Rev. J. M. Penick was born in Casey county, Ky., June 16, 1809; died at his residence in Auburn, Logan county, Ky., Sept. 8, 1877. He came with his parents, when quite young to Warren county, where he spent his boyhood and early manhood. His father's name was Jeremiah, his mother's Susannah (her maiden name being Moore). Both of his parents came from Virginia to Kentucky. His father was an irreligious man, but his mother was a true Christian woman. When he was only eight years of age he was, in the providence of God, called to witness the death of that Christian mother. Just before she "crossed over the river," she called the father and all the children to her bedside and asked them to promise to meet her in heaven; and turning to little Joel she laid her thin hand on his head, and asked God to guard and guide her little boy. I have no doubt that that prayer was recorded in the great book and had its influence on that child's future life. He never forgot the mother nor the mother's prayer. From that time on he had a desire often to become a Christian, and has been heard to say that if properly taught and assisted he would, in his opinion, at that early age have become a Christian.

When about fourteen years of age he attended a communion meeting, and an older sister, rising to start to the communion table, looked at him tenderly and prayerfully, which smote his heart with deep conviction, and he then and there resolved to try to give his future life to the service of God. An earnest boy, his struggle was an earnest one, being met at every step with the gloomy thought, "I am one of the reprobate." I thank God that young hearts are not now so often crushed out by this hopeless burden. One day, arising from his devotions, this passage of scripture beamed upon him as a light from heaven, "That Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man." Saying to himself, "That is me," he seized the promise and rejoiced in Christ. After protesting against close communion, and being told by the preacher that all would be right--meaning, as the preacher afterwards said, that all would soon be Baptists--he joined the Baptist Church, in which he lived till getting hold of one of our Confessions of Faith; he found that it taught just what he believed, and cast his lot with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

At the age of twenty-three he was married to Miss Margaret M. Millan, of Todd county, Ky., and returned where he had been living some year or two. On getting home he felt he ought to hold family prayers, and after a struggle performed the duty. On the next night his father (being irreligious) was present, and after a still harder struggle, held worship again. The third night several neighbors were in, and he again took up the cross. They then invited him to hold prayer-meeting in the neighborhood, which he did, having six anxious ones asking prayer. From that time on he held Sabbath service on all possible occasions till his death.

Having impressions to preach, from the time of his conversion, he joined Presbytery in West Tennessee and came into the ministry under the watchful eye of Rev. R. Burrow, D.D., and the two faithful men of God were dear friends till they were parted by the stream of death, but they now stand side by side, near "the great white throne." After licensure, Bro. Penick came to live in Todd county, Ky., and was ordained by Anderson Presbytery, Kentucky, in the year 1836--three years after joining Presbytery and two years after licensure. When the Presbytery offered to ordain him before he came up in literature to the standard, he refused, saying, "I must come up to the Book." Let none consent to lower attainments.

He farmed and preached for over thirty years, having a family, and the meager contributions of the churches not being sufficient to give him and family sustenance. When he commenced the regular work of the ministry he asked God to give him one hundred conversions every year of his ministry; and he said that that number was brought to Christ in meetings he attended, either of his own or other brethren, every year of his long ministerial life, except one, and then he lacked only three or four.

He covenanted with God that if he would enable him to raise and educate his children, giving them one thousand dollars to start on, that he would then give his whole life and energy to preaching the gospel. Ten years ago he did this, and winding up his business as much as possible, he offered himself as missionary to Green River Synod, and having been accepted, he labored with great energy and success. From the time of this perfect consecration his diary shows that from three to four hundred souls were brought to Christ yearly in meetings held and attended by him.

He said, moreover, that the peace of mind he enjoyed when giving up all earthly concerns "for the kingdom of heaven's sake," was as marked and distinct as in the hour of his conversion. There were not less than five thousand souls brought to Christ through his instrumentality or in meetings attended by him. He worked and prayed for immediate fruit of his ministry. He did not fail. He said, just before death, "I have been reviewing the time that I worked on the farm and preached, and though I believe that God usually wants all of our time given to the ministry, yet I feel that under the state of things then obtaining in the churches, I did right."

His wife died a few years ago, after making him a helpmeet indeed. And waiting a suitable time, he married a second time, Mrs. M. Price, of Auburn, Ky., who proved true and faithful to him and his Master till his death. Heaven soothe her sorrows.

Bro. Penick has five living children, two sons and three daughters, all pious and useful, and one of them, Rev. S. [sic: T.] W. Penick, a minister of Logan Presbytery. He was laid in the grave by the side of his first wife, at Old Red River, his funeral sermon having been preached by Rev. F. M. Gilliam.

For many of the above facts we are indebted to Rev. J. I. McCormick, who attended Bro. Penick much during his last sickness. He died of heart disease.

What a glorious life? Who will fill his place? He was a man of naturally a vigorous intellect, but had not the extensive culture that such a mind would have secured under other circumstances. In all the relations of life he was a noble Christian hero. The battle of life was long, and he fought it grandly. Who has made a better record? "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever."
Dan. xii. 3.
     Bowling Green, Ky.
[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, October 4, 1877, page 2]

Surely the physical, intellectual and spiritual giant of his day, whose name is at the head of this sketch, deserves a place in the glorious array of "Our Dead Heroes." Rev. J. M. Penick was born in Casey County, Ky., June 16, 1809, and died at his residence in Auburn, Ky., Sept. 8, 1877. He was converted at the age of fourteen, and at twenty-three was married to Miss Margaret M. Miller, of Todd County, Ky. From the time of his conversion Brother Penick had impressions that he should preach the gospel, and at once began to exercise his gifts in public worship. He joined presbytery in West Tennessee, and Rev. Reuben Burrow, of precious memory, was his father in the ministry. These two were friends here until separated by death, and both have long since joined hands by the banks of the "beautiful river." Brother Penick was ordained by Anderson Presbytery in 1836. This man of God was in the truest sense self-made. His advantages for education in the schools were very meager--in fact, in them he obtained very little learning. Notwithstanding this, he educated himself, and came into possession of a large store of knowledge and wisdom, which he successfully utilized in his great work. It may be truthfully said of him, His life was a success. He and his noble wife reared a family that is an honor to his memory. He has five children living, two sons and three daughters. One of the sons, Rev. Thomas Penick, is a minister in our church; his son, grandson of our subject, is a professor in Missouri Valley College. The other son, R. B. Penick, Esq., is one of our most useful laymen, and is a deacon in famous old Red River church, of which his father was pastor twenty years. During his ministry of over thirty years, Brother Penick was instrumental in the conversion of over five thousand souls. He organized and built up a number of churches. He was for a while a missionary in Green River Synod, and also was during one year agent for Camp Blake at Lebanon, Tenn. During those pioneer days few of our preachers received large salaries, and many of them had to look to other sources for support. Brother Penick was a successful farmer. He gave all his children a good education, and one thousand dollars each with which to start in life. His first wife died several years before his death. He was again married to Mrs. M. Price, of Auburn, Ky. This man, whose will was as iron, whose energy was untiring, now sleeps the sleep of the just, and we shall see him, not here, but up yonder.
     Adairville, Ky.
[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, November 12, 1896, page 618]