Chapter 11: English Penitone to American Pennington

Ephriam, Ephriam, Ephriam, Ephriam

Ephriam Pennington was born in 1605, probably in London. His wife was named Mary and they had two children, also named Ephriam and Mary. Ephraim came to New Haven, Connecticut from London, England in 1643 and first shows up in the records of the New Haven Colony of Connecticut when he swore Oath of Allegiance to the Colony in 1644. He was a Puritan, probably from a middle class London family of Congregationalists. The leaders of the colony came from St. Stephens parish and Ephriam's family probably did too. He and his wife were members of First Church, New Haven, Connecticut. The church records list Ephriam as deceased in 1660. Ephraim died intestate. Dying intestate under English law means that you have not made a valid will that can be used after your death. If this occurs it means obtaining Letters of Administration and appointing your administrators can take months and in some cases years. This can mean that your surviving spouse may have a period without access to the money that is part of your estate and this can last for some time. Inventory of his estate was taken on December 10, 1660 in New Haven, Connecticut. In March 5, 1661, his widow, Mary Pennington, and their two children went to court, where it was declared that intestate law would determine disposal of the estate. The widow Mary was given 1/3, son Ephraim was given 2/3, and the daughter Mary awarded 1/3. The children's mother was nominated as their guardian.

Ephriam Pennington (II) was born in New Haven, Connecticut before 1648. He and his sister Mary were both christened on October 22, 1648 in New Haven, Connecticut. Ephraim was one of many signatories on October 30, 1666 at the founding of the new township of Newark, New Jersey which was previously occupied by Hackensack Indians. Ephraim's land was SE section of Lot 34 and bordered the Passaic River. On October 25, 1667 in Milford, Connecticut, Ephariam married Mary Brockett. She had been born on September 28, 1646 in New Haven to John Brockett and Mary Blackwell. The couple moved to New Jersey before 1673. Ephriam (II) and Mary had three children: Ephriam III (1670), Judah (1682), Timothy (1684). The elder Ephriam (II) died in 1693 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. His wife Mary died in 1694 in Newark, Union, New Jersey.

Mary Pennington, his sister, married Jonathan Tompkins on April 12, 1666. Jonathan and Mary Tompkins also moved to Newark, New Jersey with Ephriam and Mary.

Ephriam Pennington (III) was born in 1670 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. Ephriam III settled west of the mountain, probably, with emmigrants, his friends and neighbors on a 13,500 acre parcel of land known as Horseneck that Newark settlers purchased from Indians in March 1702. Horseneck lies west of Great Mountain, or Wachung, and is now included in that portion of Essex City now within the boundaries of Caldwell, Livington, and West Orange Townships, and a portion of Acquackkononck. These Indian land grants were pronounced void by the proprietors and a long controversy and many riots ensued during the period 1740-1750. A long lawsuit resulted in disaster for the settlers and many lost their homes which they had improved by years of toil. Only 35 families held bona fide titles, and at least 66 other families were dispossessed. Ephriam may have held his title or he may have lost his land and moved to North Carolina. One account believes that Ephriam moved to Mendham, Morris County, New Jersey, almost directly west of Newark. This is because Ephriam's brother Timothy Pennington died in Mendham in 1749 and named an Ephriam in his will and appears in other court records in 1741. If he did not lose his land, then it is not clear why he and his children moved to North Carolina. We don't know who his wife was or how many children he had. It is speculated, but not confirmed, that he had a son named Ephriam (1689).

During the 1750's there was a major migration to the southern colonies. The Morgans, Bryans, Boones, Osbornes, and Plumleys, all associated with Penningtons in NJ and southeast PA, all moved southwest. They crossed the Potomac near Harper's Ferry, went up the Shenandoah, out into the foothills east of the Blue Ridge and down to the Yadkin River near the Trading Ford and the Shallow Ford. This was the main area of eastern battles in the Civil War and many old records were destroyed at that time.

Judah Pennington became the progenitor of soldiers of the Revolutionary War, of William S. Pennington, the Governor of New Jersey from 1813-1815, and of the Governor's son, William Pennington, who also served as Governor from 1837-1843 and as a member of Congress.

Ephriam Pennington (IV) was born in 1689. He married Johanna Davis in 1710 in Morristown, New Jersey. They had three children: Levi (1714), Ephraim (V), Benejah (1725). Ephriam died in 1772 in Rowan County, North Carolina. Other details on Ephriam IV are scarce.

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