James Cash Penney - 1875-1971, Part II
truth when other clerks tried to interfere, and by the end of the year he was the third in sales–in spite of his late start.
His salary was increased to $200 a year; at the end of the second year it was raised to $300. Jim was determined to earn every penney of his salary. He came to work early, he stayed late, he often forewent his lunch. By the middle of the third year he was forced to go to the doctor, who told him he had to move to a dryer climate and find a job that would get him outdoors. The alternate was that he would get consumption.
Thus necessity forced Jim to take his experience, some of his money (he left most with his mother), and go to Colorado. Not many years passed before he became owner of his own Golden Rule Store–the beginnings of the J. C. Penney Company.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS
Hudson, Wilma J., "J. C. Penney, Golden Rule Boy." 1972.
Plumb, Beatrice, "J. C. Penney, Merchant Prince." 1963.
WEB SITES
James Cash Penney, His Life and Legacy http://www.jcpenney.net/company/history/... (5 stars) This portion of the official J. C. Penney Co. web site gives a lot of great pictures of J. C., and a brief biography, focusing–naturally–on his developing J. C. Penney Co.
Reading 2: Meet James Cash Penney http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/les... (4 stars) A brief biography, with questions following to allow teachers to plan a lesson around Mr. Penney. Part of a series that includes one other individual.
Wyoming Citizen of the Century: Nominee James C. "J.C." Penney http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/ahc/citizen/pe... (4 stars) The brief biography that was included in Penney's nomination for the honor of Wyoming Citizen of the Century. The only place this author found that told how many siblings he had!
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