Two years after arriving in Boone County, John Penix married, Parlena Cunutt. Parlena and John Penix would have 5 sons in their 13 short years. Their sons were Robert, Mandon, James, Hillman, and Charles. They first lived in Jasper where Parlena’s parents were living, but moved to the Monark community. Sadly, at the age of 34 the young Parlena. died. She and John are buried in the Keesee Cemetery.
John Clark Penix Family
Parlena mother of the 5 sons-Robert, Mandon, James, Hillman, and Charles died before this picture was taken. This picture is with their stepmother Amanda. Their father and Amanda had no children together.
Back row L-R grandson Lex Lanier Penix-son of Charles, SON-Charles Alford Penix, SON-Hilman Clark Penix, and his wife Elizabeth Hall Penix holding baby Helen Penix (Tillman), SON-Robert Benard Penix, and his wife Lula Penix, SON-James Carter Penix, Mertle Jones Penix, Mandon Orestes Penix, Mary McAlister Penix Front row grandson-Dr ames Ray Penix and son of Charles Penix, Granddaughter Mildred Marie Penix (Jarvis) daughter of Charles Penix and mother of Mary Jane Jarvis Hunter and Martha Jarvis Gimenez , granddaughter Nancy Lucille Penix daughter of Mandon, grandson James Ray Penix, son of Mandon Seated John C Penix father and Amanda Penix stepmother
THE PENIX DAUGHTERS - A LEGACY OF EDUCATING SUGARLOAF STUDENTS
This Sugarloaf Story begins with Parlena Curnutt Penix, wife of John C Penix. John C was the first Penix ancestor to come to Boone County. Parlena was born in 1849, in Campbell, Tennessee. A true pioneer whose Grandparents John (age 69) and Elizabeth (age 65) Albright (her mother’s parents) lived in Campbell County, Tennessee until most of their 15 children were grown.
Around 1845, Parlena’s Uncle Maben Albright moved to Cross County in eastern Arkansas. He convinced Parlena’s grandparents, parents, and her aunts and uncles that the rich Arkansas bottom land along the St. Frances River was considerably superior to the rocky hills of Campbell County Tennessee. Parlena’s Grandfather and the rest of the family started planning to head for eastern Arkansas. Instead of traveling by wagon train, Parlena’s Grandpa, his sons, and his sons-in-laws designed and built flat boats (rudder barges) for the trip.
On the morning of February 19, 1851 Parlena’s family, Grandma and Grandpa, ten of their children with spouses, numerous grandchildren and a few great grandchildren started the long float to Arkansas. They started down the Clinch River till they reached the Tennessee River. Floating down the Tennessee they reached the Ohio River where they continued on down to the Mississippi River. On the Mississippi River they traveled southward to the mouth of the St. Frances River stopping a few miles below Memphis. They had made in two-month trip of more than 700 miles in freezing weather without any serious mishap.
It was here below Memphis that Parlena’s Grandfather sold the flat boats and transferred the 40 family members, household possessions, family pets, and livestock to steamboats for the trip upstream to visit with their son, Parlena’s Uncle Maben at Wittsburg, in Cross County. After visiting Uncle Maben, the family of 40 moved on to homestead land in Craighead County. The homesteaded land is now about 2 miles north of the present city of Jonesboro. A short time after the move to Craighead County, John's wife, Elizabeth, died and John died nine years later in 1860.
Sometime after 1868, Parlena’s family, and a young man who had been working for her father named John Penix, left Craighead County and moved on to Boone County,
John Penix’s family had moved from Alabama to Craighead County around 1850. Three years after getting to Arkansas John Penix’s mother died leaving six-year-old John with only his father. John’s father also died at the end of the Civil War. John, alone at age eighteen and with no family, went to work on his neighbor’s John Curnutt's farm. His neighbor was Parlena’s father.
Two years after arriving in Boone County, John Penix married, Parlena. Parlena and John Penix would have a duaghter nd 5 sons in their 13 short years. Their would die in infancy while they were living in Monarch Their sons were Robert, Mandon, James, Hillman, and Charles. They first lived in Jasper where Parlena’s parents were living, but moved to the Monark community. Sadly, at the age of 34 the young Parlena. died. She and John are buried in the Keesee Cemetery. After her death John C Penix remarried Amanda P. "Mandy (last name unknown) and his family moved to the banks of East Sugarloaf near the Rock Hole. He and Amanda had no children.
Parlena Penix would never know the tremendous influence her granddaughters and great Great-Granddaughters would have on the children of Sugarloaf. An influence that is still remembered and discussed today by the generations of students taught by the Penix women.
Son Hillman’s daughters Marie Penix Chor and Helen Penix Tillman would grow up in the beautiful old white house that did sit beside the LH picnic grounds. The house had been built for their mother Lizzie Hall Penix. Their mother Lizzie was the daughter of the circuit riding preacher Tom Hall and his wife Emily Curtis Hall. This was the residence where Helen and her family would also live till her death. In 2014. Both Marie and Helen graduated from Lead Hill School and dedicated their lives to the education of Sugarloaf students. Marie Penix Chor was teaching 4t.h grade when I became principal at Lead Hill. She was loved and respected by all. Parents supported and appreciated all she did for their children. Marie’s grandson Steve now teaches on the college level. Marie’s sister Helen Penix Tillman taught Home Economics and other classes at Lead Hill and also taught at other area schools. When I worked for the State Department of Education, I supervised Vocational Programs. I soon learned that Helen had been known in Little Rock, as a dedicated, talented, instructor.
Son Charles’s granddaughter Mary Jane Jarvis Hunter graduated from Lead Hill and chose a career teaching Business Education. She taught at both Lead Hill and Bergman Schools. Mary Jane was a role model of poise and confidence for students. She married Larry Hunter a teacher and Principal at Bergman. Both of Mary Jane’s daughters Karen Hunter Curtis and Alawayne Hunter are career teachers. Mary Jane’s sister Martha spent her early years supporting her husband Del Gimenez in his military career and returned to the area upon his retirement. She and Del supported both the school and community volunteering where-ever and when-ever needed.
Son James was the grandfather of Polly Penix Wilmoth and Juanita Penix Anderson. Both were Teachers and both dedicated their lives to children. I was honored to work with Mrs. Wilmoth in my first years as principal. Polly loved kids, and had a smile for her students both when they came in the morning and when they left for home in the afternoon. She worked hard for their success.
Polly’s sister Juanita Irene Penix Anderson was also an elementary teacher at the Lead Hill School. She married George Anderson, a Lead Hill native and former German prisoner of war. George and Irene dedicated their careers to students, George as a school superintendent and Irene as an elementary teacher. Polly and Irene’s brother James Penix was also an educator. James served as a science and agriculture instructor and his wife as an elementary teacher.
Sherry Wilmoth Tomlinson Polly’s daughter has provided information and pictures about her Penix family collected by her mother. She and her sister Rhonda have been contributors with supporting information to our Sugarloaf FB site. Many of you have admired Polly’s display of Old Lead Hill pictures, which hang in the Lobby of the Lead Hill Post Office. Information provided by Sherry used for this post, will also be presented in a second post on the Penix Brothers and their impact on early Lead Hill at a later date.
While Parlena’s life of 34 years, to some, may have seemed short. Traveling on the Albright River Adventure coming to Arkansas and the excitement of raising 5 young boys in a new land is a pretty full life. But even more awesome is the impact of the strong and dedicated Penix women and the love they have shown for the area Sugarloaf students.
Robert Bernard Penix was born in 1871 in Bellefonte, Arkansas, his father, John, was 24 and his mother, Parlena, was 22. He went to Texas and with his brother started his first barber shop with his brother Orestes. He married Lula Doris Furman in 1890 and they had five children however son Bernard and daughter Dorthy died in childhood. His three living children were: Earl, Parlena (Lena) and Emery. He lived in Fort Worth and both son’s still live there. His daughter Lena lives in California. He died on February 12, 1936, in Fort Worth, Texas, at the age of 65.
Mandon Orestes "Ress" Penix was born on February 8, 1873, in Jasper, Arkansas, his father, John, was 26 and his mother, Parlena, was 23. Mandon was a well read person and especially loved history. He returned from Texas to get his education from the Valley Springs Academy. He married Mary (Molly) McAlister at the McAlister home just across the road from the Holmes Cemetery on October 25, 1896.
He served as the Boone County Judge for a number of years was a banker. He and Molly had four children 1. Daughter -Argie Parlena, who married George Hugh Holmes and their children were George, John, Mike, and Harold, Mary, and Mark. 2. Daughter- Margie died at birth 3. Daughter Nancy first married Curtis Bailey and second married Herbert Robertson. Nancy and Curtis had one child Rex Bailey. 4. Son Roy married Menta Raney and they had two children, Rahana and Vella.
He died on May 11, 1955, in Grand Prairie, Texas, at the age of 82.
Hillman Clark Penix was born on February 9, 1878, in Belleforte, AR. Hillman attended Valley Springs Academy and married Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Hall, on October 8, 1915. They had two children during their marriage. Elizabeth taught classes and led singing in the community. Their two-story house stood until recently across the street from the Lead Hill Park, near the rodeo grounds. It is remembered that Hillman and his brother Jim were working in the Lead Hill Bank when it was once robbed. He worked as a merchandizer most of his life and was a clerk in the Penix Store in his later years. Hillman and Lizzie had two daughters, Mary Helen who married Glen Tillman (they had one daughter Gloria Manley Medley), and Edith Marie who married Joe Chor (they had one son Joseph Michael Chor). Both Marie and Helen retired from teaching and lived in Lead Hill. Hillman died on January 10, 1952, in his hometown of Lead Hill at the age of 73, and was buried in Harrison, Arkansas. Hillman’s wife Lizzie passed away on Feb 1, 1981.
Hillman will always hold a place in the "History of Old Lead Hill because he was working in the Lead Hill bank when it was robbed. During this early robbery Hillman was put in the vault by the robbers. While memories of the robbery are vary it is reported that the robbers took off on horseback toward what is now South Lead Hill passing the Enon Church heading past the Parsley farms and the cave on Onus Raley’s farm or the Cooks cave also near there. A group of men took off after them, caught before they reached the cave and turned them in to the authorities. It was also reported that Burl Trimble and Sam Richey were in the posse chasing them.
Charles Alford- Jan 17, 1881 lived with his older brother Orestes for a few years so he could also attend and graduate from the Valley Springs Academy. Charles or Charlie as he was called married Zella Milum. Charles was a co-owner in the Magness and Penix Store and also owned several farms in the area. Charlie and Zella had four children before she died as a young mother on May 15, 1915, at the age of 29.
Their son Lex Lanier was a Medical Doctor. He and his wife Betty had two children Molly and Pat.
Charlie and Zella’s second child Max died very young.
Their third child was a daughter Mildred Marie. Mildred married John Jarvis and their children are Martha Jean Jarvis Gimenez and Mary Jane Jarvis Hunter. Martha married Del Gimenez and their children are Greg, Steve, and John. Mary Jane married Larry Hunter and their children are Alawayne and Karen. Mildred Marie like her mother died as a young mother on October 4, 1938, in Lead Hill, Arkansas, at the age of 29, and was buried there.
Charlie and Zella's 4th child was James Ray Penix. James lost his sight at the age of 12 and attended the Arkansas School for the Blind. After completing his education James returned to Little Rock to teach at the school for the blind. James was known to easily recognize people by their voice and was a very talented playing the piano. He taught three years in California before receiving his Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine, scoring the highest anyone in California had scored in that area on the California exam. James and his wife Arda who is also a Chiropractor have had their own business in Burbank CA for over 50 years
He died on November 15, 1948, in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the age of 67, and was buried in Harrison, Arkansas.
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