Sophia Brannen Line
THE SOPHIA BRANNEN LINE
Sophia Brannen (1817-1900)
Sophia the third daughter of Archibald Brannen (1777-1927) and Mary Atkinson (1786-??). She was born on October 27, 1817, likely on Cape Sable Island. She was baptized on March 2, 1837.
She married Eleazar C. Penney (1814-1871) in about 1839. He was the son of Daniel Penney (1789-1871). Eleazar was the grandson of Samuel Penney, the original Penney to settle on Cape Sable Island. He was her brother-in-law. He was a brother to her sister Rebecca's husband Samuel Penney. Eleazar and Sophia lived at South Side. It appears they had several children.
The 1871 census shows the family living on Cape Island with two children at home, Lewis age 16 and James age nine. Later that year, October 9, 1871, Eleazar died of “inflammation”. He was buried in the Old Town Cemetery in Swim’s Point.
The 1881 census shows her as a 63-year-old widow. Living with her is son James C. Penney. In the 1891 census she is shown as age 73 living with son Clark Penney age 30 and his wife Eunice 24. James C. and Clarke are one the same.
Sophia died in 1900 and is likely buried with Eleazar in the old town cemetery at Swims Point
THE THIRD GENERATION
THE FAMILY OF SOPHIA BRANNEN (1817-1900)
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Mary Elizabeth Penney (1840-1887)
Mary Elizabeth Penney (1840-1887) was the daughter of Sophia Brannen (1817-1900) and Eleazar Penney (1814-1871). She was born in South Side NS December 22, 1840.
She married Jonathan Arnold Smith (1839-1891) son of Soloman Smith and Lucretia Nickerson about 1860. He was a fisherman from Woods Harbour. They made their home in Woods Harbour and had six children.
The 1881 census shows the family of four children and ‘Luoritia’ age 85, presumably his mother. He and son Ezra age 18 were fishermen.
She died in November 13, 1887, at 47. It appears two children Etherilla Nickerson and Jonathan Nickerson Jr. would have been under ten years of age at the time of her death. Jonathan remarried to Sophia before 1891.
The 1991 census shows Jonathan age 52, Sophia age 44, Etherilla age 14 and Jonathan age eight living with them in Woods Harbour plus Sophia’s children Delbert age 23 and Oscar age 24.
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Prince William Penney (1842-1926)
He was the son of Sophia Brannen (1817-1900) and Eleazar Penney (1814-1871). He was born in South Side NS December 22, 1842.
He married Abigail Atkinson (1845-1900) February 17 1864. She was the daughter of Job Atkinson and Temperance Newell. They had six children.
In 1881 census he was shown as age 38 and Abigail age 33 living at South Side. There were five children at home. The 1891 census showed him as age 48. There were four children still at home, Smith age 22 a fisherman, Aeltha age 18, Eleazar Jr age 16 a fisherman and Job age nine.
Abigail died September 1, 1900, at age 55. She is buried in South Side NS.
He appears in the 1901 census as a widower with his son Job age 20 and daughter in law Annie age 19. He was shown as age 58, a fisherman.
He married Matilda Atkinson (1844-1927) March 21, 1902. She was the daughter of Moses Atkinson and Mahala Nickerson. She appears to have brought a child Florence Quinlan born about 1884 from a previous marriage to George Quinlan. This could be Fanny Bertha Quinlan (1879-1934).
In the 1911 and 1921 census he is shown married to Matilda J. one year younger than him. They were living at South Side. The 1911 census reported his birthdate as Dec 1843.
Matilda died May 9, 1927, of apoplexy. He passed away December 17, 1926, and is buried in South Side NS.
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Marsden K. Penney (1847-1881)
Marsden was the child of Sophia Brannen (1817-1900) and Eleazar Penney (1814-1871). He was born in South Side NS June 17 1847. He married Matilda Martha Kenney (1847-1937) April 5 1866. She was the daughter of Judah N. Kenney (1823-1911) and Sarah Newell (1847-1937). They had eight children.
Marsden died October 15 1881 at Swims Point NS. He was only age 34. He left his widow with seven young children. The oldest a boy of 13 and the youngest had been born in January of that year.
He is buried at Swim's Point.
Matilda's father Judah Kenney built a house for her in Clark’s Harbour.
The 1891 Census showed her as a widow age 43 living in Clark’s Harbour with five children, Howard Ziphaniah age 23, Justine age 22, Mary age 21. Lettice age 12 and Margaret age ten.
The 1911 census found her living with her son Thomas in West Head. She was age 68. She died March 15 1937 in Clark’s Harbour and is buried in Oakvale Cemetery.
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James Clarke Penney (1861-1944)
He was born September 3 1861 in South Side NS. He was the son of Sophia Brannen (1817-1900) and Eleazar Penney (1814-1871). He was only ten years old when his father died in 1871.
The 1881 census showed him and his widowed mother Sophia age 63 living together in South Side NS.
He married Eunice Jane Smith (1867-C1922) February 7 1884. She was the daughter of Coleman Smith and Mary Ann Nickerson. They had ten children.
The 1901 census showed him as a fisherman born September 3 1860. He was married to Eunice. There were three children, Edna age four, James S. age two, and Sidney a new baby. There was also a a14 year old adopted son Clark A. Swim (1887-1911) born 23 May 1887. Clark appears to have been the son of Jethro Crowell Swim (1858-1923) and Lillas Smith (1858-1973). The boy appears to have drown in 1911.
James moved to the USA in 1907 or 8. The 1910 US census shows seven children plus a niece Annie Penney.
He appeared in the Malden city directory as a shoe repairer at 702 Salem. He was living at 18 Ferguson, Malden
The 1920 US census showed him as a cobbler, shoe repair, living at 18 Ferguson, in Malden. Paul age 14, Wendell age 11 were living at home.
Eunice died about 1922 in Malden.
In the 1930 census he was a shoemaker living with his sister-in-law Mary Nunes and along his sons James S. and Wendell. In the 1940 census he is shown as age 77 living with son James S. in Medford.
He died in Malden in 1944.
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