The Pence Family

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Recollections of Harry Virgil Dunathan, 1964

Information about the Pence Family is scarce, but I will put down what I know or have found in the few records.

Henry Pence; (no middle name) was my Grandfather. He lived on a farm south-east of Van Wert, Ohio. I do not know where he was born or raised. As the name indicates, the family were English. He lived in Van Wert a few years after quitting the farm, then took a second wife and moved to her home in Mendon, Ohio, where he lived the rest of his life. He is buried in Ridge Cemetery, Van Wert, Ohio. Grandfathers first wife was Elizabeth Conwell, before marriage; I know nothing of her family except the facts shown in the chart attached. To them were born ten children;

Le Roy P., I am indebted to Uncle Roy and his good wife, Aunt Alice (Townsend) for helping take care of me when mother was sick. He was a physician in Spencerville, Ohio and lived at the south-west corner of Pearl St., and the Lima Road. (Grandma Dunathan and Uncle Henry Richardson lived only a few doors away.) It was at his home that I first came in contact with music. The Pences were all musical, -- singing in church choirs, choruses etc. I remember Aunt Mary Troup telling how a quartette of Pence girls used to go around the country-side singing at schools and churches. Uncle Roy had a music box that played by means of punched circular plates -- I thought it was wonderful -- and it was. Some years later Uncle Roy moved to Lima and had his office in the building at the north-west corner of South Main and Kibby. Then later moving to Bellefontaine Av. and Elm St. To this union was born 3 children, Mary Sarah and Henry; all of whom I know and knew quite well. Uncle Roy is buried in Ridge Cemetery, Van Wert county.

Martha Elma P., married _____ Gamble. They had 3 children; Icy, Grace and Ora. Martha died quite young (25). I knew Icy and Grace quite well. Used to go over to Grace (Gamble) Kesslers for a week or two in the summer when I was just a boy. Icy married Chas Corderman, they lived in Delphos, Ohio where Charley was a contractor and builder.

James Conwell P., Uncle Doctor Jim (M.D.) practiced medicine first in Spencerville, Ohio with his brother, Dr. Le Roy Pence, then moved to Lima, Ohio where I first knew him. His office was on the second floor of a building on the east side of the square. He 'jerked' my tonsils when I was just a kid. When I went to pharmacy school in Ada, Ohio, I would often stop in the office to see him between trains. (St. Marys to Lima on the Western Ohio Electric and on to Ada on the Penna -- then all steam engines -- now oil.) In his later years Uncle Jim had to give up his practice for reasons of health and went to live with his daughter Helen, in Boston, where he died. His wife Aunt May ( ? ) lived to a ripe old age, with daughter Helen, and at death was buried in Lima.

Mary Alice P., Aunt Mary married Henry Troup, who when I first knew him was Auditor of Van Wert County; which office he held for several years. Later he was a sales man for a Florida land company. When this comapany went under, it hurt Uncle Henry so to feel that he had sold many of his friends a 'no good' security that he literally worried himself to death. Aunt Mary lived in Van Wert for many years but in her later years went to the Sarah Moore Home for the Aged, in Delaware, Ohio. Mildred and I visited her there many times. She was active, walking to the post office and down town, up to the last year of her life. She died in 1959 at the age of 98. She is buried in Van Wert cemetery.

Elizabeth Jane P., married Rob Palmer. They lived on the Pence farm in Van Wert county. I was sent to spend a week or two in the summer with Aunt Jane when a small boy. I remember sleeping in the upstairs room on a feather tick -- driving to town, 4 miles, with horse and buggy -- the spring house, where milk and cream was kept in crocks setting in a trough of flowing, cool spring water -- churning with a hand churn -- Uncle Rob farming with horses -- the huckster wagon coming once a week. The house was the original Pence log house, but with improvements.

Harriet P., Aunt Harriet clerked in dry goods stores. First at Cochrans in Spencerville, Ohio, later at Shillitos in Cincinnati -- I visited her once there -- my first experience in a big city -- then at other places. In middle age she married _____ Glover; none of us knew him very well. They lived in Van Wert.

Ida Marietta P., died in youth. (17 years)

Harry Hussey P., The uncle for whom I was named. He died young - 18 years.

Nettie Florence P., was my mother. She came to Spencerville when a young woman and clerked in Gambles Grocery. (For additional detail see under Harmon Long Dunathan) Mother lived most of her life in St. Marys, Ohio, (1900--1962) and died at the age of 88. She is buried in Elmgrove Cemetery, St. Marys, O.

Ollie Belle P., whom I have spoken of elsewhere, came to St, Marys with father and mother in 1900 and helped mother with house work, mother being still quite crippled. She had a great deal to to with my bringing up, and I am most grateful to her. She was never married, living with father and mother until her death in 1938.

Family of Henry Pence
Henry Pence.   B-Jan.6.1833.   D-Oct.14.1914.
M-Elizabeth Conwell   B-Dec.17.1833   D-Aug.15.1886.
Le Roy Pence
M-Alice Townsend
Martha Elma Pence
M-   Gamble
James Conwell Pence
M-May ?
James Conwell.   B-Nov.8.1803.   D- ?
M-Martha Riggle.   Dec.29.1825.   B-Oct.8.1805.   D-July.21.1853.
Burials
Bethel Cemetery, in North East corner of Mercer County, Ohio.

John Henry Dunathan, 1836-1899.
Mary Angeline Dunathan, 1841-1921.
Elizabeth Frances Dunathan, 1858-1909.
James Arthur Dunathan, 1873-1875.
Horatio Seymour Dunathan, 1862-1864.
Clarinda Zion Dunathan, 1882-1884.
Jane Upton Dunathan, 1885-1891.
Ervin Price, 1884-1899.
Margaret B. Price, 1861-1891.
Howard E. Newcomb, 1921-1921.
Opal M. Newcomb, 1888-1932.
Thomas Upton, 1810-1888.
Mehetabel Upton, 1821-1908.
James Shepherd, 1828-1914.
Johnithan (sic) Shepherd, 1846-1900.
Mary A. Upton Severns, 1860-1892.
Charles Severns, 1860-1936.
William Walter Townsend, 1851-1916.

Van Wert Cemetery, Van Wert, Ohio.

Henry Troup,
Mary Alice Pence Troup, 1861-1959.

Ridge Cemetery. Located about 4 miles east of Van Wert, Ohio.

Henry Pence, 1833-1914.
Elizabeth Conwell Pence, 1833-1886.
Le Roy Pence, 1855-1932.
Elizabeth Jane (Pence) Palmer, 1863-1931.
Harry H. Pence, 1871-1889.
Ida M. Pence, 1868-1885.

Hartford Cemetery. Located about 4 miles north east of Spencerville.

Henry Clay Richardson,
Mary Mehetabel Richardson, 1864-
Mary E. Richardson, 1900-1904.
Elden R. Core, 1885-1960.
Edgar E. Core, 1914-1945. (Buried at Sea.)
Ruth Core Boegel, 1907-1958.

Spencerville, Ohio - circa 1910