#171--Big Family

This week’s theme is large family.  I have lots of large families in my tree—those with ten, eleven, twelve, or more  children.  I decided that I would investigate my 4^th great aunt’s family.  Virginia Jane Hannah, known as Jane, was born on November 28, 2801 in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.  Her parents were James and Nancy (McKee) Hannah.  She moved with her parents to Brown County, Ohio.  There she married Peter Penny, born in 1791, on May 14, 1820.

Jane and Peter, a farmer, had eleven children.  I knew very little about them so I decided to get some basic information about each:  birth, marriage, death, husband’s occupation, and an estimate of the number of children. 

1.  James Penny was born on October 1, 1821.  He married Matilda A. Brown on July 16, 1843. They had 14 children in 19 years. He died on September 25, 1887, in Clark, Ohio, at the age of 65, and was buried in Hamersville, Ohio.  His worked his entire life as a farmer.

2.  William Penny was born in 1822.   I could find no other information about him. 

3.   Nancy Jane Penny was born on January 27, 1823.  She married Andrew J. Ralston, a farmer, on June 11, 1840.  They had 12 children. She died on April 9, 1865 and was buried in Fulton, Illinois.

4.  Dulcena Evaline Penny was born on November 11, 1824.  She married George Shick, a farmer, on July 16, 1843.  They had eleven child during their marriage. She died on November 27, 1906, in Lawrence, Illinois

5.  Peter Penny was born in 1826.  No other information about him could be found.

6.  Lewis H. Penny, also a farmer, was born in 1828. He was married three times—first to Jane Fite, then to Elizabeth McGuinlan, and last to Elmira Ralston.  He had five sons and four daughters. He died in 1910.    

7.  Lucinda E. Penny was born on June 7, 1829, in Brown, Ohio, She married John T. Richey, a farmer, on June 27, 1847. They had three children. She died on December 25, 1907, in Troy, Indiana and was buried in Cannelton, Indiana.

8. Wesley S Penny was born on September 18, 1829.  He married Martha Fiscus and they had six children together. He then married Mary Belle Shell and they had five children. He died on August 3, 1912, in Brown, Ohio.

9. Andrew Penny was born on May 29, 1831.  He married Matilda J. Ralston and they had five children together. He died on December 11, 1891, in Douglas, Missouri, at the age of 60.

10.  John Darlington Penny was born in 1835 in Brown, Ohio, He died on September 25, 1887

11.  Indiana Penny was born on March 14, 1835.  She married Jacob Harding Fite in 1850 in her hometown. They had four children in 16 years. She died on April 18, 1881, in Bracken, Kentucky, and was buried there.

Two things struck me as I did this.  One was that the unusual names given the children made it very hard to keep them straight.  For example are Lucinda and Lucy the same person?  Turns out yes.  I think the  boys who I could not find information on, probably died very young.  Second, I was interested in the fact that Lewis Penny married Elmira Ralston and Nancy Jane Penny married Andrew Ralston.  Also interesting was that Lewis H. Penny married Jane Fite, while Indianna Penny married Jacob Harding Fite.  I am wondering if those paring were brother and sisters.  Later I can check that out.  I am interested in the Ralstons because India Anna Hannah, another of my 4^th great aunts,  married a Ralston, whose first name is not known.  More to check out.