John Penn (writer)
Encyclopedia
John Penn (22 February 1760, London
, England – 21 June 1834, Stoke Poges
) was an Anglo-American writer, a part proprietor of the Province of Pennsylvania
(now the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a state of the United States
), and a governor of the Isle of Portland
.
and his wife Juliana (the daughter of Thomas Fermor, first earl of Pomfret
), elder brother to Granville Penn
, and a grandson of William Penn
, founder of Pennsylvania
. He was sent to school at Eton College
. On the death of his father in 1775, John Penn succeeded to his father's interests, but, with his cousin, also named John Penn
("John Penn the Governor"), lost the proprietorship by the American Revolution
. In 1776 he entered Clare College, Cambridge
as a fellow commoner. He made an extended visit to Pennsylvania (1783–88), renting a Philadelphia city house, and designing and building a country house, The Solitude, which survives on the grounds of the Philadelphia Zoo
. He returned to England in 1789 with 130,000 pounds compensation for the loss of the family's 21 million acres (84,984.1 km²) in Pennsylvania. With the money he rebuilt the mansion in the family estate of Stoke Park.
in 1798 he was appointed High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Helston
from 1802 to 1805. In 1805 he became governor of the Isle of Portland
, where he built Pennsylvania Castle. He published a tragedy (The Battle of Eddington, or British Liberty), some pamphlets, and a volume of poems, and received the degree of LL.D. from Cambridge in 1811.
In his declining years he founded the "Outinian Society," whose purpose was to encourage young men and women to marry.
He died, unmarried, at Stoke Park in Stoke Poges
on 21 June 1834 and was succeeded by his brother Granville Penn
.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England – 21 June 1834, Stoke Poges
Stoke Poges
Stoke Poges is a village and civil parish in the South Buckinghamshire district of Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the south of the county, about three miles north of Slough and a mile east of Farnham Common....
) was an Anglo-American writer, a part proprietor of the Province of Pennsylvania
Province of Pennsylvania
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in British America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II...
(now the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a state of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), and a governor of the Isle of Portland
Isle of Portland
The Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, long by wide, in the English Channel. Portland is south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A tombolo over which runs the A354 road connects it to Chesil Beach and the mainland. Portland and...
.
Life
John Penn was the son of Thomas PennThomas Penn
Thomas Penn was a son of William Penn, founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony that became the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Thomas Penn was born in Bristol, England after his father returned there in 1701 because of financial difficulties...
and his wife Juliana (the daughter of Thomas Fermor, first earl of Pomfret
Earl of Pomfret
Earl of Pomfret , in the County of York, was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1721 for Thomas Fermor, 2nd Baron Leominster. The Fermor family descended from Richard Fermor who acquired great wealth as a merchant. However, he fell out with Henry VIII after remaining an...
), elder brother to Granville Penn
Granville Penn
Granville Penn was a great-grandson of Admiral Sir William Penn, a British author, and scriptural geologist.-Biography:...
, and a grandson of William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
, founder of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He was sent to school at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. On the death of his father in 1775, John Penn succeeded to his father's interests, but, with his cousin, also named John Penn
John Penn (governor)
John Penn was the last governor of colonial Pennsylvania, serving in that office from 1763 to 1771 and from 1773 to 1776...
("John Penn the Governor"), lost the proprietorship by the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. In 1776 he entered Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
as a fellow commoner. He made an extended visit to Pennsylvania (1783–88), renting a Philadelphia city house, and designing and building a country house, The Solitude, which survives on the grounds of the Philadelphia Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, was the first zoo in the United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 21, 1859, its opening was delayed by the American Civil War until July 1, 1874...
. He returned to England in 1789 with 130,000 pounds compensation for the loss of the family's 21 million acres (84,984.1 km²) in Pennsylvania. With the money he rebuilt the mansion in the family estate of Stoke Park.
in 1798 he was appointed High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times...
. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Helston
Helston (UK Parliament constituency)
Helston, sometimes known as Helleston, was a parliamentary borough centred on the small town of Helston in Cornwall.Using the bloc vote system of election, it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and...
from 1802 to 1805. In 1805 he became governor of the Isle of Portland
Isle of Portland
The Isle of Portland is a limestone tied island, long by wide, in the English Channel. Portland is south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A tombolo over which runs the A354 road connects it to Chesil Beach and the mainland. Portland and...
, where he built Pennsylvania Castle. He published a tragedy (The Battle of Eddington, or British Liberty), some pamphlets, and a volume of poems, and received the degree of LL.D. from Cambridge in 1811.
In his declining years he founded the "Outinian Society," whose purpose was to encourage young men and women to marry.
He died, unmarried, at Stoke Park in Stoke Poges
Stoke Poges
Stoke Poges is a village and civil parish in the South Buckinghamshire district of Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the south of the county, about three miles north of Slough and a mile east of Farnham Common....
on 21 June 1834 and was succeeded by his brother Granville Penn
Granville Penn
Granville Penn was a great-grandson of Admiral Sir William Penn, a British author, and scriptural geologist.-Biography:...
.
See also
- List of colonial governors of Pennsylvania has information about proprietors as well as governors