A PENNEY

or Two or Three

FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

Continued

 

MERRITT CASH PENNEY

1854-1941

& FAMILY

 

Merritt Cash Penney arrived in Moriches two days after Christmas in 1854. The youngest of five children of William Penney 1794-1864 & his second wife Joanna Turner. His half brothers were Franklin, Oliver and Daniel, and Elmira was an older sister(?) Merritt married Mary E. Robinson in 1878. I believe the Robinsons were based in Patchogue, which is about 15 miles west of Moriches. I do not know of any children from that marriage.

Merritt later re married Adeliade Melissa Hawkins 1860-1947 the daughter of Adelphus Hawkins & Jemina Ross ( Hawkins & Ross like Penny/Penney are a very old Moriches families) They had three boys, Clarence Gilmore born 1886 Leonard Leroy 1887 and then after 12 years Willis Oliver 1898

Farming and later man of all work seemed to be Merritt's main occupations. I do not know when he started working for William B. and Kitty Floyd Dana's estate "Moss Lots" but he became the superintendent of it.

Most of the photos found on this page are courtesy of Darby Penney who's father Arthur is the grandson of Merritt and The Long Island Genealogy Site

 

Merritt & Adeliade Penney circa 1940

 

4 Generations of Penneys circa 1938

Merritt, Clarence, Lloyd and Roland

I had the pleasure of meeting with Roland in January of 2002. He was very helpful to my entire project

and a gentleman of the first order

Roland & Me Jan /2002

 

Clarence Penney's Farm 1931

Roland's father Lloyd with his younger brother Arthur Baker Penney

and a goose for Christmas?

 

"UNCLE PETE"

Robert Ross Penney

He raised prize winning orchids, developed seeds for Burpee.

 

"SUPER"

Lawrence B. Penney

He was afflicted with polio as a young boy but remained upbeat and exhuberant throughout his life. His younger brother ARthur said he was very popular with girls.I also heard he was an excellent bowler even though he spent his life on crutches.

 

HERE IS CLARENCE & EDITH PENNEY AT THEIR 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
IN 1958

 

 

 

NOW THE NEXT PHOTO BELOW I JUST "LUCKED" INTO

AND THE STORY BEHIND IT
IS AS INTERESTING AS THE PHOTO ITSELF

IT WAS FOUND IN THE ARCHIVES OF NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY AT ASHEVILLE

AND WAS A DONATION SENT FROM A JOHN DAWSON IN TEXAS. MR DAWSON FOUND IT IN A HOME HE BOUGHT AND SENT IT TO THE COLLEGE BECAUSE IT HAD LOTS OF
PHOTOS OF PEOPLE & PLACES IN ASHEVILLE, NC

HOWEVER

THE COVER OF THE BOOK IDENTIFIES IT AS

"A SCRAPBOOK BELONGING TO "

Joseph F. Knapp of Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

The Dates On The Material In The Scrapbook range from 1938- 1940's

and there were three photos of great interest to me inside.

 

This one is titled
"SCRAPPER"

 

 

I STRONGLY BELIEVE AND AM 99% SURE THAT THIS GENTLEMAN IS NONE OTHER

THAN MERRIT CASH PENNEY'S YOUNGEST SON

"WILLIS OLIVER PENNEY"

 

WHY?


1. The Place Where The Photo Was Found. His brother in laws scrapbook

2. Look At The Strong Family Resemblance To Brother Clarence

3. Look At The Dog !

Would you believe that I have seen a confirmed photo of Willis' daughter from around the same era playing with possibly the same dog. The photo appeared briefly last summer on The Whippet View Websight. It was included in a history of Pennyworth Kennels. A great shot as it showed a young Miss Penney at about age 10 playing with her Scotty "Peaches" who was hitched up to a little wagon her father built for her. Granted the dog was named Peaches but who's to say "Scrapper" isn't the sporty looking gent holding the dog? After all his brother in law was know to be a bit of a scrapper too.

 

4. Also on that websight was a later photo of Willis daughter as a grown young woman with her mother Claire Knapp Penney. This photo is also in the July issue of Dogs In Review. And I can tell you from what I can see of this gentlemans eyes they look remarkably like the first daughter of Willis & Claire. BTW I signed the WhippetView guestbook last summer and wound up right next to Claire's Granddaughter! The next day the whole web sight crashed and when it returned the ladies of Clairedale & Pennyworth were nowhere in sight anymore....pity,,,,but I got a good enough look to draw the conclusion that the gentleman in uniform is indeed one Willis Oliver Penney Jan 11 1898 - May 2 1974. Now has anyone seen Leonard?

UPDATE JAN 2005

Yes they have, not only have they seen Leonard, They have seen Willis too as all of Merrit's Three Sons posed for this shot around 1947-48....Willis looks just like the guy holding the dog in the 1930's photo from J F Knapp's Ft Lauderdale scrapbook don't you think?

 

Here's Another Appropiate Tune From The Speaker of A 1941 FADA "Streamliner"

CLICK HERE

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