Carroll County IN Archives Biographies.....Penn, John C. 1846 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 26, 2006, 3:01 am Author: John C. Odell (1916) JOHN C. PENN. Although the gentleman, whose brief biographical history is presented below, is among the wealthiest landowners living in Carroll county, he has followed the proverbial advice of "not putting all his eggs in one, basket," since his investments are scattered throughout various states, including as far west as Kansas, all of which has given him a broad range of agricultural ideas. Mr. Penn has always been a close observer of the most modern and scientific methods of farming and breeding and raising of fine grades of stock of all kinds, and he has sold grain by the carload for many years, and also did considerable work for the public at sawmilling, threshing and cidermaking. John C. Penn, farmer and stock raiser, Camden, Indiana, was born April 12, 1846, on a farm adjoining the one on which he now lives, and is a son of John W. and Hulda (Christie) Penn. His education was obtained in the public schools of the district, and he remained under his father's roof until he was twenty-one years of age, assisting with the farm work, after which he began farming for himself, moving to the farm where he has since resided, consisting of one hundred and twenty acres, and has been so eminently successful that he is the prosperous owner of over six hundred acres of land, located as follows: one hundred and twenty acres in Jackson township, Carroll county, Indiana; one hundred acres in Washington township, three hundred and twenty acres in Kansas, and eighty acres in Missouri, and also owns city property in Garden City, Kansas, and at Rozel, Kansas. Mr. Penn has spent a great deal of his time in Missouri and Kansas during the past fifteen years, looking after his interests in those states. He has always been a stanch Democrat, but has never been active in politics. Religiously, he belongs to the Baptist church at Camden. Mr. Penn is a stockholder in the Farmers' Bank at Burrows, and owns considerable city property at West Plains, Missouri, where he has a large business, manufacturing cider, vinegar and apple butter, in which he does a large and lucrative business. John W. Penn was born on December 31, 1808, in Shelby county, Kentucky, coming with his parents to Jefferson county in 1816, when eight years of age. They located and lived near Madison, Indiana, until February 1, 1831, when he was united in marriage to Hulda Christie, and in October, 1833, came to Carroll county. He followed teaming in Jefferson county, Indiana, for a number of years, between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, carrying tan bark one way, and leather and dry goods the other. At first, the hauling was done with a team of oxen, which was exchanged for a team of horses, and then increased to four horses, which, including his large wagon, were traded for eighty acres of land in Jackson township, which he had never seen until he moved on it. He cleared a portion of his land, and in the spring of 1834, planted three acres of corn, and in the fall of 1834, put it out in wheat and apple trees. He later entered eighty acres on the east, which he succeeded in getting after much trouble and hardship, after which he continued to prosper until he became the owner of over five hundred acres of land. Mr. Penn was a Democrat in politics, and was more or less active in the interest of his party, from the time his first vote was cast. Religiously, he was a charter member of the Baptist church at Camden, in which he also took an active part. To John W. Penn, and his wife, Hulda (Christie) Penn, were born ten children: Ephraim, who died at the age of forty-five years; Mary, was married to John C. Cline, both of whom are now deceased; James lives in Cisco, Texas; Elizabeth was united in marriage with Samuel Kennedy, and is now a widow; William died when two years of age; Rebecca died at the age of ten years; John C, our subject, and Silas live in Jackson township; Azel lives in Clinton township. Cass county, Indiana, and Owen resides in southwest Missouri. John C. Penn was united in marriage, December 22, 1870, with Jennie Kennedy, daughter of John R. and Leah Kennedy, natives of Pennsylvania. She was born December 31, 1848, in Carroll county, Indiana, and was educated in the public schools. Her death occurred June 5, 1910. To this union nine children were born: Oscar, who lives on what was Grandfather Kennedy's farm in Rock Creek township; Amy is at Flora, Indiana; Berdie became the wife of W. A. Herrmann, and lives at Los Angeles, California; Ross died in September, 1913; Elmer died in Manitoba, Canada; Otto lives at Flora; Omar is deceased; Reynolds is in business at St. Louis, Missouri, and Jay is at Indianapolis. Mr. Penn was again married, June 24, 1914, to Fannie Eads, widow of James Eads, and daughter of Thomas S. Doyel. She is a prominent musician. Mr. and Mrs. Penn are prominent and intelligent citizens of the community in which they reside, and have made many warm friends since their residence in Jackson township. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Biographical Section of HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY INDIANA ITS PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS BY JOHN C ODELL With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families ILLUSTRATED 1916 B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/carroll/bios/penn228nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/infiles/ File size: 5.9 Kb