This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: nedrabrill Surnames: Pennington, Whitt, Sites Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.westvirginia.counties.pendleton/1725.1.1.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: The death certificate for Benjamin Harrison Pennington states that he never married and he resided in Randolph County his entire life. (Celia Sites who married Aaron Isaac Moyers resided in Pendleton County.) This Benjamin's World War I draft card names his sister Clara Wratchford. Her death certificate in Tucker County shows that Clara Wratchford died 8 March 1920, aged 42. Neither an exact date of birth nor parents are given. Nor can an appropriate Clara, aged 2 in 1880, be located in a census before her marriage to verify her maiden name. Her eldest child Theodore Wratchford was born 6 August 1904, Hendricks, Tucker County, West Virginia, son of W. F. and Clara Wratchford, per his birth certificate. The sister Mrs. Florna Whitt who is mentioned in Benjamin's obituary offers more promising insights. Flornie Pennington, age 22 of Tucker County, West Virginia, married Chester Whitt, age 23 of Virginia, on 23 February 1912 at Parsons, Tucker County, West Virginia. [Tucker County, WV, Marriages, p206.] Chester Princeton Whitt died on 14 September 1945 in Marlinton, Pocahontas County, WV, leaving widow Florna Whitt age 54. They are buried together in Mt. View Cemetery, Marlinton, where her tombstone indicates "Flora [sic] P. Whitt, born 1890, died 1957." Her death is not recorded in WV so perhaps she died in a hospital just over the state line in Virginia. Florna would appear to be the granddaughter in this 1900 census enumeration: 1900 Randolph County, WV (Dry Fork District), p27: Phebe Pennington, head, May 1837, 63, widowed, farm manager; Alice Keagle, daughter, September 1877, daughter, 23, married 6 years, 2/2 children, housekeeper; Floyd Pennington, son, September 1871, 18 [sic], day laborer; Jdson [sic] B. Roy, grandson, January 1887, 13; Flarny Pennington, granddaughter, May 1891, 9; William I. Pennington, grandson, January 1895, 5; all WV/WV/WV. Phebe was the widow of Vintson B. Pennington and their household was enumerated in 1880 Randolph County, WV (Dry Fork), p214: Vincent B. Pennington, 67, farmer, carbuncle; Phoebe, 42, wife; Arbella, 18, daughter; Emma Jane, 15, daughter; Sampson, 12, son; Melvina, 10, daughter; Vincent B., 6, son; Alice, 4, daughter; Millie, 1, daughter; Adelia Pharis, 19, daughter; Joseph Martin Pharis, 10/12, born August, grandson; all WV/WV/WV. In 1870, same location page 436, one daughter is Marcelia, aged 12, and apparently married by the 1880 census. And next door in 1880 we find Cornelius Pennington, age 21, with his wife Marcella, age 22. This family was not found later and one wonders if they were the parents of Clara, born ca. 1880, Benjamin, born 1884, and Florna born 1890-91. In 1860 Cornelius Pennington, age 1, resides with his presumed parents Mathew and Elizabeth Pennington, PO Black Fork, Tucker County, WV, p937. And in 1870 he is aged 10 in the household of his presumed grandfather Solomon Penington, aged 63, farmer, and [wife] Jane, aged 52, plus several children in Dryfork Township, Randolph County, p437. The 1850 census of Dryfork shows Mathew aged 14 as the presumed son of Solomon. Morton's History of Pendleton County, page 273, indicates that the grandfathers Vincent B. and Solomon Pennington were brothers. A definite Sites connection was not found, and further research in the Randolph County records may reveal guardianship and lineage information for these three children. Nedra Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.