Yankee Roots

Our Pennock ancestors can be traced back to Cropton, Yorkshire, England in the early 1500’s. Samuel Pennock born around 1678 and his wife, Mary Wilson, left their families and all that was familiar to them traveling aboard ship to a new and exciting country. Samuel’s brother, James, had come to America before them and told of the rich land and numerous opportunities.

They first settled in Boston Massachusetts where Samuel hoped to have a tailoring business. When he was unsuccessful, the town “warned out” or asked him to leave because he was not able to take care of himself and his family and no one in the town was able to care for them. They moved to Lyme, Connecticut where James was living and remained there seven years. In 1721 the family moved to Hebron, Connecticut Colony where Samuel bought a farm of 50 acres.

James Pennock who was born in 1714 aboard ship to America from England married Thankful Boardman. He and his family migrated eastward to the Hampshire Grants where they were the first settlers of Strafford, Vermont. Eight of James and Thankful Pennock’s sons served in Burgoyne’s Army during the Revolutionary War. An account of their lives is recorded in “Brothers in Arms” authored by Lee Pennock Huntington, The Countryman Press, Taftsville, CT 1976. They were members of the “Queens Loyal Rangers” (Peter’s Corp) July 1777.

Samuel, one of the eight sons who fought for the King, furious over the loss of his brothers killed in the Battle of Saratoga declared “I shall never remain in a land ruled by those godless rebels! They have betrayed their King, despoiled this land, killed their countrymen, killed . . . my brothers!” He was full of grief and wrath. “Canada will always be loyal, God bless her. I’ll go to Canada.” His property in Strafford had been confiscated and his family was suffering greatly because of their loyalty to the King.

As time passed the Pennock family was again accepted back into the community. Samuel after being imprisoned returned for his wife and children. They moved to Canada leaving behind grown children who had married and begun a life of their own. Their son, Samuel, married Mercy around 1790 and they migrated eastward settling in Washington County, New York.

Ira was born in Washington County in 1794 and married Freelove in 1819. By 1850 Ira and Freelove are found in the community of Lenox in Madison County, New York. One of their sons, Ebenezer, became one of the largest property holders in central New York State. Freelove was born in 1792 in Connecticut and she and Ira had the following children:

Ebenezer Pennock - One of the largest landholders in central New York

Hannah C. Pennock - Married Reuben S. Carpenter

George Pennock

Simeon Pennock - Married Ellen Crouch

Lucinda Pennock – Married Edward Butterly

For more information on the Madison County Pennocks, visit my cousin Ken Warkentin’s pages http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~kenwark/pennock/pennock.htm

Last revised: November 4, 2002