John Newton ZENTMEYER

1812 - 1892  (79 years)

• Name	John Newton ZENTMEYER
  Birth	13 Jul 1812	Montgomery Co., Virginia   [1, 2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Death	9 Mar 1892	Patrick Co., Virginia
  Burial	Abram Penn Farm Cemetery, Critz, Patrick, Virginia
  Notes	"Johannes died in 1844 and was the father of John N. Zentmeyer. John N. had been clerk of the courts from about 1837-1855. As a matter of fact, the courthouse had a pic of every court clerk since the beginning of time - except for John N. Zentmeyer. So I gave them one and it now hangs in the courthouse with the others. John moved the family to Mayo Forge, Virginia in 1855 for benefit of his wife who was in in poor health - it was much warmer in Mayo Forge than up on Floyd mountain. His kids, Peter and Edwin, lived in Mayo Forge, Peter had three boys, one was my Grandfather, John Edwin. By the way, the house in Mayo Forge, built in 1852, every brick, nail and board made on site by slaves, is still owned by the Zentmeyers. Interesting stuff." - Gentry Zentmeyer, Martinsville, Virginia. According to a letter written by John William Zentmeyer to Rev. William DeShazo, John was a surveyor prior to becoming Clerk of the Court. After his marriage to Martha Penn, John and Martha made their home in the Floyd Courthouse. They moved to Patrick County in 1855, and John engaged in the mercantile business in Mayo Forge for the remainder of his life. Sons Edwin and Peter were associated with him. According to Chataigne's 1888-89 Virginia Business Directory for Patrick County, 'Zentmeyer & Sanders' were Tobacco Manufacturers in Mayo Forge. 1840 US Census in Floyd, Virginia as 'Zeatriger' 1850 US Census in Jacksonville, Floyd, Virginia 1860 US Census in North Division, Patrick, Virginia 1880 US Census in Mayo River, Patrick, Virginia
  Person ID	I1651	Zentmeyer Main Tree
  Last Modified	29 Sep 2024

  
  

  Father	Johannes ZENTMEYER,   b. Aug 1763, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania d. 3 Sep 1844, Floyd Co., Virginia (Age ~ 81 years)
  Mother	Barbary WINDLE,   b. 29 Mar 1771, Dunmore Co., Virginia d. 2 Oct 1839, Floyd Co., Virginia (Age 68 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1789	Shenandoah, Virginia
  Family ID	F243	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Martha Ann Catherine PENN,   b. 9 Aug 1820, Patrick Co., Virginia d. 20 Mar 1897 (Age 76 years)
  Marriage	15 Sep 1847	Patrick Co., VA   [2]
  Children	+ 1. Edwin Penn ZENTMEYER,   b. 26 Aug 1848, Floyd, Floyd, Virginia d. 31 Aug 1895 (Age 47 years) + 2. Peter Leath ZENTMEYER, Sr.,   b. 04 Aug 1850, Roanoke, Patrick, Virginia d. 29 Nov 1929, Stella, Mayo River, Patrick, Virginia (Age 79 years)   3. Mary Eliza ZENTMEYER,   b. 30 Oct 1851, Floyd Co., Virginia d. 10 Sep 1853, Floyd Co., Virginia (Age 1 year)   4. Sarah Lucinda ZENTMEYER,   b. 6 Dec 1853, Patrick Co., Virginia d. 12 Nov 1907 (Age 53 years)   5. Flora ZENTMEYER,   b. Abt 1859, Patrick Co., Virginia
  Family ID	F247	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		John N. Zentmeyer
  		Martha Penn Zentmeyer
  		SunnySide in Critz, Virginia SunneySide is a 200+ acre farm in Critz, Patrick, Virginia which John N. and Martha Penn Zentmeyer purchased in 1855. They owned slaves, who were well cared for by all accounts. The farm continues to operate under Zentmeyer family ownership. Sunnyside and the Abram Penn Cemetery are located Here Image by Gary Zentmyer
  		Slave House at Sunnyside, in Critz, Virginia John N. Zentmeyer owned five slaves in the 1850 Census and six in the 1860 Census. Image by Gary Zentmyer
  		Zentmeyer Sanders General Merchandise This letter, dated 1883, lists brothers Edwin Penn Zentmeyer and Peter Leath Zentmeyer and the Sanders brothers as owners, although it is believed John N. was still involved with the business. According to Gentry Zentmeyer, a fire swept through Mayo Forge in the early 1920s and the store was destroyed.
  		Letter from Zentmeyer and Sanders Tobacco. Dated 1884, original in the Zentmyer Collection.
  		John N. Zentmeyer's Headstone Located in a small family cemetery on an 11 acre farm in Patrick Co., Virginia which was recently purchased by Jan Zentmeyer and her husband Skip Skinner of Blacksburg, Virginia. This farm lies across the road from SunnySide. Photo courtesy Gary Zentmyer
  		Abram Penn Farm Cemetery, Critz, Virginia Photo courtesy Gary Zentmyer

  
  

• Sources

  [S07962] Elizabeth Seawell Hairston, THE HAIRSTONS AND PENNS AND THEIR RELATIONS by Elizabeth Seawell Hairston Roanoke, VA; 1940,, (Roanoke, VA; 1940). [S07881] RootsWeb Floyd Co VA GenWeb. [S05794] Information contributed by Gary Zentmyer, Site Administrator.