One McGehee Family's History

Elizabeth McGehee Pennington

Elizabeth McGehee was born in Tennessee in 1812. She was married to Corbin Pennington sometime before 1830. She and her husband lived in Morgan County, Illinois and Corbin also appear on some of the Knox County, Illinois documents as well.

They, along with the other McGehee and Pennington family, moved south to Barry County, Missouri (now Lawrence County Mo,) about 1837 or so. The family lived in Barry/Lawrence County, Missouri, until around the late 1850s.

Then, they moved to Texas. In 1860, the census showed the Corbin and Elizabeth McGehee family living in Plum Creek, Coryell County, Texas. I have wondered if possibly they came to Texas with Elizabeth’s brother John who came to Texas at about this same time. We have no information that would corroborate this.

The civil war was particularly hard on this part of our family. The following excerpt comes from the website “Findagrave.com” on the site for John Pennington, son of Corbin and Elizabeth.

The 1880 census of Coryell County, Texas.

Confederate service of Corbin Jr, Asa, Simeon and John Pennington

“John was just 22 years old when he enlisted in the Confederate army on March 12, 1862 at Coryell County, TX, for the duration of the war. He enlisted with his three brothers, James, Asa and Simeon. John and his brothers were Privates in Co. K, 10th Texas Infantry, also known as Nelson's Reg't Texas Infantry. Riggs Pennington, a cousin, was also in the unit.

The 10th Texas was sent to Ft. Hindman, Arkansas Post.

In January 1863, Union troops attacked the fort to stop the disruption of traffic on the Mississippi River by the Confederates. After a two day battle, the union captured 3500 Confederate prisoners. John, along with brothers Asa and Simeon, appear on a roster of troops captured at Arkansas Post on January 11, 1863.

On February 8, John and brothers are on a roll of prisoners of war at Camp Douglas, IL. Camp Douglas was a horrific place where many soldiers died due to shortages of food and clothing. The prison also flooded when it rained which bred disease that took thousands more lives.

After surviving the imprisonment at Camp Douglas, John was paroled on April 1 and delivered to City Point, VA on April 7, 1863.

John and brother, Asa, were hospitalized for several months before returning to military duty. He survived until Sept. 1, 1864 when he was killed in the battle of Jonesboro, Ga. Of the four Pennington brothers that went to war, only two returned home. John was buried in Georgia; Simeon in Virginia.

And further…
“Simeon was paroled at Camp Douglas on Apr. 1 and delivered to City Point, VA on April 7. Upon arrival, he was listed on a roster as "helpless". He died of diphtheria in the General Hospital at Petersburg, VA on April 9, 1863 with his brother at his side. Simeon was just 21 years old.”

This story was not written by me and is attributed to "JLLL" located on findagrave .com at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30823079

Children of Corbin Sr, and Elizabeth McGehee Pennington

Matilda Pennington Stahl was born in 1831 in Illinois. She married her step-cousin, John Monroe Stahl. They were married in Barry Co, Missouri, and died in Coryell County. Their graves are found in King Cemetery, Coryell co, Texas.

James Allen Pennington, born in Illinois in 1833, married Francis June Robinson and was buried in Childress County, Texas.

Lucy Ann Pennington (some have said “Lacy”) was born in 1836 in Illinois. She married William Hubbard Barnes. We believe the Barnes family lived in Coryell County as well. Further information about her is unknown at this time (5/1/2020)

Asa T Pennington was born in 1837 in Illinois. Asa married Nancy McGill and was buried in Hamilton County, Texas, in 1894. Asa served in the Confederate army during the Civil War.

John Pennington was born in 1840 in Missouri. I do not know if John was married. I was told at one time that John had a daughter named Alice, who was born in 1874. However, John is purported to have died during the civil war in Jonesboro, Clayton Co Ga. in 1864. More research needs to be done to determine the source of this information.

Simeon Pennington was born in 1842 in Missouri. He joined the Confederate service in Texas, and I understand he is said to have died in 1863, Petersburg city, Va.

Nancy J Pennington was born in 1844 in Missouri. She married James Monroe Hitt in Coryell County, Texas. Nancy and her husband had two children, one named John M Hitt. I do not know the name of the other. I have been told that other family members raised the children, and I know that John M Hitt was living with Corbin and Elizabeth in 1880.

Corbin Lane Pennington was born in Missouri in 1849. He served in the Civil War on the Confederate side. In 1872 he married Albina Prescott. They had four children, Roxy, Scott, Laura, and Virgie. Virgie was born in 1884, and in 1887, Corbin married Albina’s sister, Eliza Jane Prescott. Corbin and Eliza had three more children; Nona, Maude, and Thomas Lane Pennington. Corbin is buried in Brackenridge, Stephens County, Texas.

Sarah Elizabeth Pennington was born in Missouri in 1850. She married Thomas Jefferson Beckett, and they had Corbin Alexander Beckett. There is some speculation that Sarah later married a man named Lewis Weaver. I believe she lived most of her life in Coryell County; however, more research needs to be done to determine more about this line.

Elizabeth McGehee Pennington

Elizabeth McGehee Pennington

John Pennington

Area where Simeon Pennington is buried in Virginia

Area where Simeon Pennington is buried in Virginia

Area where Simeon Pennington is buried in Virginia

Area where Simeon Pennington is buried in Virginia

Area where Simeon Pennington is buried in Virginia

Confederate service of Corbin Jr, Asa, Simeon and John Pennington

Children of Corbin Sr, and Elizabeth McGehee Pennington

Return to "The Children of James and Jane Patterson McGehee"