Hezekiah Conley Pennell

Hezekiah Conley Pennell was born October 20, 1829 to James D. and Margaret M. Pennell, at Lexington, Ohio (Richland County).

H. C. Pennell enrolled at Otterbein University in 1848, just one year after the founding of the school. According to the school records, he was listed as a student from 1848-1858, although available records indicate he signed a contract to teach for a period of three months in the Washington Township, Richland County Schools in 1849. The last two years Pennell was at Otterbein University he was listed as a “student in a scientific course.”

Hezekiah C. Pennell graduated from Otterbein University in the Scientific Department on June 23, 1858.

He was one of the first members of the Philomathean Literary Society at Otterbein University.

Hezekiah Pennell married sometime between graduation and 1860. His wife's name was Elizabeth, but she was known as Lizzie.

Hezekiah Pennell got into trouble for whipping a school boy. On February 25, 1859 Rachael Bowman states, "Quite a number of boys are down to Columbus to hear Mr. Pennell's trial for whipping a school boy."

Hezekiah Pennell served in the Civil War as part of the 13th Maryland Volunteer Infantry, Company K. He attained the rank of First Lieutenant on February 24, 1865.

Pennell and his wife Elizabeth had one daughter Hatty. No record was found as to what happened to Elizabeth, but when Hezekiah homesteaded to Polk City, Iowa, in 1870, he took with him his daughter Hatty. Assumption would be that Elizabeth had died. Polk City is located seven miles north of DesMoines in the center of Iowa. He met and married a woman named Mary (Latta) Koons on June 24, 1871. Her parents were William and Mary Latta. It appears as if they are buried in the Polk City Iowa Cemetery. Mary had been born in 1835. She had a daughter from a previous marriage whose name was Clara Belle Koons. Clara Belle, who had been born March 16, 1859 was the mother of Beulah Mc Bride. A daughter, Minnie Adella, was born on November 30, 1874 to Hezekiah and Mary. A second daughter, Ora Alma died in infancy.

About 1887 or 1888 Hezekiah decided to homestead in southwestern Nebraska.

In a letter to his step-daughter Clara Belle, Hezekiah indicates Mary and Minnie were with him in Nebraska. Clara Belle presumably stayed in Polk City, Iowa when her step-father went to Nebraska. Being she was almost 30 years old, she may have already been married to Joseph McBride.

Hezekiah Pennell lived in several towns in Nebraska. In 1891 he was named postmaster of Eddy, Nebraska, a town no longer in existance.

Hezekiah Conley Pennell died June 2, 1904. Death was caused by a kick from a horse.

-- 22:56, 20 Mar 2005 (UTC)