Author Topic: Pennell Family, Antrim, 1770's to 1816  (Read 2691 times)

Offline Dartman

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Re: Pennell Family, Antrim, 1770's to 1816
« Reply #9 on: Tuesday 27 February 18 00:47 GMT (UK) »
Thank you, Hallmark, for your kind interest.  I assume the Pennell Book reference inspires your question.

The 'Pennell Book' is a hand-written loose leaf binder containing 60 sheets, mostly double-sided, of family group sheet equivalents, with bio-like notes and quotes in between.  We feel so very lucky to have it, but we realize that the early stories, especially, were likely repeated many times before being written down.

A transcription of the main text is as follows:  "Robert and Rosanna come to America"

When Robert and Rosanna Pennell came from Ireland, they brought eight children.  Another man came along, whose name it is believed was Turnbull, but he went back to Ireland to take the 32nd degree in the Free Mason Lodge.

Robert Pennell was a Free Mason and had an apron that he prized very much.  The lodge room was over his inn in Ireland at Coleraine, County Antrim, 1 mile from the seashore.  They sold the inn to his father when he came to America.  They could not own property there at that time - they were afraid of the Catholics.  They brought enough linens to last them 1 year.

Came over on the ship 'George' in 1817.  Do not know where they landed, but bought a team of horses in Philadelphia and came to Pittsburgh to McCahon's.  [A different source in the Pennell Book says that McCahon  was Rosanna's brother who owned the first dry goods store in Pittsburgh.  The McCahon/McMahon issue wasn't explained.]  Then they bought a farm at Shenango, one hundred acres at $1.25 per acre.  Did not farm long and probably went from there to Austintown, Ohio. 

Robert was a weaver by trade.  It has been found that Rosanna was a Methodist.  The most of this record I obtained from Mrs Olive Bellard Cortelyou Webb, who is a grand-daughter of Robert and Rosanna, and a daughter of Mary Pennell [Bellard].  Some say that Robert and Rosanna came from Ireland in 1820, that they were born at Bush Mills (Near Coleraine).  Some claimed that Rosanna Pennell was Scotch.  Do not know if any of the brothers or sisters came to America then, or any other time.


2011 transcription notes: Excerpts from 'The Pennell Book', a hand written manuscript of family history that was begun April 22, 1925 in Trafford, Westmoreland Co, PA by an unknown person.  Changes in penmanship suggest that a 2nd and a 3rd person also contributed to the data collection, interviews and anecdotes through the 1940's and 1950's.  The 3rd was Esther Pennell Lincoln, great-great-granddaughter of Robert and Rosanna.  The book is now in care of Mary Pennell Artman, sister of Esther.  Bracketed and italicized information are editor's inserts and remarks.

///Additional notes that do not convert .doc to .txt well are attached as an image.  It contains more about the author and our immigration theories.  (We assume the 'a years worth of linen' was Robert's grubstake.) ///

Offline itatane

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Re: Pennell Family, Antrim, 1770's to 1816
« Reply #10 on: Tuesday 27 February 18 00:53 GMT (UK) »
No offence taken!

There are "trees" out there as you know!

Unsourced, as you say!

I was going to query if they "sailed from Belfast" BUT you have the facts of Births in Belfast.

I've seen some of mine being from Londonderry on trees....

..but they sailed from there only!

The fact of several William Pennells living in Raloo helps, as discovering one may not be the correct one!

Thank you for the quick reply, hallmark, and yes, I know all too well about the unsubstantiated trees that circulate. ;) In fact, I have the dubious honor among our family genealogists of being grouchily suspicious of anything that is not a primary source document or at least a second generation recollection. Children may be a gold mine for clues, but even their reminisces about parents can be faulty. Even with primary sources, the motives or other circumstances have to be left to speculation, alas. Sometimes I wonder if I do not have more questions than clues at this point. I am compiling a list of questions, in fact, because sometimes little bits of information are hidden in the questions themselves and it takes other eyes to see them. (For example, "If they were Larne Pennells, how or why did they fall out of touch with the larger family?" and "Why take the surname Shaw for the trip across on the George [if that really is them...] and then go back to their surname if they were afraid of discovery?") 

By the way, I was trained as an Historian, and Genealogy is like tap-dancing in a minefield blindfolded while leading an elephant in comparison!

P.S. A clue that I had forgotten to include: There was a Margaret Dickey Pennell, born in 1816 or 1817 to Robert Pennell, according to Ulster baptism records. There is also a Margaret Dickey Pennell of South Carolina, born 1772 or thereabouts who emigrated from Antrim, but other than the standout name, I cannot seem to connect them, or them to us.

Offline hallmark

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Re: Pennell Family, Antrim, 1770's to 1816
« Reply #11 on: Tuesday 27 February 18 07:59 GMT (UK) »
 I know the Swans married Dickies, looks like Pennells did too! But as you say, ...are they your Pennells.
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Offline BallyaltikilliganG

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Re: Pennell Family, Antrim, 1770's to 1816
« Reply #12 on: Tuesday 27 February 18 14:37 GMT (UK) »
i couldnt resist checking a few sources, all hopefully known to you
1660s hearth money rolls see http://www.billmacafee.com  Bill has many databases, his website a goldmine   

Antrim Belfast Lower Glynn   Craiganboy   Creagconboy   John   Penall   Pennell
Glynn parish southern portion excluding Larne lies between Island Magee and Raloo
those Pennell appear to last
 
Belfast directory 1808 has no Pennells http://www.lennonwylie.co.uk/1808.htm

1830 as per entries 1823-1837 Tithes Applotment Books based upon the index work of the Irish Genealogy Hub.   The relevant original books are in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) Belfast

Pennel, Wm.-Townland: Ballyrieard Beg Year: 1830-Raloo-Antrim sw of Larne
Pennel, Wm.-Townland: Ballyrieard Beg Year: 1830-Ramoan-Antrim north coast left by 1861
Pennel, Wm.-Townland: Ballyrieard More Year: 1830-Raloo-Antrim sw of Larne
Pennel, Wm.-Townland: Ballyrieard More Year: 1830-Ramoan-Antrim north coast left by 1861
Ramoan parish is separated by a parish from Billy parish

1861 (for Raloo) Griffiths Valuation gives from quick index  http://www.failteromhat.com/post1845.php
Pennell   William   Ballyrickard More   Raloo   Antrim gone by 1900
Pennell   William   Ballyrickard, Beg   Raloo   Antrim gone by 1900
Pennell   Agnes      Ballyrickard More   Raloo   Antrim gone by 1900
Pennell   Thomas   Dock Townparks Henry Place   Shankill   Antrim
Pennell   Thomas   Dock Townparks Henry Place   Shankill   Antrim
Pennell   Edward   Ballyprior Beg   Island Magee   Antrim gone by 1900 

http://www.dippam.ac.uk/ied/records/50911
Diary of James Black, November 1837 - October 1844; PRONI D1725/18; CMSIED 9310166
has a daughter of a Robert Pennell dying in South Carolina
best of irish luck onwards
Gracey Gracie Gracy Grassy Greacy
worldwide


Offline Dartman

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Re: Pennell Family, Antrim, 1770's to 1816
« Reply #13 on: Tuesday 27 February 18 16:48 GMT (UK) »
Thank you, BallyaltikilliganG, for your interest. 

Your leads and links give me many new paths to explore!   I thought I was familiar with most Irish sites but you've shown me 2 new ones!  Thanks again.

Offline itatane

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Re: Pennell Family, Antrim, 1770's to 1816
« Reply #14 on: Wednesday 28 February 18 03:02 GMT (UK) »
I am unsure if this is the correct spot to post this, but for the kind folks who have given us some ideas and new places to search:
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/185720?availability=Family%20History%20Library.
You folks may already have access to this, and if so, my apologies for giving redundant information.  These deed records have helped me pin down at least 3 Pennells from Larne in the 1810s period and may provide secondary or tertiary support for others. (These can be a bit tricky to use, and the handwriting a nightmare. Moreover, they are not searchable through the familysearch website; I found them my chance during a google search.) If my turnabout has been fair play, so much the better (I do hope so!).

Offline hallmark

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Re: Pennell Family, Antrim, 1770's to 1816
« Reply #15 on: Wednesday 28 February 18 08:02 GMT (UK) »
We only have same access as you.
Give a man a record and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to research, and you feed him for a lifetime.

Offline BallyaltikilliganG

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Re: Pennell Family, Antrim, 1770's to 1816
« Reply #16 on: Wednesday 28 February 18 09:58 GMT (UK) »
itatane, that resource is a treasure.can you tell us more about it

I assume to view the microfilm one  needs to go to a branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (known as the LDS Church or, informally, the Mormon Church) to view the microfilms. I noticed copies exist at New York, New York, Missouri, Utah

Its surprising that a copy wasn’t given to the institute holding the originals at the time of copying ie Registry of Deeds (Ireland), so I wondered are copies shared with PRONI Belfast ?

Am I right in thinking on 35mm film , this might mean the 2686 microfilm reels could hold up to 2500 images ie over 6 million records?
Gracey Gracie Gracy Grassy Greacy
worldwide

Offline hallmark

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Re: Pennell Family, Antrim, 1770's to 1816
« Reply #17 on: Wednesday 28 February 18 10:12 GMT (UK) »
itatane, that resource is a treasure.can you tell us more about it

I assume to view the microfilm one  needs to go to a branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (known as the LDS Church or, informally, the Mormon Church) to view the microfilms. I noticed copies exist at New York, New York, Missouri, Utah

Its surprising that a copy wasn’t given to the institute holding the originals at the time of copying ie Registry of Deeds (Ireland), so I wondered are copies shared with PRONI Belfast ?

Am I right in thinking on 35mm film , this might mean the 2686 microfilm reels could hold up to 2500 images ie over 6 million records?

The Films can be viewed via the Link posted.

The institute holding the originals at the time of copying has the originals available to the Public...they also have Transcripts of Wills from early 1700's recording "Who got What from a the Will of Whoever."
Give a man a record and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to research, and you feed him for a lifetime.