Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-11-15
Death of MIR. w. B. Penn.

After lingering illness extend
ing over period of many months,
Mr.. William Britton Penn passed
away early Saturday night. Not
until within the past few weeks,
however, was Mr.. Penn confined to
his home. From the time that the
fatal malady seized Mr.. Penn he
consulted number of specialists
and received up to the last moments
of his life the best of medical at
tention, but no human agency could
arrest the disease. Through his
long physical decline he received
the most devoted attention of his
niece, Mrs. Julian D. Holstein, with
whom he made his home. Trained
nurses also ministered to him at diff
ferent times. particularly during
the weeks preceding his death.
Mr.. Penn, though in appearance,
before he became ill, but little more
than past middle-age, had passed by
two months his Gath birthday. He
was born and reared in Edgefeld
and was descended from old and
honored families. His maternal
ancestors were among the founders
of Edgefeld, occupying first place
among its early citizenship, and his
father came from distinguished old
Virginia stock.
Mr. Penn has always been promi-
nent in the business and commercial
life of Edge6eld. The Oldest busi-
ness house here g The drug store es-
tablished in ls45 by his father, the
lamented George Lee Penn, and in
heriting it from his father, he con-
Quoted it with very marked success
for nearly so years. About 10 years
ago Mr.. j. D. Holstein became as
sociated with Mr.. Penn and reliev-
ed him of the active management of
the drug business. By close appli-
cation to business and through the
exercise of splendid Judgment, Mr..
Penn accumulated considerable
property. He has been director in
The Farmers Bank for number OF
years.
Possessing the business acumen
that he did, it would doubtless have
been largely to Mr.. PENIS advan-
tage had he removed, in early life
to a larger field. This, however, he
was unwilling to do because OF his
love and loyalty to Edgefeld. He
loved every inch of her soil and had
an abiding affection for the people
among whom he was reared. Not
only were his friends, who were le-
gion, found among the immediate
citizenship of the town, but the an
nouncement of his death was receiv-
ed with distinct sorrow in every Sec
ton of the county. The Penn Drug
Store, whose prestige he had a large
part in making, is one of the land
marks of Edgefeld and from it
medicines for the prolonging of life
and the alienation of human suffer
ing have been dispensed throughout
three generations. Through this
means Mr.. Penn, for nearly so
years its proprietor, was brought
into intimate and sympathetic touch
with large number of people. The
numerous and very beautiful floral
tributes were silent evidences of MIR.
PENIS wide popularity.
lie was member of the First
Baptist church, from which the fu-
neral was conducted Sunday after
noon by his pastor. DR.. E. Pendle-
ton Jones. Mr.. Penn was never
married, making his home with his
niece, Mrs. Julian d. Holstein. His
other nearest relatives are niece,
Mrs. Katie LaSueur of Huntington
Park, California, and a nephew,
Mr.. George L. Sullivan. who was
reared in Rome, Ga.
The active pal bearers were: w.
H. Dorm, J. H. Allen, 3. Timmons,
John Rainsford, w. A. Byrd, ]. S.
Byrd, S. McG. Simkins and Bettis
Cantelou.
The honorary pail bearers: Fl. A.
Smith, r. S. Anderson, w. B. Cog
burn, J. G. Sheppard, G. A. Griffin,
A. E. Padgett, N. G. Evans, DR..
r. A. Marsh, DR.. J. G. Tompkins