THOMAS HUGHES PENNOCK

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THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

The Pennock family was a leading Quaker family in colonial Pennsylvania. The descendants are numerous. Three known books have been written about them:
The Pennocks of Primitive Hall by George Valentine Massey II,
The Pusey Family by Pennock Pusey, and
Christopher Pennock Genealogy, compiled by Charles A. Rudolph, 1959.

Thomas Hughes Pennock was born 9/8/1858  in Chester County Pennsylvania. He was the son of William Pennock and Margaret Jane McMasters.

 On 4/20/1880 he married Martha Mary Missimer in Philadelphia. Rev. WR Bingham conducted the ceremony.  They made their home in Wilmington Delaware. According to the 1880 Census for Wilmington DE they lived at 623 Winston St. and he was a clothing clerk.  Age 22, Mattie is wife 21.
The Wilmington City Directory traces his work and homes.
In 1881-2 He was a salesman for Meyer Meyers at NW corner of 5th & Market St.  Their home was at 624 W. 8th St.
In the 1882/83 Directory T. H. Pennock was a salesman for Nathan Lieberman's store at 5th and Market St. Same address, different business name.
Their home was 607 Madison St.   By the next year 1883/4 they had moved to 621 W. 7th St.

During the early 1880s Thomas N. Foreman was also a salesman for Liebermans.  By 1890, and possibly as early as 1884 The two had become business partners and owned Pennock and Foreman - men's clothing at 428 Market St.

The 1900 Nw Castle county Census lists the family as:
Thomas H. Pennock, 42
Martha, 41
Henry R., 19
Mable, 17
Ima, 15
Paul, 10

. Their 4 children were:
1. Harry Rile born 1880, he wed Etta Cooper Boulden,
2. Mabel Irene born 1883, she wed Edgar Sheppard Hammond
3. Erma Clara born 1885, she died 1911
4. Paul Thomas born 1889 he wed Edith Rambo

Thomas died 11/22/1901. His obituary was in the Daily Local News of West Chester County on Nov. 23, 1901 and found in the Chester County Historical Society.  It reads " Thomas H. Pennock of the well known clothing firm of T.H.Pennock & Co at no 213 Market St. Wilmington DE died yesterday after a long illness at his home No. 621 West 7th St.  Mr. Pennock was born in Chester County but went to Wilmington twenty-four years ago.  He leaves a widow and four children.  He was a member of the Clayton Lodge K. of P. and the Uniform Rank of the same order.  His funeral will take place at Wilmington on Monday next."  The Knights of Pythias was organized during the Civil War in Washington DC in 1864 and seemed to grow quickly.  It may have been connected with the Free Masons. 

 His widow, Martha Mary was still living at 621 W. 7th St. in 1906.  Their son, Harry Rile purchased a home at 508 W. 9h street in 1908 and Martha Mary moved in with him in 1909.  She lived until 1930.

They are both buried at Riverview Cemetery in Wilmington.   Their daughter Cara is also there and on their stone with her name and dates.

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Date created: 10/18/2009
date edited 12/2/2012
date edited 11/6/2014
date edited 7/10/2019
Date edited 7/9/2020
Date edited 3/24/2024