The Mary Pennington Collection spans multiple generations of the Pennington family. They resided in Pewamo, Michigan until 1920 when they moved to East Lansing, Michigan. Most of the collection concerns John H. Pennington’s immediate family, and particularly, his daughter, Mary Pennington. The collection is divided into six series: Family Memorabilia, Correspondence, Educational Materials, “I Am” Materials, Visual Materials, and Estate Papers of John Pennington.
Mary Marie Pennington was born October 16, 1907 to John H. Pennington and Eva (Shumway) Pennington in Pewamo, Ionia, Michigan. When she was 11, the family moved to East Lansing, Michigan. She attended East Lansing High School and graduated from Michigan State College in 1931 with a Master’s Degree in Home Economics. Upon graduation, Mary began her teaching career in New Mexico. In 1942, she moved back to Michigan and taught at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Wyandotte.
Sometime in the 1930s, Mary and her mother became heavily involved in the “I Am” religious movement. Both women attended study groups in East Lansing, Michigan and Mary often visited the headquarters in Chicago. Mary remained very engaged in the organization throughout her life and kept regular correspondence with other members.
Mary also stayed active in the Michigan State University (MSU) community. She served as president of the Spartan Alumni Travel group for ten years and opened her home to international students attending MSU. Between 1953 and July 2005, more than 150 students resided in her home. Mary Pennington died October 14, 2005.
John Hiram Pennington was born October 17, 1870 in Pewamo, Ionia, Michigan, to John D. Pennington and Mary M. (Millis) Pennington. His father (John D.) served in the Civil War in Company C, 12th Michigan Infantry. John H. Pennington graduated from Pewamo High School in 1889. On April 10, 1894, he married Eva (Shumway) Pennington, daughter of David H Shumway and Henrietta (Rogers) Shumway. In the 1900 census, the family was settled on a farm in Dallas, Clinton, Michigan.
In 1918, the family relocated to East Lansing, Michigan. While there, John H. Pennington served as a director of the East Lansing State Bank for 30 years and founded the East Lansing Coal Company. He was a member of the People’s Church in East Lansing and the East Lansing Lodge, 480 F. and A.M. He died February 22, 1961 at the age of 89. The couple had three children: Ray Pennington, Beatrice (Pennington) Asher, and Mary M. Pennington.
Ray Pennington, was born January 26, 1895 in Dallas, Clinton, Michigan. He attended Michigan Agricultural College and earned a degree in Engineering. On June 6, 1917, he married Clara Louise Smith in East Lansing, Michigan. Between September 1917 and April 1919, Ray served in France during WWI. The couple had three children: Phyllis (Pennington) Bentley, Richard Pennington, and Vera (Pennington) Bleil. After the war, Ray Pennington returned to East Lansing Michigan and worked with his father at the East Lansing Coal Company. He died in 1953.
John H. Pennington’s second child, Beatrice E. (Pennington) Asher was born January 23, 1900. In 1946, she opened her East Lansing home to returning veterans and became the namesake of the Asher House Foundation, an organization for Christian Science college students. She died December 31, 1993 in East Lansing, Michigan.
