Middletown transcript., 1899-07-15
NEUROLOGY
CAPT. SAMUEL Pennington

. CAPT. SAMUEL EEHNkNSION
: aHonour the Lord with thy substane
and with the firstfruits of all thine increas
so shall thy barns be filed with plent
and thy presses shall burst out with ne
wins" Proverbs.
Ifasked for the leading characteristic
the life of Capt. Samuel Pennington
most intimate friends would say it was b
devotion TO his church-in attendance upo
its service and in support with his sui
stance. He obeyed the divine injunctio
TO honour the Lord" and in his barns ther
has always been plenty. But his service
are over. His life work is ended. Afte
several days of severe illness he died at hi
residence in Middletown shortly after nool
on Tuesday, July 11th.
Capt. Pennington was born on April %
1917. He was the son of Samuel Penning
ton, his mother being Miss Hance of Nc
Donough. His only brother, John, died il
| his boyhood. Captain had half sister
Margaret, who married John T. Cochran
Cochran left two children-Mrs. Charles
Beaston and Mrs. James M. Vandegrifi
both deceased. The captain was twice
married. The FIRST wife was Miss Mary
Bell who died in 1874. The children by
this marriage are Mrs. Ella Cochran, Mrs.
]. s. Crouch, Mrs. Frank G. West, J. Frank
Pennington. W. c. Pennington, all of
Middletown and vicinity, and Mrs. Cora
Rauno1ds Of Ualan4;no Tavaz t. fo-c- L.
married his bereaved widow, Miss Eliza
beth Bulnham.
With the affairs of Forest Presbyterian
Church he has been closely identified for
half a century. Upon the tablet placed in
the hall way in 1850 when the church was
rebuilt having been founded in 1850 his
name appears as secretary beneath that of
the president, Maj. John Jones. But one
member of that committee survives, Mr.. R.
Thomas Cochran. He was elected secre-
tary of the Board of Trustees of the church
Marctr7, 1858, to succeed Dr.J. P. Merritt.
On January 10, 1891, he was made presi-
dent. When the church was thoroughly
repaired in 1882 and in the present repairs
be allowed no contribution to exceed his
,wn.
In educational matters in Middletown |
or more than so years Capt. Pennington |
las been prominent. He was elected |
rustee of the Academy Jan. IL, 1s47, to
i'll the place Of Gen. Richard Mansfield,
md Feb. 4, 1859, was elected secretary to
ucceed DR.. Jno. P. Merritt. On April 13,
87S, he was appointed member of the
3oard of Education. He held these re-
ponsible trusts to the day of his death.
or years the Academy was sustained as an
xcellent school, having trained and edu-
ated teachers. The captain was one of
be chief advocates of liberal education.
Within the past Is months four Of the
inc members of the Academy trustees
ave died; first, Mr.. Henry A. Nowland,
,llowed by Father" Henry DaYis, then
x-Gov. John P. Cochran and now the SUBJ
,ct of this notice.
In politics Capt. Pennington was pro.
ounced Wing and Republican, though he
as never candidate for Office. He be-
eyed thoroughly in the policy Of protection
American labor and industries, and was
loroughly patriotic. He was commission ,
captain of Co. I, 5th Delaware Regiment, {
I'd when the brave Gen. Lee made his raid I
to Pennsylvania the captain and his
mpany were stationed at Gunpowder to |
lard the railroad bridges there and subse-
lently at Fort Delaware oguard prisoners. {
In town and business matters the de- '
ased has taken prominent parts. He {
owed to Middletown in 1847 and served in '
e Town Board on two or more occasions.
e was for years faithful director in the l
wv Castle County National Bank of
lessa. He has had large property interests a
and near Middletown, taking special
light in agriculture. He left two fine 8
ms near town on which his sons reside, v
ine tract Of land adjoining the town on f
e west, his residence on the corner Of the v
uare for which he at one time refused t
!, 200, besides bank stock, etc. His estate p
at 100000. o
Funeral services were held from his late '
iderce on Thursday afternoon and were t.
ry largely attended. Rev. Francis II. a
,ore, d. D., pastor of Forest Presbyterian g
urch oficiated. The remains were bourn O
their last earthly resting place in Forest q
metery by the bearers: Messrs. J. G. W
rbit, ]. G. Gibson, H. G.. Ellison, s. M a
ynolds, G. D. Kelley and DIR. T. Fl.
pin. fc