California Biographies

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


WILLIAM G. PENNEBAKER. With the honors of a courageous pioneer and Civil war 
veteran Mr. Pennebaker is quietly passing at Visalia the afternoon of a very active existence, 
whose labors have brought to him a gratifying degree of prosperity and success. He is a mem- 
ber of an old Kentucky family, but himself is a native of Owen county, Ind., and was born Janu- 
ary 22, 1836, being a son of William and Lucinda (Findley) Pennebaker, natives respectively of 
Kentucky and Tennessee. As early as 1835 his father became a pioneer farmer of Indiana, where 
he made his home successively in Monroe, Owen and Putnam counties. After six years in the 
county last named he went to Iowa in 1846, settling fourteen miles northwest of Burlington, 
where he engaged in farming. Four years were spent in that locality and he then settled in the 
southwestern part of the same state, in Wayne county. During 1868, he and his wife accom- 
panied their son, William G., across the plains with teams and remained with him until they 
died. 

In a family consisting of five daughters and three sons William G. Pennebaker was the young- 
est son and next to the youngest child. Owing to the frequent removals of the family and the 
necessary difficult task of clearing each farm as they settled thereon, he had little opportunity to 
obtain an education and his entire attendance at school was limited to three terms of three months 
each. However, being a man of quick observation and a wide range of reading, he has acquired 
a breadth of knowledge not always secured from text-books, and in the school of experience his 
education has been thorough. For some years after reaching manhood he continued to cultivate 
a farm in Iowa, but in 1868 came to California and settled near Farmersville, Tulare county, 
where he bought two hundred acres of land. The tilling of the soil was made subsidiary to the rais- 
ing of stock, and the crops secured from the land were used for feeding his cattle, hogs and sheep. 
For a long period he successfully conducted a stock business on this property, but in 1891 moved 
to a farm of one hundred acres, where he not only raised cattle, but also gave some attention to 
the' fruit industry. Eventually disposing of the property, he purchased a fruit farm of forty acres 
one mile southwest of Visalia, and here engages in raising peaches and primes. Since March of 
1901 he has made Visalia his home, but, while retired from active labors, he still superintends 
his various interests, and at the same time aids in movements for the benefit of his home town. 

The Republican party has received the allegiance of Mr. Pennebaker ever since its organ- 
ization. When the war commenced between the north and south his sympathies were at once 
aroused in behalf of the Union. Early in 1862 he enlisted as a member of Company I, Fourth 
Iowa Infantry, assigned to the Army of the Tennessee, in which for two years he served as a 
hospital steward. During the period of his service he was present at thirteen battles. When the 
war ended he was mustered out of the service, receiving an honorable discharge at Louisville, 
Ky., in July. 1865, after which he returned to his Iowa farm. In fraternal connections, he holds 
membership with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. For about forty-five years he has 
been a member of the Baptist Church, a supporter of its services and a firm believer in its doc- 
trines. While living in Iowa Mr. Pennebaker was united in marriage with Louisa Jennison, who 
was born in Indiana and died in California during the year 1880. Nine children were born of their 
union, of whom seven are living, all married and established in homes of their own. They are 
named as follows : Mrs. Sarah E. Rockwell ; Laura, wife of W. F. Pennebaker; Sherman T., 
of Exeter, Cal.; Mrs. Lenora Thomas; William M., of Redondo ; and Carl G. and Cora, who are 
twins; the latter is the wife of Hugh Clotfelter. Bloom F. and one other child are deceased. Mr. 
Pennebaker's present wife was Martha A. Jones, a daughter of H. D. Jones, a native of Arkansas, 
who came to California in 1869 and settled in Tulare county.