Alfred Pennywitt
Alfred Pennywitt was born January 8, 1840, on Gift Ridge, Monroe Township, Adams County, Ohio. His father was Reuben Pennywitt, who has a separate sketch herein, and his mother's maiden name was Jane Cooper. His mother was born in September, 1816, and is still living. Reuben Pennywitt and wife had nine children, eight of whom are living. One died in infancy. Our subject is the eldest child of his father's family. He attended school on Gift Ridge, and his entire education was obtained in the common schools. His father was a builder of boats and a lumberman. Mr. Pennywitt began steamboating at the age of eighteen. He continued in steamboating for a short time, and was engaged in the lumber business until the fourth of July, 1861, when he enlisted in Company I, 39th 0. V. I., for three years. He served until the twenty-fourth of August, 1864, when he was mustered out at the expiration of his term of service. He was never in the hospital and was never disabled while in the service. He was in every battle in which his regiment was engaged and never received a scratch.
On returning from the army, he folowed the lumber business in Manchester for two or three years. In 1867, he re-engaged in steamboating, beginning as a watchman on the steamboat Robert Moore. He has continued in the same occupation ever since, and has served as second mate, mate, pilot, and master. He was master on steamboats in the Southern trade, notably the Courier and the Stella Wild, and others, for over ten years. He has resided in Manchester ever since the War. Since 1877, he has been engaged on the Ohio River on the Pomeroy and Pittsburg boats. For the last five years he has been a mate on the Pittsburg and Cincinnati line, on the Hudson and the Virginia. He has been engaged on not fewer that two hundred different steamboats during his career as a steam boatman.
He has always been a Republican, and has been a member of the Methodist Protestant Church at Manchester for the last eight years. He was married June 21, 1869, to Miss Matilda C. Fleming, daughter of Alexander Fleming and granddaughter of James M. Cole. He has had three children: Edith C, born May 31, 1870, the wife of F. A. McCormick of Manchester; Rufus C, born June 5, 1872, a physician in
the city of Dayton, located at 134 South Ludlow Street, where he has been four years. He had a daughter, Pearl C, born July 8, 1878, who died September 7, 1891. Our subject has but one grandchild, Rufus, son of F. A. and Edith McCormick, born December 9, 1891.
Captain Pennywitt is noted for his modesty and his substantial worth. One always knows just where to find him; and when found, he can be depended upon. He is as different from the traditional old-time steamboat mate or master, as day is from night. His friend David Dunbar says that one can ascribe all good qualities to him, and then fall short of his real merits. He maintains the high character for honor and integrity set by his ancestors ever since they have been known to Adams County. They would have died for conscience' sake and counted it glory, and our subject is not a whit behind them.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900