Person: Thomas PENNELL

Birthday: 1746
Birthplace: Harwich, MA
Mother: Agnes Trefry
Father: Matthew Pennell
Sex: male

• Catherine Lucy PENNELL born ca. 1774 at Lunenburg

Dot's info:
Thomas Pennell, b. 1746 in Marblehead, MA; m. 8 Nov 1770 in Lunenburg, NS; d.
8 Sept 1827 in Lunenburg, NS.

Philip Mossman info: (PLMossman@aol.com)
The Pennell (Pinel, Pynnel) family were French Huguenots who escaped to the Channel Islands from where at least 50 surnames can be further traced to Marblehead, MA, where many immigrated by 1649; Clement came to Maine and Thomas to Marblehead. I assume the Trefry family had the same origins. Matthew Pennell came to Lunenburg in 1763 from Massachusetts and later was appointed keeper of the Sambro lighthouse.

The history of the Sambro light is interesting to recount. It was first proposed in 1752 to finance the project from a provincial lottery but instead the 62-foot stone lighthouse was constructed from funds collected from "duties on spirituous liquors." The structure, completed in 1759, was maintained by a fee of 6d. per ton, collected in Halifax, levied on all marine traffic except fishing boats, coasters, and vessel's "in His Majesty's Service." The light, built on Sambro Island, was 134 feet above sea level. In 1771 there were complaints that the light was inadequate since the lens was frequently obscured by soot from the lantern. To correct this defect, a new flue was constructed and other improvements made. It was in 1772 that Matthew Pennell was appointed keeper with an annual stipend of Lb100. He petitioned the Crown for an increase in salary due to increased living expenses since they found the provided house was quite old, leaky and difficult to heat. Three years later there were more problems when the supplier failed to provide the necessary oil and the light was extinguished for five successive nights. The lighthouse was replaced in 1906 and modernized in 1967.

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