d] the Lot 26, Concession 9. The land was cleared with axes and horse which then had to be grubbed to make sure the stumps were out.
For income in early years of their stay they use to cut for ? engines and make ties for railroads. After Pennell was finished with the farm his grand[son] Emmett Smith got it. Mr. Smith framed and ?. Then selling all farm except four acres where he still lives.
The remainder of farm is owned [by] Mr. St. Jean.
George Pennell’s wife not ?. Their children are: Francis, Anne, Luey, Em?, Gordon, Alex, Herb, Harry, Richard and Victor. When George Pennell moved up with father to Rutherglen, he settle the land … ? The Pennells came …?
The lots which George settled were Lot 27, Concession 8 and Lot 26, Concession 8. The land on his property was cleared the same way as the other early settlers. On farm they had mostly cows and chickens. ? in these days were hard work because work was done manually, not with machines. During his and his wife stay at the farm, they had ten children.
When George was finish with farm, his son and wife Almalia took it over. Victor lived on the farm for many years and later sold the farm in two separate lots. He sold to Joseph Rose and the half to Will McLaren. Will later sold to Carl Sullivan. Both gentlemen still own the land.
The following is from an email from Elmer Rose, Rutherglen historian
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.
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 professional people, with an expectancy of 45.
Although Bethnal Green was still the main silkweaving parish, the industry was in decline and weavers were under-employed. Occupations such as tailoring, furniture making, and costermongering replaced it but none was prosperous, sweated labour was prevalent, and the population was caught in a downward spiral of poverty. A modern analysis has placed Bethnal Green as the second poorest London parish in 1841, the poorest by 1871.
So, on 11 May, 1871, Richard and Rachel Pennell left 77 Esteny St., London, England and along with Rachel’s sister Eliza and her husband James Hone, and headed for Liverpool to board the S. S. Niger1 that arrived in Quebec City on 29 May, 1871.
The two families boarded the train to Sand Point (McNabb Township, Renfrew), only to find it was the “end of the steel” and also no employment. They finally settled in Carlton Place, Ontario (Beckwith Township, Lanark Co.), where they built a log cabin large enough for two families and divided it, living as such until they could get better lodgings.
Keep in mind, the Hones brought 4 children with them and the Pennells brought 4. So that makes 12 people in one log cabin.
Even though Carlton Place was very remote then, the Pennells and the Hones established a brick yard. However, lumber was ample and very inexpensive and the settlers homes were mostly constructed from log timbers. The forced the two families to try farming in Horton Township which was unsuccessful. [Not sure why. There were many successful Smiths and Eadys who farmed in Horton Township]
Rachel wanted to return to England, but 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 knowledge, he never did and the fate of the timbers are unknown. I have nothing in my notes about the Hone family, but they ended up in Rutherglen as well.
The following is an email from Wayne with his thoughts on how this “adventure” may have happened and the circumstances that may have been factors:
The best way to get cows, horses, furniture from Renfrew to Rutherglen before the train would have been to do what A. W. Smith did. Horse and sleigh on the ice up the Ottawa River to Mattawa. Then up the Mattawa to the bottom of the Lake Talon chutes. Then overland to Rutherglen.
Or maybe there was a trail from the Mattawa River to Rutherglen but running your sleigh on nice flat lake ice like Lake Talon would be tempting. Only one portage at the chutes. J. R. Booth would have had this water route well worn. It’s the same route used by Samuel de Champlain and the [Indigenous Peoples]. Just need to do it in the winter.
Once you get on the Lake Talon, you could go up Sparks Creek to the Blue Sea Creek and then you’re home. There was a store/hotel on Lake Talon where Sparks Creek joins the lake. It was run by ??? Green (Andy Green’s Dad). There would have been other road houses along the way spaced out a days travel apart. You most likely would buy cows and chickens from other farmers. But guns, axes, horses, wagons, etc. would be best carried in with the wife and kids.
The roads, if any, would be best travelled in the winter with a horse and sleigh, sort of like the ice road truckers do today. The portage at the Chutes would have been a challenge – its long and steep. Would have needed some help from the loggers there. Maybe send the wife and kids on the train after you bought the farm and got set up.
2020, Dec 8, Email – Wayne Smith
Rachel was a devoted Anglican and was hostess to many Vicars who passed through Rutherglen, mostly on horseback. She died April 21, 1916 on Good Friday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. James McNamara, at 93 McLeod St., North Bay. Her last words were, “I can hear the angels singing”. In the church records it is written that she was “a true and earnest daughter of the church, worked for the parish from its foundation.” She was known as an Angel of Mercy, one that was always on call, attending the sick and needy.
The church burial records for Richard indicate that he was a “True and faithful son of Mother Church. R.I.P.”
1S. S. Niger Ship’s Log #71135078-4581
Most of this information is from Edna Ollivier and Myrtle Connelly
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 Croker married Sir George Barrow of Ulverstone (1806-1876), Chief Clerk at the Colonial Office, who succeeded his father as second baronet in 1848. Lady Barrow died in 1906.
Seventh and Eighteenth Century Europeon Art, page 184, Sir Thomas Lawrence (artist)
The only reason Rosamond Croker ended up being on the list of tall tales is that her birth name is Pennell. W. J. C. Pennell of Australia in December 1969 actually refers to Rosamond’s birth father as an “ancestor”. I quote his 1969 letter below, not because I think she’s related, but because you might.
The next ancestors of whom any important records are extant is Richard Pennell, Commander of the British East Indian Company’s ship “HAWK”. [Probate is on Ancestry and verifies this information.] He settled in Topsham in Devonshire and married the sister of Charles II’s physician. He died in May of 1797 aged 42 and is buried in St. Margaret’s Church, Topsham near Lectern.
His great-grandson [I doubt this, maybe grandson] William Pennell was appointed British Council at Bordeau, France in 1814. During his Consulate in this city times were very tumultuous and full of adventure. There was a magnificent diamond he kept as a heirloom in the family which was given to him by the duchesse D’Anglouleme [This is Marie Theresa the only child of Marie Antoniette and the King that lived to adulthood] as a reward for his help in aiding her escape from Bordeaux on a British frigate.
Later he became British Consul at Bahia, Brazil and in 1829 was appointed Consul-General for the Empire of Brazil. He married Elizabeth Carrington daughter of a Church of England Clergyman and had 22 children, many of whom became distinguished men and women. Once (sic) of the sons, Sir Henry Pennell held the position of First Clerk of the British Admiralty and was the author of a continuous system for manning the navy.
W. J. C. Pennell, Sydney, Australia, December 1969
There is a lot of documentation on Ancestry and corroborating data from “Pennell Family Records”. A not-so-quick Googling of facts did show me that Charles Stuart of appointed Ambassador of France in 1815 and then he was sent to Brazil from 1825 to 1826. A Consul-General is subordinate to the Ambassador, so I’m thinking William Pennell likely following Charles Stuart in his appointments.
So there are two Marie’s that escaped France: Marie Theresa (dau. of Marie Antoniette) and Louise Marie (sister of Marie Theresa’s husband). The story of William Pennell assisting in these escapes could very well be the fodder for the Marie deFawcett stories, and somehow the story went from the Pennell side to the Crew side.
One more point that makes me believe there’s been a mash-up of family stories. The quote above says that Elizabeth Carrington has 22 children. What a coincidence! That’s the same number of children Susan Shephard supposedly had and the most children I’ve been able to find is 12.
And also, the “de” did NOT designate Marie deFawcett as French. It only showed that she was of a culture that used the “de” to either show aristocracy or to show Fawcett was her husband’s surname, not hers. This was a French, Spanish, Portuguese, practice.
Can’t help but wonder, where “Fawcett” came from?
Also, what a juxtaposition of the Pennells we know as my ancestors in Bethnal Green and the Pennells who were the ancestors of Miss Rosamond Croker.
Here’s Rosamond’s story:
Among the girls, chief interest is attached to Rosamond the 13th child who, at the age of 6 weeks, was adopted by her eldest sister then the wife of the Right Honourable John Wilson Crocker, M.P. It was only by accident that she eventually learned that her supposed mother was really her sister. She was celebrated for her beauty and her portrait, at the age of 17 by Sir Thomas Lawrence, is a renowned and familiar pictures. Her portrait bears the title “The Beautiful Miss Crocker” and was once owned by American Billionaire Banker, J. Pierpont Morgan. The painting is now owned by the buffalo Fine Ars Academy and is exhibited in the Albright Art Galley, Buffalo, New York, U.S.A.
When a child at Kensington Palace Rosamond was sent to play with the little girl who became Queen Victoria. The Crocker Papers are full of references to “Nony” as she was called.
“June 13, 1831 — took little girl (Nony) to the King’s (George IV) Ball. We arrived five minutes after the time appointed, half-past eight. His Majesty was already in the room. He was very gracious to Nony and kissed her as he departed. William IV, when she was presented at his Court kissed her twice and it was explained as King, and the second time as man!”
As with the Pennells, it has been a challenge to get any solid proof of heritage. However, when the Crews immigrated to Canada, they brought with them tales that, regardless of how much work and research is done, cannot be verified in any way. The original source of these stories seems to be from Effie Scott who was the granddaughter of Eliza Hone.
Tale #1: Marie deFawcett
It has been verified that Rachel’s father, William Henry Crew was a successful brickmaker in London, England. His sons, Richard and William (the younger), as well as John Bradfield all worked for him in London. James Hone (Eliza Crew’s husband) was living with the Crews in 1851 and reports that he is a brickmaker as well.
In 1851, the Crews lived at 4 Parkplace with Samuel Sheppard’s family (Susan’s brother) and another family (relationship unknown).
The story that has been handed down through Effie Scott (Rutherglen, Eliza’s Crew descendant) and perhaps from Alice Pennell (Rachel’s daughter), was that Susan Crew’s mother was Marie de Fawcett.
This is from a document authored by Myrtle Connolly, nee Keech, who’s great-grandmother was Rachel Crew.
Marie deFawcett was a descendent from the Imperial House of Orleans, an important part of French Royalty. The first Duke of Orleans was the son of Charles V of France and was born 1372. His name was Louis de Valois.
The following is from my own “book” I authored in 1994.
Susan Shepherd’s parentage is still somewhat of a mystery. Her mother was definitely [NOT proven and unlikely] Maria deFawcett, but its possible that deFawcett was Marie’s married name and that when she married a second time to a William Shepherd, he adopted Susan. Its possible that Marie was a French Hugenot who fled France after witnessing the murder of her parents. [not possible as Marie’s life is not contemporary with the Hugenots. Possibly her parents or grandparents]. DeFawcett, according to the French Hugenot Society of England, is an English name, not a French one.
I did some digging into the Hugenot immigration to England and my notes say that around 1705, Hugenots settled in south England, Canterbury, Kent, Sandwich, Faversham, Shoreditch, London & Spitalfields. Since the beheadings of Marie Antonoinette and Louis XVI didn’t take place until 1793, the Hugenot movement must have continued on until the end of the century. The only surviving daughter of the King and Queen, Marie-Theresa didn’t get herself out of France (a 2nd time) until 1815. (Wikipedia)
1841 England Census finds William and Susan Crew with their children on John Street, Bethnal Green. Since William allegedly had a “successful” brickmaking business that employed at least 4 men (Charles Pennell, Richard Pennell, William Crew (the younger) and James Hone), I did an internet search of the history of Bethnal Green to see if I could find anything.
Huguenot influence was diluted by outsiders from other parts of London. Over 80 per cent of Bethnal Green’s population in 1851 and 1861 had been born in London. Although Bethnal Green was still the main silkweaving parish, the industry was in decline and weavers were under-employed. Occupations such as tailoring, furniture making, and costermongering replaced it but none was prosperous, sweated labour was prevalent, and the population was caught in a downward spiral of poverty. A modern analysis has placed Bethnal Green as the second poorest London parish in 1841, the poorest by 1871.
Dickens made Bethnal Green the home of Nancy in Oliver Twist (1838).
The most detailed report on Bethnal Green was published in 1848 by Dr. Hector Gavin, health inspector and lecturer at Charing Cross hospital, who hoped to enlist the rich in ‘the great work of sanitary improvement and social amelioration’. He wrote before development around Victoria Park, when the ‘most respectable’ area was Hackney Road. The rest of the parish, including the area on either side of Green Street, was ‘filthy’, ‘appalling’, and ‘disgusting’. The older districts bordering Spitalfields contained paved streets and larger houses but the former were broken up and the latter overcrowded. Elsewhere roads were unmade, often mere alleys, houses small and without foundations, subdivided and often around unpaved courts. An almost total lack of drainage and sewerage was made worse by the ponds formed by the excavation of brickearth. Pigs and cows in back yards, noxious trades like boiling tripe, melting tallow, or preparing cat’s meat, and slaughter houses, dustheaps, and ‘lakes of putrefying night soil’ added to the filth.
William Crew and family lived in Bethnal Green in 1841, then Bromley in 1851.
Bart Jones, an avid Crew researcher in New Zealand, is convinced that this whole France, Hugenot story is nothing but gossip and has no validity at all. I’m about 75% in agreement with him. My hold back in completely rejecting the whole story, is that I believe firmly that within every piece of family gossip, is a thread of truth that has been exaggerated or “bent”. Also, when my DNA analysis came back from both Ancestry and 23andMe, both shows small signs of Northeastern France.
I also think that there’s a misconception that if a surname starts with “de”, that indicates its a French surname. This isn’t the case. The prefix “de” means “of” and is used in French, Spanish, Italian, etc.
For instance, when a woman married and took her husband’s name, she’d add “de” in front of the husband’s surname. Somewhat the same as “Handmaid’s Tale”, where Offred meant “of Fred”. Margaret Attwood could have written “deFred”. But I digress…
“De” was also misused, as common people began to realize they could pass themselves off as aristocracy by added “de” to the beginning of their surname. For example, my name would be Wendy deSmith. Hmmm…. well sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
The surname Fawcett isn’t French, however saying it with a French accent is like mispronouncing Target and Leon’s Furniture. North Americans think they sound higher class.
I was able to find the marriage of William Crew to Susan Sheppard. He was a widower. His first wife was likely Ann Swallows.
Susan’s parents were Charles and Ann, as stated on her baptism in 1798, Tring, Hertfordshire. No mention of Marie deFawcett.
In find it interesting the sequence of events leading up Susan’s death.
1861, Susan and William were living with Richard and Rachel (Crew) Pennell.
1869, William died.
April 2, 1871, Susan is a pauper in a “workhouse” (an institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment)
May 1875 Richard and Rachel boarded the S. S. Niger for Canada.
December 1875 Susan dies.
This post really needs to be read with the post on Miss Rosamond Crocker. There is information in both that are eerily similar.
So there are two Marie’s that escaped France: Marie Theresa (dau. of Marie Antoniette) and Louise Marie (sister of Marie Theresa’s husband). The story of William Pennell assisting in these escapes could very well be the fodder for the Marie deFawcett stories, and somehow the story went from the Pennell side to the Crew side.
And also, the “de” did NOT designate Marie deFawcett as French. It only showed that she was of a culture that used the “de” to either show aristocracy or to show Fawcett was her husband’s surname, not hers. This was a French, Spanish, Portuguese, practice.
Can’t help but wonder, where “Fawcett” came from?
Yesterday (March 26, 2023), while staring at the known ancestry chart of Susan Sheppard, I saw a name I’ve seen before that somehow suddenly looked different. Susan’s husband was Henry Crew. His mother’s name was Elizabeth Foresee (sounds a lot like Fawcett) and Elizabeth had a sister Mary, which brings me to Tale #2.
Tale #2: Duke of Rutland
This is a story that my Aunt Edna told me.
Susan Shepherd had a sister, Mary, who worked for the Duke of Rutland a “Nurse maid and seamstress”. Supposedly, there are memories handed down by Effie Scott, that Eliza recounted visits made by Mary coming to visit her sister Susan by horse and buggy on her days off. Knowing the above description of Bethnal Green, Mary must have found those visits deplorable.
The story goes that the Duke of Rutland was so grateful for Mary’s services, that he willed her a considerable sum of money. Mary remained a spinster, and when she died she left the small fortune to her sister Susan, who, for some reason, never claimed it.
Never wanting to leave a “small fortune” behind, I wrote someone who could look into a database of the employees of the Duke of Rutland during the early 1800’s. It was really no surprize to receive an answer that no such person by the name of Mary Sheppard was ever in the employ of the Duke of Rutland.
However, I did research who would have been the Duke at the time Mary would have been old enough to be a “governess” and would that Duke have needed a governess.
John Manners was the 5th Duke of Rutland. He married Elizabeth Howard who had 10 children and died in 1825, only 5 years after the birth of their last child. John remained a widower until his death at age 79. So there was a need – I just can’t find out who looked after his children after Elizabeth died.
However, the most damning thing about the story is that from Belvoir Castle to Bethnal Green is a 13 hour bike ride or a 2 day walk. Somewhere in between is a buggy ride, and not something one would do on her “day off”.
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”:
1978, J. W. Pennell of Arroyo Grande, CA, USA in a letter to Edna Ollivier
“Pennell Family History” as written by W. J. C. Pennell, Sydney, N.S.W. Australia December 1969
1977 “Pennell Family Records” edited by J. C. Baker
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 the People of Pinnellium, and their leader as the “Baron of Pinnillium”. Soon after tho[ugh], the Franks not liking anything Roman anyway, changed the name of the place to “The Baronage of Pinel” and their leader was thereafter known as “The Baron Pinel”.
Raoul Pinel (also known as Rollo) was a Baron in 1066 and the Baronage was assessed men and supplies for William the Duke of Normandy. Raoul and his sone Turston de Paignel, were at the Battle of Hastings in the first week of October 1066. (October 14, 1066 to be exact). Now Raoul (Rollo) was awarded sovereignty over 134 English manors, located in Kent and Essex. Turston was awarded 92 of these landed estates in the same shires adjoining those held by his father. The above is authenticated in the DOMESDAY BOOKS, by the monk Wace in his account of the conquest, on the Roll of Battle Abbey and as described in Burkes “Landed Gentry”.
NOTE: I Googled these sources, and after looking through my copy of the DOMESDAY BOOK, I could find no references to any of this information.
Anyway there was to be a Baron Pinel for the 1100 years following 51 B.C. It was not until the great census in 1083 was there to be a family name attached to all the followers of the Baron Pinel.
The author of this letter goes as far as quoting the bible to find the origins of Pennell, citing Genesis, chapter 32, paragraphs 31 and 32: “And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: ‘for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved’. And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped upon his thigh.”
The author also makes mention that Pen means “a high place”. It is interesting in Story #3 below, it mentions that Pen is Celtic for “head, top or end… with Anglo-Saxon word “hill”.
The letter continues…
In the middle of 1700’s, a Thomas and his brother Clement came over from the Isle of Jersey and settled near Brunswick, Maine. They founded a ship building company which built ships for the next hundred years.
Anyway Thomas married Rachel Riggs June 14, 1735 and his brother Clement married Ruth Riggs January 10, 1742. Both had large families. The genealogy of these two are in the books there in Salt Lake. (Anyone living in 1916 is the books.) I have documented records of some of the Pennell people moving to Canada during the Rev. War. They were known as “Tories” and I guess they just didn’t want to fight the King.
Perhaps they were known as “Tories”, but they were also known as “Loyalists” and many moved from the USA to Canada during that time. However, we do know from solid documentation that OUR Pennells immigrated on the S. S. Niger in 1871 from England to Ontario, not from the USA. This may however give a little history into the origins of the name Pennell.
Story #2: Source “Pennell Family History” as written by W. J. C. Pennell, Sydney, N.S.W. Australia December 1969
This is a booklet contains every instance of the name Pennell and suspected derivative that appears in any record that was available and accessible to the author in the United Kingdom in 1969.
The family of the Pennells is of ancient West-Country origin and traces its descent from ancestors who were already living at PENHAL in Cornwall before the Conquest. Subsequently the family moved to LUPTON in Devonshire where they resided for some centuries.
The name went through several variations in spelling, being written at different times as PENHALL, PENHALE or PENNYL, but did not assume its ultimate form of PENNELL til the 15th century.
Around 1390 John Penhale and Richard Penhale are recorded as being PRIORS OF PLYMPTON PRIORY and in 1415 a certain Richard Pennell who was Canon of Creiton, and Exeter and Vicar of PAIGNTON, became Archdeacon of Cornwall. He was also President of the Consistonal (sic?) Council.
This letter goes on to describe anyone famous with the name of Pennell and how they are likely all related
Story #3: Pennell Family Records, edited by J. C. Baker, September 1977 Call Number British Film Area 0990486, item 12 LDS FHL Photocopy of no. 91 in a limited edition of 150 copies
Most authorities derive the modern name Pennell from place names in different parts of England. Many of the Pennells of Worcestorshire and surrounding counties, for instance, have a name taken from Penhull in Pensax parish – referring to a nearby hilltop (the Celtic word Pen meaning head, top or end, with the Anglo-Saxon word hill). An early example is Alured de Penhull, i.e. Alured of Pen hill, recorded in the Worcs Assize Rolls for 1221.
Many people named Penell/Pennell were living in this locality during the 16th and 17th centuries. In south-west England, where Penewell, Peniwill, etc., were common variants, the name apparently derived from Penhill in Fremington parish, Devon, and from Penheale in Egloskerry parish, Cornwall – perhaps in the a few cases also from Penyhyll in Stockland which survives today as Penny Hill Farm.
The Introduction of this booklet goes on to give examples of years and names, such as Ricardus de Pennal, Nicholaus de Pennal, Wm de Peneylles, David Penyles, Hy de Peniles, Wm Pennel, Jn Penelle, etc. Its quite mind boggling.
My great-grandfather, Richard William Pennell who is buried in Rutherglen, was born in Northfleet, Kent in 1834. His father, also Richard William Pennell was born in Botolphe, Middlesex (London). Then Ancestry makes “smart matches” and immediately changes the last name to Pinnell. It is interesting to note that in this Pennell Family Records there is a …
Jn. Pennell, citizen of London, a fishmonger in St. Botolph’s parish, Aldgate, who was apprenticed 1626, became a freeman 1635 and paid poll tax 1641. Other London Pennells include Sam, son of Mathew….
This is a section I may come back to when I try to push Ancestry into another direction. The booklet also includes American records, but its not until page 44 where it lists extracts of death records where I can make a positive match: Ric [Pennell] 72 Lewisham. This is my great-grandfather’s father. Then on page 46: Frances [Pennell] 86 Lewisham. This is his wife Frances Pettitt.
A 4th source of information, of course, is now Google (the internet) and the mention in the Pennell Family Records of a Coat of Arms on page 9 prompted a search leading me to Pennell Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms (houseofnames.com). Here again reference can be found to the Domesday Book (a 2nd search through my book revealed nothing) and corroborates the name beginning with a Baron Pinel, landowner in Essex and Suffolk.
Most important here is the merchandising of the Pennell Coat of Arms onto mugs, key chains and hoodies.
My sister Carol and I have had many discussions on Gramma’s mental illness. It is puzzling to us. It makes no sense to us that one person in a family, randomly, out of no where, has a mental illness that incapacitates them so severely that they’re admitted to an insane asylum, never to be released and basically never to be heard from again. Florence was admitted on a WARRANT! That means a judge’s signature was required. What happened?
[Note: March 7, 2023 – I emailed Ontario Archives to asked where I might be able to access this warrant.]
Manic Depressive Psychosis; Manic
That is the diagnosis given in the documentation from St. Thomas Mental Hospital. If Gramma’s was Bipolar (Manic Depressive), then likely this would have shown up in other members of the family. While there’s a little depression in all of us, nothing has revealed itself to the tragic effects that my grandmother suffered. This is wrong.
What I’ve since learned…
A Google search and information from the CAMH website revealed that 80% of people with bipolar disease inherit it from a first-degree relative like a parent. But there’s only a 10% chance you’ll inherit it. In other words, there’s a 90% chance the children will not inherit the disease. Also some people don’t inherit the disease at all – they develop it after something traumatic, like the death of a loved one, a financial crisis, or other major life event.
Inherited bipolarism peaks between the ages of 15-25. Only using the documentation I was able to see, and piecing together GG’s life, knowing her children and grandchildren, I’ve come to the conclusion that GG did not inherit manic depression – she developed it after the move from Endicott, NY to Widdifield Township, Ontario at the age of 30, long after her children were born. For this reason, I also conclude that bipolar disease was not genetically passed on to her children or her grandchildren.
So I can only conclude that, in her case, it was not genetic and therefore it was either societal or triggered by an event.
If this indeed was her true disease, she would have been showing symptoms for years and by the time she reached her early 20’s, she was in full blown Manic Depression. We know nothing about her before she boarded the S. S. Metagama except her birth date and family names. There is no one alive today who actually knew her at all.
Could her life after she landed in Canada all be signs of a woman in a manic crisis: leaving her England, leaving Canada, the series of job changes, a quick marriage. Imagine an English woman meets an Estonian man who can barely speak English. They have a whirlwind romance? And get married a few months later. Why so quick? What was the rush?
Extenuating Circumstances
As I’ve said in other postings on the website, I am convinced that my grandmother left a daughter behind in London (Phyllis Vera Peters). Maybe not so much anymore. More than likely Phyllis was Ellen’s child. Why would Gramma named one child Phyllis Vera and another Joan Vera – seems weird.
Grampa’s Army Medical Logs
I remember reading (many years ago) about a 18th century village, in Europe I think, where most of the residents were being diagnosed with mental illnesses and its was eventually discovered that the grain they were buying to make flour was moldy. I wondered in my mind if Gramma had somehow began ingesting something that caused her to deteriorate.
Seemingly unrelated, we got our hands on Grampa’s detailed army records. It was somewhat surprizing that Grampa’s army medical logs included his repeated bouts with syphilis. In fact he was treated THREE times for syphilis and gonorrhea. Although there is no cure for syphilis, the remedy at the time was mercury. Once syphilis is in your body, you have it. And it can go latent for years, then pop up again.
More Extenuating Circumstances
So now I’m thinking, what if Grampa’s syphilis recurred after the birth of their three children. I’m not sure if “recurred” is the right word here. Syphillis went dormant. Unknowingly, he passes this onto Gramma. He had to have known. He would have been told in no uncertain terms that he was contagious, or the army medical doctors lied to him and told him he was cured. The only “cure” for sypillis at the time was salvarsan which is not mentioned once in his medical records.
They are in Endicott and Grampa is working for the best company, the Endicott Tannery and Shoe Company. He’s been trying very hard to get his Naturalization Papers finalized and then…. his application expires and he suddenly pulls his whole family back to Canada. Is it possible that because he “knew” how to treat the syphilis, that he acquired mercury and BOTH Gramma and Grampa were medicating themselves? Mercury poisoning can make you crazy and would have likely contributed to terrible rows between them.
A Miscarriage Perhaps?
Aunt Jean once revealed that she strongly believed that her mother had had a miscarriage and that had lead to severe post-partum depression.
Mercury poisoning causes miscarriages.
Is it possible that because Florence was a British Subject and Phyllis was a British Subject, it was much easier to bring Phyllis to Canada, than to the USA? Phyllis was born in 1914, so in 1928, Phyllis was 14. Age of majority in England at that time was 21.
Is it possible that Grampa, medicating himself with mercury, began to unravel? After all, if a small amount works well, more will work better. Perhaps there were heated arguments about Phyllis joining the family and how Grampa couldn’t afford another mouth to feed.
When Gramma was admitted to hospital in Toronto, Grampa would likely NOT have divulged that they had syphilis and had been taking mercury. So Gramma’s now in the hospital, and doctors have no idea that she’s suffering from mercury poisoning OR … Grampa did tell the doctors, and they continue to treat her with mercury.
If Grampa continued to medicate himself with mercury, perhaps its the mercury poisoning that contributed to his decision to begin sleeping with the domestic that social services brought into his home to look after his three small children. Then of course, Mary Morrison, needed a home for herself and her two children. She likely did everything she could to keep herself in Grampa’s home.
