Ebenezer's Obituary

"Madison County Times"

It occurred Sunday morning - A Pioneer of Sullivan - There are but Few Men like Him. Farmers and Farmhands will miss him - A large funeral.

Ebenezer Pennock died in this village, Sunday Morning between the hours of 11 and 12 o’clock. He had been sick for several months and was gradually growing worse, though hopes were everywhere expressed that he might recover and again be seen making his daily trips among the people he has for so many years travelled in his daily toil.

Ebenezer Pennock was born in the Town of Hebron, Washington County this state Dec 23, 1820 and had he lived until next Dec would have been 76 years of age. His parents came to this state from Connecticut, and when Mr. Pennock was yet a lad moved on a small farm just south of Perryville. When Ebenezer was 20 years he gave his father $100 to release him of his time and went to work for Captain Cady on the farm now owned by Smith Cady. He was industrious and a manager, and about 1842 bought the farm now occupied by William Jones at Bolivar. In those days there was along the canal, farmers who did what was known as "tripping for the line" - furnishing horses to tow a boat from one station to another, and Mr. Pennock did this.

Then he commenced to expand in land owning and gradually his land possessions went northward and eastward throughout the Town of Sullivan until they extended over thousands of acres.

His ownings in the Town of Sullivan at the time of his death being 3,600 acres, though there were times when he owned many more acres and in addition many tax sale lands until he was the largest land owner in central New York, if not in the state. When the New York Central Railroad used wood instead of coal Mr. Pennock cleared the lands north of the Depot and sold them wood and the better goods for ties. This work he has continued and it has been of great assistance to hundreds of labouring people in our town.. In addition to the large weekly payroll, Mr Pennock has had some 36 families interested with him in farm work and onion growing and it is largely due to his labour that all the lands north were developed into onion and celery lands. Mr Pennock has been interested in enterprises other than farming, being for some time president of the Chittenango Cotton company and later became owner of the mill property; He was also a director in the Canastota National Bank. He was a firm believer in democracy and wielded an influence in the politics of this locality. He hunted up the needy man and gave him work and it is said that among the things that worried him at the last was the large number of labourers and their families whom he felt needed his assistance and his guidance. No man in Sullivan will be missed by the labourers and merchants as much as Ebenezer Pennock.

Mrs. Pennock died in 1877. There survives a son, Mr Charles F. Pennock, a grandson to whom he was greatly attached and two sisters, Mrs. Reuben Carpenter and Mrs Butterly, the latter dangerously ill at her home north of the village, and a brother Simon at Chittenango Station, also a brother in Oswego County.

The deceased was a type of that element which meets duty with courage, views disaster undismayed, and is sustained by the unwavering conviction that success is a certain result of earnest endeavour. An impending storm could not daunt his resolve or threatenings deter his movements. Every emergency no matter how severe, was met by a fortitude which never murmurs at results. The ruling spirit was one which did not tolerate interference or brook impertinent suggestion. The euphony of the flatterer was scorned and encouragement from hostile sources distained.

He was a pioneer of the Town of Sullivan and his name is interwoven with the transition of its productive acres from the reign of the forest to the fertility of the present.

He was a friend of the poor and the tear has fallen in many a lowly home since the announcement of his demise cast a shadow across the pathway of those who shared his encouragement. He was kindly disposed and in his philanthropy loaned his credit and suffered great personal detriment. He knew his friends and held within himself their memory fresh and unchangeable. He loved his kindred and the guiding star in all his work has been the desire to labor and secure for them. He worshipped at shrines dedicated to truth and honor and scorned dissembling and the dictates of policy. No more appropriate words or truthful phrase, can close this notice of Ebenezer Pennock than to say, "He lived and died a man"

The funeral was held at the house, Tuesday afternoon at four o’clock and it was one of the largest attended funerals held in this town for years. From far and near came men who had known Ebenezer in his lifetime or had worked for him and they came to pay sincerely the sad rites to their dead friend and benefactor. The Rev H. Grant Person of the Presbyterian church afficiated and he was assisted by Rev S.S. Bidwell and Rev Geo. Britten. Six of his teamsters acted as pall bearers and his remains were buried in the family lot in Oakwood cemetery.

Note: Ebenezer Pennock's wife, Ann (Coats) Pennock predeceased him in 1877.