1.  Ephriam Pennington II was born about 1645 in New Haven, New Haven Co., CT.  He was christened on October 22, 1648 in New Haven, New Haven Co., CT.  He died on January 28, 1694/95 in Newark, Essex Co., NJ.  Moved to Newark, NJ in 1667.

He was married to Mary Brockett (daughter of John Brockett and Mary Blackwell) on October 25, 1667 in Milford, CT.   Mary Brockett was born on September 28, 1646 in New Haven, New Haven Co., CT.  She died in 1694 in CT.  Ephriam Pennington II and Mary Brockett had the following children:

            +2              i.    Ephriam Pennington III (born about 1670).

            +3             ii.    Judah Pennington (born about 1682).

            +4            iii.    Timothy Pennington (born about 1684).

SECOND GENERATION

2.  Ephriam Pennington III was born about 1670 in Newark, Essex Co., NJ.  Jonathan  Stearns, DD, in his book, HISTORICAL DISCOURSES RELATING TO THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN NEWARK, writes that "Ephriam settled west of the mountain, probably, with emmigrants, his friends and neighbors."  In a book entitled THE PASSAIC RIVER by Norman Brydon, and also in HISTORY OF ESSEX AND HUDSON COUNTIES, Vol. II, by William H. Shaw we find info regarding a 13,500 acre parcel of land known as Horseneck that Newark settlers purchased from Indians in March 1702. Horseneck lies west of Great Mountain, or Wachung, and is now included in that portion of Essex City now within the boundaries of Caldwell, Livington, and West Orange Townships, and a portion of Acquackkononck. These Indian land grants were pronounced void by the proprietors and a long controversy and many riots ensued during the period 1740-1750. A long lawsuit resulted in disaster for the settlers and many lost their homes which they had improved by years of toil.  Only 35 families held bona fide titles, and at least 66 other families were dispossessed.

Speculation by John French:  Ephriam may have been one of this group.  It is also possible that Ephriam may have lost his land and removed to NC.

In "THE PENNINGTON FAMILY" by A.C.M. Pennington, it says that Ephriam removed to Mendham, Morris Co., NJ.  Mendham, NJ is located almost straight west of Newark, NJ.  "It is supposed from the fact that there was a Timothy Pennington (Penitone) in Mendham in 1749, who named in his will, Elijah, Jonathan and Ephriam". 

Speculation by John French:  This Timothy is thought to be his brother.  Ephriam appears in court records in Mendham county in 1741.  The Elijah appears in Mendham court records in 1758 and Jonathan appears in Morris Township in 1772, and in his household there are five persons.  He had one dwelling house and a family consisting of two males between 16 and 50 years of age, one male between 50 and 80, one married and one unmarried, one female between 16 and 20, and one female under 16.  Nothing more is known concerning the descendants of this Ephriam.  It is unlikely that Ephriam III was still alive in 1772 as he would have been 100 years old or older.

Speculation by John French:  This Ephriam seems to be the missing link  to the Penningtons in NC. No records have been found to show that this Ephriam ever married or had children.  Ephriam IV is speculated to be a son of Ephriam III. The Ephriam, son of Timothy (will of 1749) may be our Ephriam  V. There is too much speculation in this time period to make any definite determination which Ephriam was which.  Ephriam V names his two sons, Richard and Timothy, speculated birth dates, 1752 and 1748. Seeing that he named only two sons, were there others?

  Ephriam Pennington III and Unknown MAY have had the following children:

            +5              i.    Ephriam Pennington IV (born about 1689).

3.  Judah Pennington was born about 1682 in Newark, Essex Co., NJ.  He died before 1738.  All of the descendants of Judah Pennington in this report were taken from the book "THE PENNINGTON FAMILY" by CART. A.C.M. PENNINGTON, 2d Art'y U.S.A.;  BRV'T COL. U.S.A. BRV'T BRIG. GEN. U.S. VOLS. REPRINTED WITH ADDITIONS, FROM VOL. WWV OF THE N. E. HISTORICAL and GENEALOGICAL REGISTER, BOSTON.  Printed by David Clapp & Son 1871.

Anne \ was born about 1692.  She died on October 8, 1749 in Newark, Essex Co., NJ.  Judah Pennington and Anne \ had the following children:

              6              i.    Experience Pennington was born in November 1724 in Newark, Essex Co., NJ.  She died on September 18, 1741 in Newark, Essex Co., NJ.  She was buried in Newark, Essex Co., NJ.

            +7             ii.    Samuel Pennington (born about 1725).

4.  Timothy Pennington was born about 1684 in Newark, Essex Co., NJ.  He died in 1748/49 in Mendham, Morris Co., NJ.  Timothy's will is dated 30 Oct. 1749.  He names his three minor sons, Elijah, Jonathan and Ephriam.  His wife, Mary, and Joseph Dodd were named executors.  The will was proved 22 Feb. 1749.  Inventory was taken on 25 Feb. 1749.

Speculation by John French:  From the above dates we know that either the writer of the will, or the court in Morris Co., NJ., did not have the correct year.  In the inventory, a bit of information that ties this Timothy with the NC., VA. Penningtons, a dept of one pound each to Stephen Osborn and John Barton, two pounds, eleven shillings to Nathan Crossman and ten shillings to Josiah Cain.

One can only assume that this Timothy had other children.  He was 64 years old when he died and names only minor children.  Mary, his wife may have been a second wife and the named children were hers.  I would guess that her maiden name was Dodd and the above named Joseph Dodd was her brother.

He was married to Mary McAllister.   Mary McAllister was born about 1690.  Timothy Pennington and Mary McAllister had the following children:

              8              i.    Elijah Pennington was born after 1728 in NJ.  Still in Morris Co., NJ in 1758.

            +9             ii.    Jonathan Pennington (born about 1733).

            10            iii.    Ephriam Pennington was born after 1728 in NJ.  Speculation by John French:  This Ephriam was probably in his late teens or perhaps even 20 yeas old when his father died.  It is estimated that Timothy was about 64-65 years old when he died.  Considering this, and guessing that his wife was probably about the same age, it is likely that all three boys named in the 1749 will were at least teenagers. This Ephriam could be the Ephriam V, father of Richard and Timothy. Is it also likely that the Timothy of the 1749 will had older children and one of them could be the Benajah in NC in the 1750s making Benajah and Ephriam brothers as we all believe they were.  I think that this is a good place to look for the tie of the NC Penningtons to the older generations in NJ.