Newspaper: The Greer Citizen: Kennemore inherits unique collection · Greer Heritage Museum collection

Title

Newspaper: The Greer Citizen: Kennemore inherits unique collection

Accession Number

2026.31.17.12

Accession Date

11 August 2026

Accession Creator

Sophie Pendergraft

Depositor

Kala Kennemore

Description

Newspaper with front page article, "Kennemore inherits unique collection" by Julie Holcombe

Contributor

Written by Julie Holcombe for The Greer Citizen

Date

14 August 2013

Storage Location

Box 78, Folder 4

Text

Lindsey Collins (L.C.) Pearson catalogued his collection of penny checks in scrapbooks with accompanying articles and photos.

Kennemore inherits unique collection

By JULIE HOLCOMBE
Staff writer

By nature, Shane Kennemore is a collector. In his 32 years, the Greer resident has collected caps and comic books, baseball and NASCAR cards. He even amassed 11 cars– mostly 1960s classics– in a five person home during a project with his dad.

“It may be passed down to me genetically. I don’t know,” Kennemore said.

His most extensive collection, however, is not one he started, but the “penny checks” he inherited from his great-great uncle, Lindsey Collins (L.C. Pearson)

Bound scrapbook style in 36 photo albums, with accompanying articles, photos, and letters, the set of 1,543 one-cent checks are catalogued by subject– ranging from body parts (Arms, Hand, HIpp) and Bible names to states and seasons.

Pearson began the collection in 1972 after making a new acquaintance at an Atlanta Braves baseball game. After the encounter, the man gave Pearson something to remember him by– a one-cent check signed by Marion Penny.

“I think it was just something that interested him, and he wanted to see how far he could take it,” Kennemore said.

SUCCESS AND REJECTION

Pearson began to request more checks, sending out cards asking for people’s autographs on one-cent checks; overpaying businesses by a penny to receive the refund check; and imploring his relatives and friends.

Over the next decade, his collection grew quickly. It contains a who’s who of Greer’s prominent citizens, including Ed Burch, Mike, Bullock, Lonnie McGee, D.C., Phil Clark, and Pat Sudduth. It also features names more-widely known such as Ronald Reagan, Lawrence Welk, and Carol Campbell. Odd or unusual names make the compilation too including the check from chiropractor Dr. C.E. Achenbach.

Every request was not granted, however. Billy Graham’s staff sent a rejection letter as did Mrs. Lyndon B. (Lady Bird) Johnson and U.S. Representative Ernest Hollings who each enclosed an autographed card instead. Those letters are also scrapbooked for posterity.

In addition to his prolific collecting hobby, Pearson was a Founder of the Greer Rose Society, owner of People’s Insurance, and a two-term councilman for the City of Greer. He died in 1988.

Several newspaper articles chronicled his collection. In one, he explained his interest: “I collect them for the name of the signer. I know they aren’t worth anything to anyone else, but I enjoy it.”

So have Kennemore and his wife, Kala.

“It was cool to me back then as a kid. My grandparents had it in the back closet where it lined the shelves. I’d go back and flip through them all of the time,” Kennemore said.