Biography of 	PENICK, William S., II., Halifax County, VA., then Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller June 1998

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Penick, William Sydnor, II., is one of the leading figures in the 
commercial and social life of New Orleans.  He comes from a conspicuous 
line of American ancestry, several representatives of which took part in 
the Revolutionary war, the most distinguished having been Col. Raleigh 
White.  Mr. Penick's father was William Sydnor Penick, D. D., a prominent 
minister of the Baptist faith and captain of Co. I, 53rd Virginia 
regiment, the directing organization of Pickett's immortal charge at 
Gettysburg.  A brief review of Dr. Penick's life immediately precedes 
this one of his son and is from the pen of one who loved him and 
sympathized with all his high ambitions.  The mother of Mr. Penick was 
Betty Tarpley Martin, and an uncle, Raleigh White Martin, was colonel of 
the 53rd Virginia regiment.  The parents of Mr. Penick were both natives 
of Halifax county, Va., the father having been born May 12, 1836, and the 
mother Nov. 23, 1840.  Their children were 10 in number and were named:  
Rebecca Chesley (Mrs. James B. Johnson) ;  Elizabeth Sydnor, died in 1868,
age 4 years;  William Sydnor;  Rawley Martin;  Mary Louise (Mrs. James P. 
Ford);  Betty Bruce, died 1877, age 4 years;  Nathan Tredway;  Nellie 
Cawood, died 1900, age 20 years;  Mattie Brantley 
(Mrs. Burr D. Ilgenfritz), and  Genevieve, died 1889, age 6 years.  The 
3rd of these in the order of birth is William Sydnor, born Aug. 21, 1867.
He was educated in the schools of Virginia and Baltimore.  In the latter 
place he entered business in 1884, but when his father came to Louisiana 
in 1885 the son came with him and located at Shreveport, where he began 
the study of law.  Later he connected himself with the First National 
bank of that city and by close application to his duties became 
successively assistant cashier, cashier, and vice-president.  
Appreciating a splendid business opportunity in another line, he resigned 
active office in the bank in 1897 and formed a partnership with James P. 
Ford, under the name of Penick & Ford, for wholesale dealing in sugar 
cane products.  This partnership was incorporated in 1903, Mr. Penick 
becoming president.  This business has come to be one of the noted 
successes of New Orleans and its products are among the best and most 
widely known in the United States.  In addition to this business, with 
which his name is so conspicuously identified, he is connected with the 
First National Bank at Shreveport as vice-president and is a director of 
the Whitney-Central National bank of New Orleans.  In political affairs 
Mr. Penick has always voted with the democrats in state and local 
questions but has never voted for democratic president, nor any other 
president, on account of his leaning towards National republican ideas.  
Feb. 18, 1891, Mr. Penick was married to Miss Ottelia, daughter of Edward 
and Palestine (Cole) Jacobs, of Shreveport, and they have 2 children;  
William Ernest and  Veva.  Edward Jacobs, the father of Mrs. Penick, was 
a native of Prussia who came to the United States when a young man and 
settled at Shreveport, acquiring a considerable fortune and becoming one 
of the foremost business men in that city.  Mr. Penick is a member of the 
Boston, Pickwick, Country and Audubon Golf clubs and belongs to several 
of the carnival associations.  The home at the entrance of Audubon place 
is one of the most delightful in the city and is the center of much 
culture and social refinement.

Source: Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, 
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), 
pp. 654-655.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by 
Century Historical Association.