Mary Frances (Paxton) Penney (1842 - 1913)

Born 26 Oct 1842 in Anderson County, Kentucky, USA

Ancestors

Wife of James Cash Penney Sr. — married 26 Sep 1862 in Anderson County, Kentucky, United States

Descendants

Died 2 Nov 1913 at age 71 in East Orange, Essex, New Jersey, USA

Biography

Frances "Fannie" Paxton was the daughter of Richard Head Paxton and Mildred Burris. On September 26, 1862, in Anderson County, Kentucky, Fannie married her first cousin, James Cash Penney. James was the son of her maternal aunt, Mary G. "Polly" Burris, wife of Eli Penney. Fannie had been on an extended visit with her aunt's family in Missouri. With the start of the Civil War, James was sent to escort her back to Kentucky. When they arrived in Kentucky, James and Fannie married and remained there until the close of the war when they would return to Missouri.

Fannie and James were the parents of twelve children, with only six living beyond infancy. Those children were:

1. Mittie Bessie,
2. Elie,
3. James Cash "J.C.", Jr.,
4. Fannie Pearl,
5. Herbert Rice,
6. Letha May.

Those who died in infancy were

1. an infant son,
2. Mollie,
3. Richard Head,
4. Katy,
5. Mattie,
6. Lela.

Fannie was a very religious woman who loved her family dearly. This is attested to by the words of her son, J.C., in a Mother's Day tribute published in the Chicago Herald in 1920, in which he wrote:

"Of my many recollections of my mother's beautiful spirit, perhaps the foremost is of her patience and next of her unselfishness. Occasionally some friend or neighbor meeting me on the street would give me a stick of candy which I took home. After it was divided, Mother's share was placed on the clock shelf with the comment, "I will save that for the children." To me, for whom the rare sweet was a great treasure, Mother's act represented a supreme sacrifice and her self-denial and unselfishness left a deep impression upon my young mind."

Fannie died at the home of her son, J.C., in East Orange, New Jersey. Her remains were returned to Hamilton County, Missouri, and interred next to her beloved husband, James Cash, Sr.

(Bio by Deb Redmon, July 20, 2011)

From the 1850 federal census, Mary F. Paxton lived with her parents and siblings in Anderson County, Kentucky. The family at the time consisted of:

Head Richard H Paxton 42 Wife Mildred Paxton 38

1. Son James E Paxton 17
2. Son Philip I Paxton 14
3. Daughter Ann E Paxton 12
4. Son John W Paxton 10
5. Daughter Mary F Paxton 8
6. Son Galovel Paxton 6
7. Daughter Ellen J Paxton 4
8. Son Richard G Paxton 1

Place of Burial: Highland Cemetery, Hamilton, Caldwell County, Missouri, USA

Sources

• Source: 1880 US Federal Census - Findagrave 14336572
• Source:

Geni.com for Mary Penney

• Source: Find A Grave: Memorial #14336572 Retrieved Jun 8, 2017.