“
Wear
Valentine Penrose
~ by Julia Pearson
Frank M. Hohenberger, 1925, courtesy, The Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana out, not rust out,” is one adage lived out in the life of Valentine Penrose, who was once the oldest citizen of Brown County. Valentine Penrose was born on Valentine’ s Day of 1827 in Belmont County, Ohio.
Spending part of his earlier life steamboating on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, Penrose and his family joined a wave of Ohioans that came to Indiana in search of cheap, fresh farmland following the end of the Civil War. They found that the Brown County countryside felt like the home they left behind.
In 1867, using timber close at hand, Penrose built a cabin on 80 acres near Stone Head in Van Buren Township and settled in to a life of farming. Crops included: corn, wheat, oats, and tobacco. He had some wildlife for hunting nearby— deer, wild hogs, wild turkeys— but he spent most of his time clearing his acreage.
He never held office, with the exception of serving as a school director. He died there at home on May 9, 1930 at the age of 103 years. Valentine Penrose’ s obituary is full of nuggets that paint his era as satisfying, colorful, and rich.
Penrose’ s six sons and three daughters all stayed in Brown County and raised their own families. Valentine’ s Day became occasions of
festive family gatherings for the Penrose clan as they observed the patriarch’ s birthday in later years. He outlived most of his children. His death notice listed surviving sons Randolph and Sylvanus Penrose, and daughter Mrs. Lydia Haynes.
Penrose always gave his occupation as farmer and fox hunter. Five years before his death, Penrose attended the annual meeting of the State Fox Hunters Association in Nashville. On that date he received an award for being the oldest living fox hunter.
Penrose’ s later years were marked by the same vigorous physical activity and work as his youth. He had a mind with sharp and clear thinking, and eyesight that never proved the need for glasses. He credited his longevity to a life well lived in the quiet of the hills, plus taking time for adequate and regular hours of rest.
His obituary mentioned that he smoked for eighty years, and Frank Hohenberger noted in his diary after a visit, that Mr. Penrose enjoyed a pipe full after meals. Hohenberger’ s photo of Valentine Penrose in the Indianapolis Star during Penrose’ s 98 th year brought to the Penrose homestead a certain celebrity status. Tourists would seek his home out for picnics and visiting.
In his hundredth year, Penrose single-handedly cleared half an acre of heavily wooded land near his home. He observed his century-mark birthday in 1927 by hewing several crossties for the 300 guests who came for the celebration dinner at the Penrose farm. In the spring season previous to his passing, Penrose rode on a float in the Brown County Blossom Festival parade with some young children, representing the spirit of youth through old age.
Penrose raised a yearly crop of tobacco till he was a hundred years old. During his last summer on earth he raised 350 pounds.
Penrose’ s funeral service was conducted at on May 12, 1930 in the First Baptist Church at New Bellsville. •
Frank M. Hohenberger, 1930, courtesy, The Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana