Exhibit 24.1
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                                POWER OF ATTORNEY
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KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS THAT each of the undersigned directors and
officers of J. C. PENNEY COMPANY, INC., a Delaware corporation ("Company"),
which Company is about to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
Washington, D.C., under the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, a Registration Statement on Form S-8 for the registration of shares of
Common Stock of 50(cent)par value of the Company, including the associated
rights to purchase shares of Series A Preferred Stock, without par value, of the
Company, and, potentially, shares of JCPenney Preferred Stock, for issuance
pursuant to the J. C. Penney Company, Inc. 2001 Equity Compensation Plan, hereby
constitutes and appoints W. J. Alcorn, C. R. Lotter and R. B. Cavanaugh, and
each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full
power to each of them to act without the others, for him or her in his or her
name, place, and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign said Registration
Statement, which is about to be filed, and any and all subsequent amendments to
said Registration Statement (including, without limitation, any and all
post-effective amendments thereto) and to file said Registration Statement and
any and all subsequent amendments to said Registration Statement (including,
without limitation, any and all post-effective amendments thereto) so signed,
with all exhibits thereto, and any and all documents in connection therewith,
and to appear before the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with
any matter relating to said Registration Statement and any and all subsequent
amendments to said Registration Statement (including, without limitation, any
and all post-effective amendments thereto), hereby granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform any and all acts and things requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes as he or she
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Power of
Attorney as of the 26th day of September, 2001.

/s/ A. I. Questrom
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A. I. Questrom
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer
(principal executive officer);
Director

S-8 - 401(k) Savings Plan - 29038.2
November 9, 2001
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/s/ R. B. Cavanaugh                         /s/ W. J. Alcorn
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R. B. Cavanaugh                             W. J. Alcorn
Executive Vice President and                Vice President and Controller
Chief Financial Officer;                    (principal accounting officer)
(principal financial officer)



                                    Director            September 26, 2001
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M. A. Burns


/s/ T. J. Engibous                  Director            September 26, 2001
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T. J. Engibous


/s/ K. B. Foster                    Director            September 26, 2001
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K. B. Foster


/s/ V. E. Jordan, Jr.               Director            September 26, 2001
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V. E. Jordan, Jr.


/s/ J. C. Pfeiffer                  Director            September 26, 2001
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J. C. Pfeiffer


/s/ A. W. Richards                  Director            September 26, 2001
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A. W. Richards


/s/ C. S. Sanford, Jr.              Director            September 26, 2001
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C. S. Sanford, Jr.


/s/ R. G. Turner                    Director            September 26, 2001
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R. G. Turner

S-8 - 401(k) Savings Plan - 29038.2
November 9, 2001
                                       21