On Sunday, June 1, 2008 rain did not dampen the turnout of the Penney family. Over 120 people gathered from Michigan, Alabama, North Carolina and Tennessee to share our memories, stories but most important our family history and heritage. We had great time.
Grady Penney, from the Christopher Columbus line, brought a treasure trove of artwork. James Penney, his brother, fascinated us with his rock collection. Michael Penney, from the John Penney line, and his family brought the original photo of Miles Penney, which circulates on the internet, and shared with us the history of the photo and how his family came to have the photo. The Crawley family brought the family Bible of John “3 Finger” and Isabelle Yother Penney. They also brought the funeral book of Isabelle Penney. Beth and Cyndi Wallace, from the Sarah Elizabeth Penney line brought some of their grandmother’s photos, family items and their father’s wooden candle sticks he made. Beth shared some wonderful history of how her father made these candles sticks and other items.Everyone at the reunion was connected in some way or another. They might have been born into the family, married, adopted and in some cases friends of the family. As I looked around the reunion I realized we were connected by something more than blood something greater, a bond, --- a bond called "family." We discovered we were more alike than different and that we shared common interests, talents and even a few idiosyncrasies.As hard and as much work as it way to pull this off, I say, “Reunion 2009, Miles of Penneys here we come!”
We would like to say a special thank to all those who participated in the family reunion. Without your the effort and participation of all those who came we would have never had as much success.
The whole Penney clan. Miles and Sallie had 7 children and 5 of the 7 lines were represented! Below is a picture of everyone that participated in the reunion.
Below is the Christopher Columbus line.
Below is the William Penney line.
Below is the Sarah Elizabeth Penney Rogers/Moore line. I think it is worth saying, Beth and her daughter Cyndi drove all the way from Michigan. This was their first reunion and we hope not their last.
Below is the Margaret Penney Pierce line. The lady standing in the red is Barbara Hammock from Sevierville, TN. Barbara was so kind to drive the couple of hours since she was in the process of packing for her cruise to Alaska. Seated is Betty Meadows and her daughter from Alabama. They braved several hours in the car and endured the torrential rains to get to the reunion.
Below is the John "3 Finger" Penney line. Seated on the far right chair is Barbara, standing behind her is husband Dick and in the floor are grand daughter Alley and Lore. They had driven from Michigan to attend their first reunion. Also pictures on the front row in the black hat is John Penney, his wife Dixie is in the back in yellow and her daughter Shannon is standing in front of her in the pink shirt and Michael her son is standing in the back in the red shirt who had driven in from Alabama.
Below is the John "3 Finger" Penney line. Seated on the far right chair is Barbara, standing behind her is husband Dick and in the floor are grand daughter Alley and Lore. They had driven from Michigan to attend their first reunion. Also pictures on the front row in the black hat is John Penney, his wife Dixie is in the back in yellow and her daughter Shannon is standing in front of her in the pink shirt and Michael her son is standing in the back in the red shirt who had driven in from Alabama.
We are no closer to solving the mystery of Miles parentage. However, one story I personally heard from at least 3 people who did not know each other, and even lived in a separate states, was this:
Miles was mother was a full blooded Cherokee forced to march on the trail of tears and died along way of grief or froze to death.
"Where research fails, science prevails," Michael Penney
