First wife of John D. Lawler and upon Lawler's death in 1896, married Edmund Pennington. She had five children with John D. Lawler:
Eleanor Jerusha Lawler (1887-1991); Catherine Lawler (1889- ); Katharine Glenn Lawler (1889- ); Samuel Davis Sturgis Lawler (1892-1949), and Nina Sturgis Lawler (1893-1969).

Obituary from the "Daily Republican" newspaper, Mitchell, Davison County, South Dakota, dated 31 Jan 1925:

Mrs.Pennington Passes Away at Minneapolis Home

With the death in Minneapolis, MN yesterday of Mrs Edmund Pennington, wife of the chairman of the board of directors of the Sioux Railroad, old residents of Mitchell will recall her as one of the prominent women of this city in early days. As the bride of John D. LAWLER, Mrs. PENNINGTON came here in the 1880's when her husband was president of the First National Bank in which institution he purchased controlling interest in 1883. They made their home here for ten years until Mr. Lawler's death. Mr. Lawler was a member of a St.Paul, MN family prominent in the development of and progress of North Dakota while Mrs. Pennington was a member of one of the northwest's most distinguished families, daughter of General Sturgis, hero of the Mexican and Indian wars, and a sister of Major General S. D. Sturgis, United States army, who fought with General Custer in this state. On Mr. Lawler's death, his widow moved to St.Paul, MN. where a number of years later she became the wife of Mr. Pennington. She figured actively both in social and philanthropic activities in Minneapolis during her life there. She passed away at the family home there after being ill several weeks with penumonia.

The deceased is survived by three daughters, Mrs. John S. Pillsbury, Mrs. Robert L. Brooks, and Mrs. George F. Piper, Jr. (Nina) of Minneapolis and one son S.D.S. Lawler of Cleveland, Ohio, all of whom were born in Mitchell. Her sisters, Mrs. N. S. Dousman of New York, and Madame Sturgis, College of the Sacred Heart, Cincinnatti, Ohio, often visited her in this city.