Marguerite Tolles

Family/Spouse: J. Alvin Evans. J. was born in 1900 in Kansas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Curtis N. Evans was born in 1927 in Kansas, USA.
2. Vilma R. Evans was born in 1930 in Kansas, USA.
3. Oletta F. Evans was born in 1934 in Kansas, USA.

Thomas married Della Pearl Graham on 20 Nov 1902 in Clay Center, Kansas, USA, and was divorced in Yes. Della was born on 22 Aug 1881 in Joplin, Missouri, USA; died on 11 Sep 1964 in Larned, Kansas, USA; was buried in Larned Cemetery, Larned, Pawnee County, Kansas, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Otis married Maria May Pennock on 1 Jan 1861 in Barry County, Michigan, USA. Maria (daughter of Ebenezer Pennock and Elvira Farwell) was born in 1845 in Michigan, USA; died on 12 Oct 1893 in Kansas, USA; was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Clay Center, Clay County, Kansas, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Isaac married Clarissa Pennock in 1837 in New York, USA. Clarissa (daughter of Daniel Pennock and Lucy Benjamin) was born in 1817 in Vermont, USA; died on 19 Oct 1852 in Barry County, Michigan, USA; was buried in North Hickory Cemetery, Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

taken from History of Barry County w/Biographies (1912)

EBENEZER PENNOCK

Ebenezer Pennock, or as he is more commonly called, Eben Pennock, was born in the town of Rushford, Alleghany County, New York, January 4, 1824.His parents were of English ancestry and came to New York from near Montpelier, Vermont.Mr. Pennock was the fourth child in a family of eleven.He had five own brothers, two own sisters, two half-brothers and one half-sister.
Mr. Pennock?s boyhood days were spent in much the same manner as those of most sons of the pioneers of Western New York.His parents were very poor and his opportunities for getting an education were very limited.The public schools of his time were supported on the rate bill plan and his parents were too poor to pay their share of the bill.Mr. Pennock says that even when he did go to school he often took his dinner basket and went apart from the rest of the pupils to eat his dinner, being ashamed of his meager lunch.At the early age of 12 he was bound out by his parents to work during the summer season at $4 per month.
On the 14th of October, 1843, he was happily married to Miss Elvira Farwell, of Rushford.As showing that neither Mr. Pennnock nor his bride were very far along the road to wealth and prosperity, it is related that Mrs. Pennock?s bridal costume was of calico and that Mr. Pennock had to borrow $1 to get this license and pay the magistrate.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Pennock resolved to join the general movement which was at that time being made toward settling the newly admitted state of Michigan, and after saving up money for the enterprise, on July 14, 1844, they started overland for Michigan.Their outfit consisted of two decrepit old horses, a democrat wagon, $10.50 in cash, and the few goods, provisions and cooking utensils necessary to the journey.The entire trip consumed fifteen days.
Their final destination was the home of Mr. Pennock?s brother in what is now Richland, Kalamazoo County.Here they found a hearty welcome and almost immediately began to plan to set up housekeeping for themselves.They first lived in a rented house containing one room, for which they paid an annual rental of $8.

Both worked out to secure money and goods to furnish the house and to get the necessaries of life.During their first winter in Michigan Mr. Pennock cut four-foot wood at 31 cents per cord and later in the same winter he cut eight cords of four-foot wood at 25 cents a cord to buy himself a new axe.
After looking over the country a bit Mr. Pennock pre-empted 40 acres of land on Section 17 in Barry Township, and to this place they removed in December, 1845, and began the work of carving out their fortunes in real earnest.There was no house upon the land they had purchased and so they found shelter in the house of a neighbor until they could build upon their own land.
While this record as it now reads would lead one to suppose that not many misfortunes came to Mr. and Mrs. Pennock during these early days, yet such was not the case.Sickness and accidents befell them frequently but could not quench their ambition and determination to succeed.
Wild animals gave Mr. and Mrs. Pennock much trouble in their efforts to get together the necessary equipment of live stock.Wolves and bears were especially troublesome.During the summer of 1846 Mr. Pennock worked out most of the time, receiving as pay for his summer?s work a cow, ten sheep and a pair of steer calves.These were kept during the winter without accident, but one day in the following spring, Mr. Pennock upon return from exchanging work with a neighbor, found the sheep had been killed by the wolves.An inventory of his losses would make the farmer of today absolutely disheartened.
In 1847 Mr. Pennock put out 17 acres of wheat on his new farm and upon the prospects for a crop he borrowed $50, with which he made the overland trip to Kalamazoo and paid for his land at the government land office there at the rate of $1.25 per acre.
Mr. Pennock remained on this piece of land for a few years until he had cleared it up, and then he purchased the first 80 acres of the farm near Hickory Corners now owned by his nephew, Alvah Pennock.
Here Mr. and Mrs. Pennock lived for 33 years, and here they fought out the stern battle of life, earning that substantial competence which is enabling them to pass their last days amid the comforts that old age so much appreciates, and which enables them to contribute to the support of the church and its affiliated organizations.

The first place owned by Mr. and Mrs. Pennock in the vicinity of Hastings, was the house just north of their present home.Here they lived for three years, but Mr. Pennock became very much dissatisfied owing to the complete change in his mode of life.He had always been accustomed to hard work and could not accommodate himself to the change.So he disposed of this property and purchased the farm in South Hastings, now occupied by W. L. Pennock.Here they lived but one year when they purchased the place upon which they now live and immediately removed to it.There they have lived for the past 36 years.
No children of their own have come to Mr. and Mrs. Pennock, but they have given a home to other children who tenderly venerate and respect the dear old foster mother and father who so kindly took them in and cared for them in days gone by.Mrs. Maria Tolles, deceased; Mrs. Etta Barnaby, of Hastings; Mrs. Ella Rolfe, of Michigan City; W. L. Pennock, of South Hastings, also Mrs. Iva Bedford, of Seattle, Wash., make up the list of those who have been reared under the care of Mr. and Mrs. Pennock.
To write the religious history of Mr. and Mrs. Pennock would require a careful review of practically their whole lives.In 1850 they became members of the Wesleyan Methodist church of Barry Township, and have ever since been identified with this denomination except for a space of three years when they were members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Hastings City.The church of their choice has always had their most hearty support and their most loyal service.Even at their present advanced age each returning Sabbath morning sees them at their place of worship four miles distant.As had been truly said of them, ?They have ever been true defenders of the gospel of Christ and liberal supporters of His church.?

Died:
Uremia

Ebenezer married Elvira Farwell on 14 Oct 1843 in New York, USA. Elvira was born on 15 Dec 1822 in Vermont, USA; died on 29 May 1916 in Hastings, Michigan, USA; was buried in North Hickory Cemetery, Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]