Howard County IN Archives Biographies.....Pennington, Solomon A. 1846 - 
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Author: Jackson Morrow

SOLOMON A. PENNINGTON.

   Howard county was not lacking in duty during the dark days of the Rebellion,
when the ship of state was almost stranded on the rocks of disunion, but
contributed her full quota of brave and valiant men to assist in preserving the
integrity of the government, prominent among whom was the well known gentleman
and enterprising citizen whose name appears at the head of this review. Loyal to
his country in its hour of peril and extremity, as was demonstrated on many
bloody battlefields, he has ever been its stanch supporter in times of peace,
and today there are few ex-soldiers of the county as widely and favorably known
and none that can boast of a more honorable record. The ranks of the noble
organization to which he belonged in the days of his youth are fast being
decimated by the one invincible foe, and it is fitting that in every publication
of the nature of this volume special tribute be paid to those during the
greatest civil war known to history.

   The Penningtons trace their genealogy to England, and it is a matter of
record that one of the subject's ancestors at one time held the high and
honorable position of lord mayor of the city of London. The family was early
represented in America and the name appears in connection with the pioneer
history of Kentucky, later becoming quite well known in certain parts of
Indiana. A. J. Pennington settled in Marion county, this state, a number of
years ago, and was there married in 1840 to Pollie Avery, whose people moved to
Indiana from Pennsylvania, she being a native of the latter state and a
descendant of an old and highly esteemed family that settled at quite an early
period in one of the eastern colonies. About one or two years after their
marriage A. J. and Pollie Pennington moved to Howard county, where they lived
for a number of years, Mr. Pennington devoting his attention to agricultural
pursuits and meeting with fair success in his chosen field of labor. Later he
disposed of his interests in Howard county and changed his residence to the
county of Clinton, where he purchased a farm and continued to live the remainder
of his days. Of the four children born to this estimable couple three sons are
living, the subject of this sketch being the first in order of birth.

   Solomon A. Pennington is a native of Howard county, Indiana, born on the 10th
day of May, 1846. His early life on the farm was a continuous round of hard
work, the country being then comparatively new, and much labor was required to
remove the forest growth and fit the soil for cultivation. Young Solomon
contributed his full share to these ends and by reason of his services being in
constant demand he had few advantages in the way of obtaining an education. When
fourteen years of age he lost his mother, after which sad event home had for him
few attractions. The year following her decease he decided to sever the ties
which bound him to the family circle and proffer his services to his country.
Accordingly in the month of August, 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Thirty-ninth
Indiana Cavalry, and was at once sent to the front and his command attached to
the Army of the Cumberland. Without narrating in detail his military career,
suffice it to state that his command experienced as much hard service as any
other regiment in the army, during all of which he bore the part of a brave and
gallant soldier, sharing with his comrades the vicissitudes and dangers of war
in many of the most noted campaigns and battles in that great struggle, among
the latter being Shiloh, Stone River, Chickamauga, Averysborough, Atlanta and
many others, in all one hundred and twenty-seven battles and skirmishes. In the
engagement at Averysborough, North Carolina, he had two horses shot from under
him, besides receiving a serious wound which necessitated his retirement from
active service until sufficiently recovered to rejoin his command. At the battle
of Stone River he had the misfortune to fall into the hands of the enemy, and
during the ensuing three months he experienced all the suffering and privation
for which the vile den of horrors at Libby Prison, where he lay a prisoner, was
noted. In due time he was exchanged, and rejoining his regiment continued to do
valiant service for his country until the expiration of his period of enlistment
in August, 1865, when he returned to his home in Howard county and once more
resumed the quiet pursuits of civil life. Mr. Pennington's military career is
replete with duty faithfully and uncomplainingly performed, and if written in
detail would make a volume of deep and absorbing interest. He not only
experienced the common lot of the soldier on the many bloody fields of conflict,
but frequently found himself in dangerous and hazardous situations besides
performing numerous acts of valor, among which was the capture of two
Confederate flags with his own hands, one a brigade, the other a headquarters
flag, for which signal service he received complimentary notices from his
superiors and received due mention in their reports.

   In his youth Mr. Pennington became quite a skillful shoemaker, and it was to
this trade that he devoted his attention a short time after retiring from the
army. Subsequently he accepted a clerkship with a clothing firm, and in 1870
came to Kokomo and engaged in the clothing business, which line of trade he
continued with encouraging success for a number of years, the meantime becoming
favorably known in commercial circles and taking an active interest in the
city's advancement. In 1904 he organized the Finch-Pennington Clothing Company,
of which he is president, this being the leading establishment of the kind in
the city as well as one of the most important mercantile establishments in this
part of the state. Since becoming a resident of Kokomo he has been
public-spirited in all the term implies, has aided with his means and influence
in inaugurating and carrying to successful issue a number of important
enterprises, and today there are few men in Howard county as highly esteemed or
to whom the public is under so great a debt of gratitude.

   Mr. Pennington's married life dates from the year 1869, when he was married
to Mary Wickersham, of Howard county, who departed this life after a brief
wedded experience of less than a year's duration, the union resulting in the
birth of one child, who died in infancy. Later he was united in marriage with
Emma Welch, who died in September, 1895, leaving two children—a son, Dixon
Durett, who resides, in Victor, Colorado, and a daughter by the name of Clara,
who is a member of the home circle and a popular young lady of high social
standing. Before her marriage the present Mrs. Pennington was Josephine Austin,
of Henry county, Indiana, the daughter of Dr. E. Austin, who lived for a number
of years in Hamilton, at which place Mrs. Pennington was reared and educated.

   Ever since the close of the Rebellion Mr. Pennington has manifested an active
interest in military matters, and in addition to serving as major and adjutant
in the state militia he was elected junior vice department commander at Terre
Haute of the Department of Indiana, Grand Army of the Republic, besides holding
other positions in the service from time to time. For a number of years he has
devoted considerable attention to all matters relating to the Grand Army of the
Republic, of which he is an influential member, and to him more than to any
other is the post at Kokomo indebted for its existence and prosperity, having
been the leading spirit in bringing about its organization and filling at
intervals every office connected with the same. He has also been a leader in the
Pythian order, manifesting especial interest in Company No. 6 of the
organization and participating in all the contests in which the Kokomo company
has taken part. In addition to this fraternal society he holds membership with
the Order of Ben-Hur, and is also identified with various other enterprises
having for their object the social advancement of the community and the moral
improvement of his fellow men.

   Mr. Pennington affiliates with the Republican party, and since old enough to
exercise the rights of citizenship has been an active and influential political
worker, being at this time a leader in local affairs and not unknown in the
wider domain of state politics. During the session of 1S98-1899 he served as
doorkeeper of the lower house of the general assembly and in 1904-1905 he was
chief doorkeeper of the state senate, in both of which capacities he rendered
valuable service and became widely known among the political leaders of the
state. In matters religious Mr. Pennington has decided views and earnest
convictions, being a devout believer in the sacred Scriptures and a consistent
disciple of the meek and lowly Nazarene. Himself and family are identified with
the Main Street Christian church of Kokomo, in which he holds the office of
deacon, and his daily life affords a commendable example of the beauty and value
of the pure and simple faith to which he yields allegiance.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA
BY
JACKSON MORROW, B. A.
ILLUSTRATED
VOL. II
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

(circa 1909)


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