My Genealogy Hound

JAMES L. PENNEY, physician, McKeesport, was born at Library, Allegheny county, Pa., March 7, 1838, a son of William and Sarah (Lowrey) Penney. His paternal grandparents were James and Jane (Sill) Penney, the former a son of John Penney, a native of County Down, Ireland, and one of the first settlers of Elizabeth. William Penney was reared on a farm in Versailles; was a clergy man in the Baptist Church, also a prominent physician, and practiced his profession in McKeesport for many years; he was an ardent supporter of the republican party, and died in 1863, aged fifty-one years. He had three children, Flavius J., James L. and Irene J., by his first wife, and by his second wife, nee Elizabeth Gilbert, also three children: William H., Sarah J. and Josephine F. William H. was an engineer of a gunboat during the rebellion, and enlisted in the service at the age of seventeen.

James L. was reared in McKeesport. In 1856 he began the study of medicine in the office of his father, attended Cleveland Medical College, and in 1859 began the practice of his profession in McKeesport. In April, 1861, he was commissioned by Gov. Curtin assistant surgeon of Pennsylvania volunteers; was sent from the army at Harrison’s landing, after the seven days’ fight before Richmond, to Washington city in charge of five hundred sick and wounded, and thence to Baptist Church hospital at Alexandria. He resigned in 1863 on account of ill health, and returned to McKeesport, where he has been in active practice since. He married, in 1860, Sarah J., daughter of David and Minerva Allen, of Green Oak, this county, and has two children, Luella J. and James L. He is a member of Allegheny County Medical society, is a F. &A. M.; in politics a republican.