Muhlenberg County Kentucky
Local History: P
Penrod Community & Family
Contrary to many popular beliefs, the community of Penrod in south Muhlenberg County was not named necessarily for the venerable veteran of the War of 1812, George Penrod. Nor for his father Tobias, a soldier in the Revolutionary War, who was one of the first settlers in the Penrod-Mud River country.
Instead, it was named for a nondescript 25-year old druggist-farmer, who had neither the heroics nor the colorful background of George or Tobias. Penrod was named for (or by) Henry Clay Penrod, who drew his given name from yet another colorful Kentucky statesman, Henry Clay, perhaps a hero to the Penrod family.
Henry Clay Penrod, often referred to as H.C., or Clay, was the grandson of George and the great-grandson of Tobias. His father was David. On May 19, 1885, Henry Clay Penrod was selected to be the new postmaster of the community and immediately the name of the community was changed to Penrod at his request. Now, more than 100 years later, that name lives on where earlier, two other names and an alias has graced the post office in the short span of just over 30 years.
The first post office was called Laurel Bluff and its location was a mile or so south of the present-day Penrod. The first post office was granted to the area on May 1, 1852 under the name of Laurel Bluff, but many old timers referred to the community as Home Valley, and the school was called Cedar Dale. Later, in 1882, under postmaster Albrittain Drake, namesake of yet another early county legend, the post office was officially known as Albrittain. But in 1885, the name became Penrod through a man who was to serve only five years at the post office that bore his name. H.C. Penrod died on December 18, 1890 - but his name lived on as a community respected by its residents and its neighbors.
Because George Penrod spent his entire life in the area embraced by the Penrod community, it would not have been surprising had the community been named for him. Other than the years he spent in the Kentucky Militia during the War of 1812, and a prior service with General William Henry Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe, George Penrod spent his entire 97 - count 'em, 97 years, from 1795 to 1892 - in the area now commonly known as Penrod.
His father, Tobias, was a soldier in the war against England to gain independence from the mother nation. Sometime prior to 1800, Tobias came from Pennsylvania, via North Carolina, and settled in the Mud River country of Muhlenberg county. The area is generally embraced by the name “Mud River Mine,” though the mine was not open when Tobias came to the area. The exact time is unknown, though George always listed himself in census records as having been born in Kentucky, and that date is set at 1795, indicating Tobias and family were in Kentucky as of that year, at least. If Tobias had children other than George, history does not favor us with the information, yet there were other Penrods, of the approximate age to be Tobias' children, who lived in the Mud River Union, Buchanan Ferry and Paradise area of the county during that particular time frame.
Kentucky Family Records, Volume 4, No. 85, at Greenville's Harbin Memorial Library tell us that the belief is that Tobias Penrod originally was from Brothers Valley Township in Pennsylvania, and left there around 1785. However, the same Volume says he died around 1800, but court records prove him to be alive in 1803, and a court document concerning his estate settlement almost assuredly sets his year of death as 1806.
For instance, on January 28, 1801, court records reveal his claim being established for 150 acres of land on Mud River. He was named as a hand to aid a surveyor in an October 17, 1803 court record.
As to his death, a county court order on page 78 on February 24, 1806, calls for appointment of an administrator for his estate. It almost without a doubt establishes the name of his wife as Catherine, for it was Catherine Penrod who filed a motion that Henry Rhoads and Solomon Rhoads be appointed to administer the settling of his estate, noting that Tobias Penrod was deceased. Gilbert Vought (or Vaught) and John Stom Sr. were named as securities. Named to appraise the estate were Thomas Foster, Leonard Stom, Jacob Studebaker and David Rhoads.
The census of 1810 lists Catherine Penrod as the head of a household in Muhlenberg County. This would lead one to believe that Catherine was a surviving widow and that, coupled with the fact that she was to make the motion concerning Tobias' estate, would give evidence that she was Tobias' widow - the only one with the authority to relinquish the powers of administration of such property.
The present family members of Tobias Penrod believe the early settler was the son of John Penrod Sr. though they, nor any other historian has data which proves this. There is also some belief, also with no evidence at all to support it other than conjecture on the part of one historian, that Tobias was the son of Henry Penrod of Pennsylvania. Henry had children: Jonathan, Peter, Solomon (a familiar name in Muhlenberg County at that time), Henry, Allen (married Patsy Kimmell, 28 February 1798), Ann, who married John Gilbert in 1808, and John, who married Jenny Biggs in Logan County, 01 September 1806. This man, Henry was more than likely the progenitor of Logan and some Butler County Penrods.
Genealogist Edward Manley, always one for an interesting turn in a story, told this writer many years ago of the ultimate fate of Tobias Penrod. According to Manley, Tobias was plowing in a field near his Mud River home. This home was located near to what was later Mud River Mine and almost in the exact location where the Mud River Cemetery is located today. While plowing, he was shot from ambush and killed by a party unknown. His slayer was never discovered. Whether it was robbery or another reason for the dastardly deed, is unknown. The body of Tobias Penrod was buried almost in the exact spot where it fell and that was the beginning of the Mud River Graveyard. The first grave, that of Tobias Penrod is unmarked, like so many which came after him. However, a plan is underway now to erect a memorial stone to mark the approximate place of his burial.
Continuing with the legend of Tobias Penrod, Manley, writing in the Central City, KY Times Argus in the 1950's, passed along information furnished by Jane Penrod Taylor and George Penrod of Waxahachihe, Texas, descendants of Tobias, George and Mack Penrod.
They reported then that Tobias and his wife came to Mud River Country when George was two years old, marking the year as 1797. The legend goes that while Tobias was plowing, the young son, probably George, asked Tobias if he could stop plowing so that the child could ride the horse (or mule). Tobias reportedly told his son, “When I make one more round of the field.” That round was never completed. The fatal shot was fired and Tobias fell in the furrow. His wife heard a shot, investigated and found Tobias' body. Later she pointed out a tree where the body was found. At that spot, Tobias was buried.
At first it was thought an Indian had killed Tobias, but since there was no attempt to take the scalp, that theory was discharged. Family members believe it was a white man who killed their ancestor, but no good reason was ever advanced as to who, nor was anyone ever apprehended for the crime.
Meantime, George who married Jeannette (Jane) Harper, a native of North Carolina and a daughter of another Revolutionary soldier, John Harper, would soon begin his own family. George and Jane were the parents of at least nine children, David, John, Mathias known as Mack, Lott, Samuel, William, Leander Tobias, Thomas George Martin called Mart, and a daughter, Nancy J. who married David Russell, a Scotch immigrant coal miner.
George was born in Kentucky on April 6, 1792 and died near Penrod on January 22, 1892. He is buried at Mud River. Jane was born in North Carolina, according to her marker, in 1803, though census records sometime reveal an age that would have placed her birth year at 1797. She died May 15, 1865, and is also buried at Mud River.
During the second conflict with Great Britain, sometime known as the War of 1812, George enlisted in the Kentucky Detached Militia, commanded by Lt. Col. William Mitchusson. He was in a company commanded by Capt. Alney McLean of Greenville, one in which the legendary Ephriam Brank was a Lieutenant. George's period of enlistment was from November 20, 1814 to May 20, 1815. He was in New Orleans for the battle of that city on January 8, 1815. The heroics of Brank and McLean's company of Kentucky militiamen is an oft-told tale.
Prior to this, he was under the command of General William Henry Harrison at the Battle of Tippecanoe.
In the census of 1850, the first where enumeration of the family members is by name, George was 55, Jane 53, and five of their nine children still lived at home. With George M. (Mart), 19; Leander T., 16; Nancy J., 13; Thomas D., 10; and Samuel, a river boat pilot, 33. Little else is known of Samuel, since he is not listed in subsequent census records. Lott, David, William and Mack were probably living in other households for varying reasons when this census was taken.
David, who was also a river boat pilot, was possibly married or away at work when the census was taken in 1850, since he is not listed; but Lott was married and had one child, Henrietta, in the census that year.
The 1860 census reveals that George and Jane have only two children with them. Thomas, now 20, and Nancy, 23, who is now married to David Russell, but living in the Penrod household. Another son, George M., is married and lives nearby, while Lott, David and Leander are listed in their own households.
George's wife Jane died in 1865, and after that time George is listed in the succeeding censuses as a member of the household of David, his son.
The children of George and Jane Penrod were:
Samuel Penrod, known to be a riverboat pilot. He was born in 1817, and is not consistent in the Muhlenberg County census. Neither is there record of marriage or death. Perhaps he traveled a good bit in his profession and established a home elsewhere.
However, a glimmer of light may have been shed on his death in a Muhlenberg County court record dated October 27, 1851. On page 562 of the court record, George Penrod was appointed administrator of the estate of Samuel Penrod, deceased. Enos Hunt of the Hunt Settlement (probably living nearer to Mud River Mine) was the security for George Penrod's bond of $100. Martin Blain, also of the Mud River community, along with William and Phillip Smith (the latter the grandfather of Mahlon and Orville Smith, late of Drakesboro) and L.P. Whitney were named appraisers for Samuel's estate. That is not to say that this Samuel is George's son, but since no widow is listed, and no other relative involved, it might be safe to assume some relationship, and very possibly, it's his son, Samuel, who would have been approximately 34 years old at the time of his death.
John Mathias Penrod, called Mack. Mack was born in 1818 and first married Mariah Martin Hunt in Butler County in 1841. She was the daughter of John and Ann Jenkins of the Joel Jenkins family. There were said to be seven children, five of which died when Mariah also died, all with the flux in 1856. All are buried on the John and Ann Jenkins farm in Butler County, later owned by Carlos Drake. Two children born to this union survived. Israel was born about 1842 and Nathaniel L., called “Todd,” was born in 1856. Shortly thereafter, Mack married Armanzinda Nourse, daughter of Abraham and Artimesia (or Arlimissa) Nourse of near Huntsville in Butler County. In fact, the Nourses and Mack Penrod lived for more than 20 years near each other, and adjacent to the Dr. Alexander Hunt farm near Huntsville, and across the river from Mud River Mine.
In 1860, John Mack was 44 and his wife, listed as O.G., 27, would more correctly be A.G. for Armanzinda. With them were Israel, then 17, and Nathaniel L. (Todd), 4. Her parents were nearby with four other children. In 1880, Mack was listed as 62, Armazinda, 48, and they had Theodore 19, Mariah B. 18, John D. 13, Artemacia 10, and George T. 6. Near to them and the Nourse parents was the Israel Penrod family. Israel, now grown, and 38, had family of his own. His wife Hettie was 38 also. She had been previously married and was Hettie A. Hendricks when he married her August 18, 1870. Their children were Mae, Quihities (probably Quintus), Herbert and Jennie, ages 7, 5, 4, and one. Also with them was Hattie's daughter, Stella, 15.
The Jane Penrod Taylor and George T. Penrod in Texas, who gave Ed Manley his information on Tobias Penrod in the 1950's, were probably the Artemacia (Jane?) and George T. Penrod in the Mack Penrod home in the 1880 census. They were listed as children of Mack, and their ages would coincide with the “83 and just younger,” Manley wrote about.
David Penrod was born on December 15, 1820, and married Elizabeth A. Newman who was born December 15, 1829. Though David was not listed in the Muhlenberg County census of 1850 that may be explained by the fact that he was known to be a river boat pilot and may have been away from the county at the time the census was taken. In 1860, he was listed with his wife and a son, H.C. who was 11 months old. In 1870, he and Elizabeth had three other children: John J.C., 9; Mary A., 7; and Cornelia, 2. Cornelia was a favorite name of the Penrod family, it appearing frequently in other families as well. Also given the fact that the first son was named for Henry Clay, it might well be assumed that the other son, John J.C., was named for another statesman, John J. Crittenden. Father George was now 76 and living in the David Penrod household. In 1880, Henry Clay was 20 and the others, John, Mary and Cornelia, were still in the David Penrod home, as well as 85-year-old George.
We also know that David died on August 30, six years before death claimed his father and that Elizabeth died on October 16, 1895. Both are buried in the Penrod family cemetery between the communities of Penrod and Gus.
Henry Clay, who was born June 30, 1859, according to his gravestone, died October 18, 1890, at the age of 31 after serving just over five years as postmaster. In addition to being postmaster a short time, he operated a drug store in Albrittan (later Penrod) and for awhile, was a school teacher.
John J.C. was born July 29, 1861 and died February 19, 1907. He is buried in the family cemetery, near Henry Clay. John's wife Rachel, born October 5, 1871, died May 28, 1920 and is buried beside him, as is an infant child born in 1893.
Mary Alice was born November 22, 1862 and Cornelia on November 10, 1867. Mary married Jim Rayner of Penrod December 5, 1882, and died January 12, 1939. Cornelia married a Moore. She died May 27, 1924. Both are buried in the Penrod family cemetery, east of Penrod.
Lott P. Penrod was possibly the most affluent of all of George's children, listing a wealth totaling $5,200 in 1870. He was born February 26, 1823 and died October 18, 1874. His wife, Lydia D. Wood was born October 30, 1826 and died January 2, 1871. Both are buried in the Wood Cemetery east of Penrod beside three children, Samuel A., Mary F., and L.S. In 1850, he, Lydia and a daughter were censused near Mud River Mine. Henrietta, the daughter, later Mrs. A.D. James, was one month old at the time. In 1860, Lott had land holdings worth $4,000 and personal wealth of $2,000. He also had children Henrietta, Samuel, John T., William R., and Rebecca, ages 10, 7, 5, 3, and seven months, respectively. By 1870 he had moved nearer to the Laurel Bluff-Penrod area, and Henrietta had married Dr. A.D. James. The families lived in adjacent households, and two more children were in the family. One, Cordelia, seven, was later to be Dr. James' second wife, and a smaller child, Florence, was four.
Lott's family also had claim to Penrod postmasterships. Dr. James, his son-in-law was postmaster for a time, as was Dr. James' daughter, Annie, and a grandson-in-law, Lonnie Matherly, who married Dr. James' daughter, Corrina.
Many of Lott's descendants still live in the area, namely, the grandchildren of Dr. James. Harry Penrod James, son of Bradley James and grandson of the doctor, lives on the James family land in Penrod, and some of Lon and Corrina Matherly's family live in Russellville, to name only a few.
William Penrod is one of the real mysteries of the George Penrod family. While no date is found for his birth, it is not even sure just where in the line of children William falls. However, most families have him listed between Lott and Leander, which would make him the fifth child of George and Jane. No other information has been found by this writer as to his birth, death, marriage or any other vital statistic - but would be most welcome, if anyone has this information.
Leander Tobias Penrod, namesake of the grandfather, is next in line. Forbearer of most of the Penrods around the Beech Creek-Wyatt's Chapel area was Leander T. Penrod. This son of George was an early boatman also. In 1860, he was listed in the census in the home of William Bell on Mud River. In 1870, with two children, Cordelia, 6, and George, 5, he is simply known as Lee. The mother of these two children and Leander's first wife, was Mary Ann Hoskinson, probably the Mary A. who was a daughter of H.J. and Elizabeth Hoskins(on). They were Kentuckians, but their daughters, Mary A. and Martha, were born in Iowa. They were living in the Paradise area in 1850 census. Also, Mary Ann was probably a sister to Billy Hoskinson, the preacher-teacher who was prominent in the latter half of the century around Mud River Mine and Greenville. Mary Ann's death date is not certain, but she is buried at Mud River. Her children, George and his sister Cordelia (Delia Vick), left many of the Penrods and Vicks later at Beech Creek, including the well-known retired teacher, Mary Penrod Gilbert who still lives near Ebenezer.
If Leander's son George was born October 7, 1865 (Cordelia in 1864), then we know Mary Ann died after this. So it may have been around 1870 that Leander re-married, this time to Matilda Francis Latham, called Frannie. She was born December 31, 1850 to James and Mary Latham (census spelled it Lathrum) in the general area of Myers Chapel.
In 1880, Lee becomes Leander again. His wife is Fannie, 27 (possibly 30), while Leander is listed as 45. With Cordelila, now 15, and George, 14, other children by his second wife are Hettie 7; Nim 5; Mary J. 3; and a son, unnamed (this is Theodore) now a year old.
His eldest daughter by the second marriage was Hettie, who married Mathy Anderson, just two farms away from where the Penrods lived. Hettie and Mathy also spent many years at Beech Creek. Their children, Amos, Bessie, Jim, Mary and Wilda Anderson left many off-springs of the Penrod family in the area. One, Bessie, granddaughter of Leander, still lives in Beech Creek, as does great-granddaughter, Edna Lee (Mrs. McDonald) McKinney, near Ebenezer.
Leander's entire family by the second marriage includes Hettie (December 30, 1872); Nim (October 12, 1874) who married Martha Garbet and died in Harrisburg, IL; Mary J. (May 18, 1876) married Warren Martin; Theodore (February 18, 1879) married Addis Jenkins and died 1951; Leona (February 13, 1881) married Netter Hunt, died 1956; Lydia (January 29, 1882) married Abner Arnold, died 1908; Willie (May 10, 1885) died as an infant; Ollie (1886) died as a child; John (January 22, 1890) married Ida Steele; and Iva August 16, 1893) married Will Wooldridge and died in Detroit.
Leander's first two children, products of Mary Ann Hoskinson, lived long and useful lives, leaving many children in the Beech Creek area. George, born October 7, 1865 at Mud River, married Virgie Euberta (Bertie) Vick, daughter of Robert and Amanda Grayson Vick on January 1, 1882. His sister Cordelia (Delia) married Berti's brother, John Vick, October 18, 1891.
Leander's George and his wife Bertie produced: Arthur (September 26, 1892); Florence (January 1, 1895); and Robert Clyde (February 10, 1892) while living at Mud River. Arthur married Katie Free; Florence married Millard Wood; and Clyde, Mabel Shemwell.
While following his coal mine profession, George lived a short while in Aberdeen in Butler County. There Cordelia was born, November 25, 1900. She was married to Oscar Blaine and later Herschel Arnold.
At Island Station (in McLean County) where he also was a miner, George and Bertie became the parents of Susan Elizabeth, February 10, 1904, and Gertude on June 24, 1906. Susan married Clarence Buchanan and later Andrew Vincent. Gertrude married Vernie Engler, descendant of the Revolutionary soldier, David Engler. They have many descendants in the Muhlenberg County area.
The family moved to Beech Creek around 1908 or 1909. Born there were Ollie (March 31, 1909) who married M.D. Shemwell; Leander Tobias (May 21, 1911) who married Verna Shemwell; George (Little George) (November 13, 1913) who married Henrietta Wells; and the aforementioned Mary Ann on November 23, 1917. Mary married James Gilbert.
The child listed consistently as Martin is George Martin Penrod and is called Mart on occasions. He was born November 14, 1832 and in the 1860 census is shown married to a Susan M. (Williams), 22 (born April 5, 1838). Their children were Mary J. 3; Nancy 2; and Lydia, three months. The location of their home in the 1870 Muhlenberg County census appears to be in Green River country, or possibly near Ennis, owing to the familiarity of names in that area. In 1870, Lydia 9, Corrella 7, and William L. 6, Lakey B. 5, and George D. 1. In 1880, in the same area, Mart's age was 39. (He had aged just 11 years in the previous 20 the census covered.) Susan was now older than he at 41, which is probably near to her correct age. The children are Nancy 20; Corilla (the spelling by census taker) 17, William 15; Lakie 13; George 11; Nettie 9; Ruth 7; Isaac 4; and Samuel 1.
George Martin Penrod (Mart) died January 7, 1896, and three months later, his wife, Susan, died on April 10, 1896. They are buried in the Williams-Newman Cemetery, east of Belton, toward Mud River Union. Several of their children are buried there also, as are many of the Williams family, apparently ancestors of Susan.
Following the family into the 1900 census, we find a son, Ike, now 24 (that would be Isaac, born October 1875) as head of the household and with others of Mart's children, Margaret (Nancy) 40; Ruth 27; Samuel 21; Bird 19; and a niece, Iva Turner, 12, living in the household which once was the Mart Penrod home. Iva would be the daughter of Corrilla Penrod who married J.W. Turner and who died in 1888.
Thomas Penrod, another son, was born in 1839-40, and with his wife Mary J., 29, was listed in the 1870 census with children, William S., 9; Mary E., 7; James F., 4; George P., 2; and an unnamed child, five months old. Other than that no information is presently at hand.
Although she is apparently the eighth child, Nancy Penrod is always listed ninth on most family charts. Perhaps that is because she is the only female in the family. Nancy J., the only daughter, was born in 1837. She married David Russell, a Scotch immigrant coal miner sometime prior to 1860. He is listed in the census that year as 30 years old, and he and Nancy lived in the George Penrod household. That is the only year they are listed in the census. One Russell child, Agnes, born July 16, 1879, is buried beside George and Jane at Mud River. The child was listed as the daughter of Walter and Jane Russell, indicating this may have been Nancy's child and that David preferred to be called Walter and Nancy J. “Jane” in honor of her mother. The child's death was listed as March 18, 1894.
One footnote to the story is that revolving around Dr. A.D. James, son-in-law of Lott Penrod. Dr. James was perhaps Penrod's most illustrious citizen. He served as a doctor, postmaster, state senator, state representative, U.S. Congressman and federal marshal. He first married Henrietta Penrod (February 17, 1850) (died January 8, 1881) Lott's daughter. They had four children, Mary J. (1871); Annie (1873); Clarence K. (1875) and Maud (1878). When “Miss Hettie” died in 1881 her younger sister, orphaned by the death of Lott and Lydia, was a member of the James household. She was 16 or 17 at the time. She and Dr. James married later and she was both mother and sister to her nieces and nephews. She and Dr. James were the parents of five children including sons Godfrey and Bradley, and daughters Gertrude, Corrina and Teddie.
Today, there are Penrods and Penrod descendants scattered the world over. Many have roots in Muhlenberg, especially around the community of Penrod, named for one of their own, individually - or perhaps, more appropriately - for many of them collectively.
Source: Anderson, Bobby. “Penrods.” Muhlenberg County Heritage, 11(2), April-May-June 1989, p. 14.
Photographs contributed by Robert C. Grayson, Jake Penrod, & Judy Penrod Purcell.
Related
- Henry Clay Penrod Biographical Sketch
- Penrod Baptist Church Cemetery
- Penrod Cemetery
- Penrod Family Photographs
- Penrod, KY, Photographs
- Wood Cemetery
Updated July 14, 2022