Larcena Pennington Page facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Larcena Pennington Page
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| Born |
Larcena Ann Pennington
January 10, 1837 |
| Died | March 31, 1913 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | President of the Arizona Historical Society |
| Known for | survived Apache attack and crawled 16 days to help |
| Spouse(s) | John Hempstead Page William Fisher Scott |
| Children | Mary Ann Page William P. Scott Georgie Hazel Scott |
Larcena Pennington Page (born January 10, 1837 – died March 31, 1913) was an American pioneer. She is famous for surviving a difficult experience when she was taken captive by Apache people in what is now Arizona. She was only 23 years old at the time. Even though she was left for dead and couldn't stand, she managed to crawl about 15 miles over 16 days to find help and safety.
After this event, Larcena was involved in other incidents with Apache groups. Many members of her family passed away during her lifetime. This was often due to attacks by native groups or illnesses common on the frontier.
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Larcena's Early Life
Larcena Ann Pennington was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Her parents were Elias and Julia Ann Pennington. She was one of 12 children, with seven sisters and four brothers. Her father, Elias, was the grandson of Elijah Pennington. Elijah was a soldier who served under General George Washington at Valley Forge during the American Revolutionary War.
Larcena's mother, Julia Ann, passed away about a year after her twelfth child was born. Her husband, Elias, was away at the time. After this, Elias took the remaining Pennington children to an area near Keechi, Texas.
Moving West from Texas
In 1857, the Pennington family decided to travel west. They hoped to find better opportunities and originally planned to settle in California. They left Keechi with three wagons pulled by oxen and mules, and a herd of cattle.
Their journey was long and challenging. They crossed the Pecos River, where some of their cows drowned. They continued to Paso del Norte. From there, they followed the Rio Grande north to Mesilla. Then, they moved west toward Tucson. They passed through several canyons where Apache groups were known to launch surprise attacks. These included Doubtful Canyon, Apache Pass, and Cooke's Canyon. They also traveled through the San Simon Valley, Sulphur Springs Valley, the San Pedro area, and Dragoon Springs.
In June 1857, the Penningtons paused their journey at Sonoita Creek. This was near Fort Buchanan. Their animals were very tired or had been stolen by Apache groups. Also, Larcena had gotten malaria, a serious illness. The men got a job from the government to supply the fort with hay. The women sewed uniforms for soldiers to earn money.
Once they finished this work, the Penningtons moved west to Calabasas. This town was along the Santa Cruz River. Before September 1859, they moved into a house that used to belong to Governor Manuel Maria Gandara. He had left after the United States won the Mexican–American War.
Marriage and Starting a Family
While at Fort Buchanan, Larcena met a lumberjack named John Hempstead Page. They fell in love and got married on December 24, 1859. This was a special event because they were the first American citizens to be married in Tucson. At that time, Tucson was a small settlement with fewer than one thousand people.
Larcena's Later Life
In 1861, the American Civil War was about to begin. Larcena worried that Apache groups might become more aggressive because military personnel would be leaving the area. Larcena and her family soon moved to Patagonia.
Due to an event called the Bascom affair, Chief Cochise and Mangas Coloradas were leading attacks on American settlements across southern New Mexico Territory. In March or April 1861, Larcena's husband, John, was attacked and killed by Apache people north of Tucson. He was transporting goods in a wagon to Old Camp Grant. John was buried where he died. Larcena only saw his handkerchief, his purse, and a lock of his hair after his death. Later in August 1861, her brother, Jack, helped save another settler from Apache during the Battle of Cookes Canyon.
In September 1861, Larcena gave birth to her daughter, Mary Ann. Soon after, she moved again, first to Tubac. Then she moved to a stone house along the Santa Cruz River, about half a mile from the border with Mexico. This stone house was in a dangerous area, often visited by Apache groups. At one point, Larcena had to quickly flee to Mowry, which was a small, protected mining town.
The Penningtons were constantly moving. By April 1864, they had returned to Tubac. They were the only residents there, as everyone else had left during an Apache attack in 1861. Larcena's younger brothers carried very long guns to help protect their family from more attacks.
In 1867, Larcena's sister passed away from malaria. In 1868, her brother, Jim Pennington, was killed during attacks against the Apache. In June 1869, her father and another brother were both killed by Apache while working at a farm.
The remaining Pennington family members left for Tucson. They then decided to move to California. About 20 miles outside Tucson, they had to turn back. Larcena's sister Ellen became very sick with pneumonia. Even with medical help, Ellen died. At this point, Larcena and her brother were the only two family members left. Jack moved to Texas, and Larcena chose to stay in Tucson.
Marrying Again
In August 1870, Larcena married William Fisher Scott. He was a Scottish lawyer and judge. Larcena and William had two children: William P. (born September 1871) and Georgie Hazel (born October 6, 1872). Even after all the difficulties she faced in Arizona, Larcena refused to leave.
Larcena became a Christian and was one of the first members of the Congregational Church in Tucson. She was also named president of the Arizona Historical Society. From then on, Larcena lived a relatively peaceful life until her death.
Larcena's Legacy
Pennington Street in downtown Tucson is named after Larcena Pennington and her family. Scott Avenue is named for her second husband, William F. Scott. In the early 2000s, a neighborhood called Stone House was built southeast of Sahuarita, Arizona. It was named after the Pennington family's stone house along the Santa Cruz River.
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