Hello Cousins: When we lived in Morenci Arizona I meet a lady by the name of Sharon that was doing genealogy work on her husbands family. she married a Pennington,but I forgot his name. She gave me a copy of a letter that was written by her husbands gggrandfather Levi Pennington. We thought it odd that we have the same Names on both our side of the family. after doing years of research on my Penningtons , I no longer find it odd. It seems every Pennington family has the same names. Sharon if you read this please email me. His last letter. Levi Pennington, son of Able Pennington, Sr.,was born in Perry County, Kentucky, on the 30th day of August 1821, and was raised up and married in said county. In the year 1856 he moved to what is now Jackson County. With the first call for volunteers in 1861 he enlisted in the union Army, in company C.,7th Kentucky infantry, in which he was elected First Lieutenant, and started for Camp Dick Robinson on the 18th day of August 1861. He remained in the service in the full discharge of his duty until the 9th day of December 1862. when the following letter was received from him to his family, being the last letter received from him as he was almost instantly killed by a shell in the assault on Vicksburg on the 29th of December 1862. Camp Wolf River, near Memphis, Tennessee, December 9, 1862. My dear wife and children and father and mother. I once more take the opportunity of writing you a line to let you know that I am well and have been in tolerable good health since T left you. the boys are all as well as common, except, J. C. Turner, who has been very sick, but now he is recovering. We have traveled a great deal since I left home. we traveled about one thousand miles on steam boats, I have been in several states since I left you. We first went from Kentucky to the Ohio River, crossed the river, and then thro Ohio, went 64 miles up the Kanawa River into Virginia, stayed there 12 days, then marched back to the Ohio River, then got on boats and went down the river, passing the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and are now camped in the state of Tennessee. I have seen a great deal of good land, but have become satisfied, if I live to be discharged, and get back home, to spend the balance of my days in Jackson County, Kentucky. I will proceed to give my reasons for being satisfied to live in as poor a county as Jackson. In passing through the state of Ohio I saw the happiest people I was anywhere living on poorer land than there is in Jackson County. They had their farms all fenced off in four or five Acer lots, sown in grass, clover, wheat, rye, etc.,and are living good and well painted framed houses, with good stables for their stock. they done their own work, and each spoke well of the others. The health of our country is another reason why I prefer living there, the great reason is I thank it is not right for people to crave riches in this world, for if a man possessed the world it would do him no good in the world to come. We had better try to lay up treasures in heaven, where moth nor rust doth corrupt, where war, sin, nor sorrow, nor pain dwell, but all one in Christ. I want you all to seek the Lord and obtain a pardon, and be prepared to meet me in Heaven, where we will part no more. I have a good hope when I leave this earth I will meet my two children who have departed this life in Heaven. If I could only know that my wife and the rest of my children and my friends were prepared to meet me there, I would be much happier than I am. Children, above all things, obey your mother, for she will give you good cause. Rachel, try all you can to get your children to do right. Levi Pennington PS I will say to that there are a good many of our troops here. It is reported that the Rebels are retreating before our men who left before we came here, and it is believed that the fighting's about done. as there are several propositions of peace. I am in command of the Company and will soon be commissioned as Captain. Col. Garrard is our General. and Col. Rigel is commanding our regiment. I have received but one letter from you since I left home. L.P. .............................................................................. .............................................I do not know if he ties into my family or not, but thought I would share it with you in the hopes it may help someone...Thank you for taking the time to read this, I do have the names of other Penningtons that are related to this Levi...Mary