Penick, William S., II.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Penick, William Sydnor, II., is one of the leading figures in the commercial and social life of New Orleans. He comes from a conspicuous line of American ancestry, several representatives of which took part in the Revolutionary war, the most distinguished having been Col. Raleigh White. Mr. Penick's father was William Sydnor Penick, D. D., a prominent minister of the Baptist faith and captain of Co. I, 53rd Virginia regiment, the directing organization of Pickett's immortal charge at Gettysburg. A brief review of Dr. Penick's life immediately precedes this one of his son and is from the pen of one who loved him and sympathized with all his high ambitions. The mother of Mr. Penick was Betty Tarpley Martin, and an uncle, Raleigh White Martin, was colonel of the 53rd Virginia regiment. The parents of Mr. Penick were both natives of Halifax county, Va., the father having been born May 12, 1836, and the mother Nov. 23, 1840. Their children were 10 in number and were named: Rebecca Chesley (Mrs. James B. Johnson) ; Elizabeth Sydnor, died in 1868, age 4 years; William Sydnor; Rawley Martin; Mary Louise (Mrs. James P. Ford); Betty Bruce, died 1877, age 4 years; Nathan Tredway; Nellie Cawood, died 1900, age 20 years; Mattie Brantley (Mrs. Burr D. Ilgenfritz), and Genevieve, died 1889, age 6 years. The 3rd of these in the order of birth is William Sydnor, born Aug. 21, 1867. He was educated in the schools of Virginia and Baltimore. In the latter place he entered business in 1884, but when his father came to Louisiana in 1885 the son came with him and located at Shreveport, where he began the study of law. Later he connected himself with the First National bank of that city and by close application to his duties became successively assistant cashier, cashier, and vice-president. Appreciating a splendid business opportunity in another line, he resigned active office in the bank in 1897 and formed a partnership with James P. Ford, under the name of Penick & Ford, for wholesale dealing in sugar cane products. This partnership was incorporated in 1903, Mr. Penick becoming president. This business has come to be one of the noted successes of New Orleans and its products are among the best and most widely known in the United States. In addition to this business, with which his name is so conspicuously identified, he is connected with the First National Bank at Shreveport as vice-president and is a director of the Whitney-Central National bank of New Orleans. In political affairs Mr. Penick has always voted with the democrats in state and local questions but has never voted for democratic president, nor any other president, on account of his leaning towards National republican ideas. Feb. 18, 1891, Mr. Penick was married to Miss Ottelia, daughter of Edward and Palestine (Cole) Jacobs, of Shreveport, and they have 2 children; William Ernest and Veva. Edward Jacobs, the father of Mrs. Penick, was a native of Prussia who came to the United States when a young man and settled at Shreveport, acquiring a considerable fortune and becoming one of the foremost business men in that city. Mr. Penick is a member of the Boston, Pickwick, Country and Audubon Golf clubs and belongs to several of the carnival associations. The home at the entrance of Audubon place is one of the most delightful in the city and is the center of much culture and social refinement.

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 654-655. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.