Hanna Boone Stewart, youngest sister of Daniel Boone, waited many months for the return of her husband who had gone on a hunting expedition. She had to fend for herself and their two daughters. Life was lonely and hard as she sought a livelihood from the soil. The most assistance she received came from Richard Pennington, a neighbor farmer, who was on hand at planting and harvesting time. Hannah never lost her hope that John would return until a skeleton was found in a hollow tree, and nearby a powder horn with the initials–J.S.–carved into it. That the Indians claimed all the hunting territory was a well-known fact, and it was surmised that he became one of the victims. Sometime later, Hanna remarried her neighbor Richard. It was their grandson, another Richard Pennington, born in Glascow (Barren County), Kentucky in 1807, who settled west of Grapeland and was the progenitor of the local Pennington’s. Richard married Polly Walling, of Tennessee, probably in White County. They lived there until after the birth of their eldest son, Gaines, and came to Texas, in 1839. It is believed that they resided in Pennington, Texas, for a year before locating permanently in the community of Daly. The site of their home is very near the present residence of Walter Pennington. A spring nearby, which provided an abundance of good water, was the determine factor in the choice of the homestead. Richard’s land lay adjacent to the James Walling Survey. James was Polly’s brother, born in Tennessee in 1812. The Wallings accompanied (or possibly proceeded) them to the area. Like his grandfather, Richard was a farmer. J.J. Hall mentioned getting a bushel of ‘seed’ potatoes from him in his diary, kept during the period of the War Between the States. Children born, who reached adulthood, included: 1. Gaines (served in the Confederate Army and received the Military Cross of Honor), married Nancy Renfro. 2. Lawson (server in the Confederate Army), married Lucy Baker 3. Jane married Solomon Baker 4. Louisiana (called Lucy or Lou) married Zodac (Zade) Baker 5. Katherine (Katy) married Charley Beazley 6. Henry married Mary Beeson 7. Caldonia (called Callie) married 1) Andrew Mobley and 2) Hamp Huff the Bakers who married the Pennington’s was of the same family. They moved away–some to Collin County. Many of the descendants of Gaines and Henry remain in this area. Daniel Boone Pennington, eldest child of Henry, could remember visiting his grandfather in his log cabin. Outstanding to him was the fact that Richard always wore white clothing. Others could remember that Polly had a loom on one side of the house. It is reasonable to suppose that he wore homespun and Polly didn’t bother to dye the ‘everyday’ work apparel. After Richard’s death, Polly lived alone. It was a favorite place for people from Reynard or miles ‘down the road’ to stop enroute to Grapeland (or on the return trip) for a repast. Polly was known as a good cook even though she never had a `cook stove.’ Cornbread, syrup cake, roasted sweet potatoes and coffee were items of food people remember having enjoyed from her hearthside. Polly never had a well, either, but thirsty travelers welcomed the cool water from the nearby spring, across the road from the house. The spring is no longer there, the water level lowered with land clearing a new road, and the turning of the wheels of progress. Richard Pennington was called `Dick’ and is not to be confused with a relative also called Dick Pennington who lived in Anderson County. He is buried in the Pennington Family Cemetery, near his homestead where also lies Polly, his youngest son, Henry, seven of Henry’s ten children, and several great and great-great grandchildren.

NOTES OF INTEREST Daniel Pennington had the first truck (Model T) that ever took a bale of cotton to Grapeland. Gaines Pennington walked the entire distance from Shreveport, Louisiana to Grapeland when discharged from the Confederate Army. Henry Pennington was born, lived his entire life, and was buried within a mile radius. When each of his sons became 21 years of age, he deeded him 100 acres of land. The home of Mrs. Luther Streetman has been continuously occupied for three generations. It was built originally for Henry Pennington, shows hand-hewn plank in the interior, fashioned by Henry’s eldest son–Daniel. The house was occupied by Henry’s youngest son, Earl, until shortly before his death.