John Penn, Last ProprietaryProprietary Governor, Succeeds Richard Penn, Who Died February 4, 1771

John Penn, Last ProprietaryProprietary Governor, Succeeds Richard Penn, Who Died February 4, 1771

Richard Penn, one of the Proprietors, died February 4, 1771, and under the terms of the family settlement, and his own will, Lieutenant Governor John Penn succeeded to Richard Penn’s one-fourth interest in Pennsylvania, and to the legal title of Governor.

On May 4, Governor John Penn embarked for England, when Mr. James Hamilton administered the executive powers of the government as president of council.

Richard Penn, second son of the deceased Proprietary, and previously a member of the Governor’s Council, was appointed by his uncle and brother to be Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania and the Lower Counties.

He arrived a second time in Pennsylvania on October 6, 1771.

The following May he married Miss Mary Masters, of Philadelphia. She was a lady possessed of sufficient property to make her distinguished husband somewhat independent.

Richard Penn was blessed with a pleasing personality and most charming manners, which, with his genuine desire to keep on intimate and friendly terms with the people, contributed much toward making him the most popular member of the founder’s family.

He had a dispute with his brother, John, concerning his father’s will. He claimed that the manors were not appurtenant to the Proprietorship, but were included in the private real estate directed to be sold for the benefit of the residuary legatees.

Thomas Penn took the side of John, and the two found fault with Richard’s conduct in the government, but the latter defended himself, and spoke of his father’s promise to try to have the family agreement of 1732 dissolved as unfair to his younger children in its stipulation that the Proprietaryship should go to the eldest son, charged only with payments to the widows and younger children of certain sums which had since become entirely disproportionate to the estates.

Governor Richard Penn was superseded in office by his brother, John, who arrived back in the Province in August, 1773.

For a long time Richard did not go near him, and maintained that he had been greatly injured. John offered, as long as he should be governor, to allow him £500 a year, but Richard declared he would not be his brother’s pensioner.

There is a story told that the brothers attended a banquet, sitting 93opposite to each other, on the right and left hand of the head of the feast, but they did not speak to each other during the whole entertainment.

Richard was, in May, 1774, induced to execute a release of his claim, and a reconciliation took place, when John appointed him naval officer, and Richard, accepting the position, called to thank him.

During the administration of John Penn the counties of Northumberland, March 21, 1772, and Westmoreland, February 26, 1773, were erected.

The Connecticut claimants were unusually active at this time and extended their settlements, not only in the Wyoming Valley, but built forts and houses as far east as Shoholy and Lackawaxen, on the Delaware, where the Proprietary had manors, and on the west they seated themselves on the West Branch of the Susquehanna.

He made strenuous efforts to eject the Pennsylvania claimants, but the Provincial authorities succeeded in holding the Yankees in check.

The colony of Connecticut endeavored to have Governor John Penn define a boundary, who would not accede to their demands, but advised the claimants that they should take their dispute before the King and Council, where the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania would appear, and use their best offices toward a final decision.

But this was not the only trouble Governor Penn had to contend with usurpers, for at this very moment the boundary dispute with Virginia claimed his best effort.

This contest was over the western limit of the province, where many settlers, west of the Allegheny Mountains, believed they were the subjects of the government of Virginia. Even George Croghan maintained that the limits of Pennsylvania ended at the Laurel Hill Range. He understood that a degree of longitude meant forty-eight miles only.

But other and darker clouds were appearing above the horizon than those of boundary strips.

The importation of tea had been forbidden by the determined colonists, and but a small quantity had been brought into the country.

Large accumulations had to be disposed of and the owners were determined to unload it on the American market.

On the approach of tea ships pilots refused to conduct them into the harbor. A large cargo landed in Charleston, S. C., was stored in damp cellars, and rotted.

Ships designed for Boston entered that port, but before the tea could be landed, a number of colonists boarded the vessels and emptied the cargo into the sea.

The King and Parliament closed the port of Boston, and the colonists believed that their civil rights were destroyed.

The terms “Whigs” and “Tories” were introduced at this time—the 94former to describe those in sympathy with the cause of Boston, and arrayed on the side of the colonies against Parliament; the latter to designate those whose sympathies were with Great Britain against the colonies.

Throughout the Province of Pennsylvania the warmest interest and most cordial sympathy were manifested for the people of Boston.

Governor Penn declined to convene the Assembly. The Committee of Correspondence for Philadelphia sought the sentiments of the inhabitants, and in a meeting held in the State House, resolutions were adopted which resulted in the great meeting of Provincial deputies in Philadelphia, July 15, 1774, which called upon the colonies to organize a Continental Congress.

Such was the determined stand taken by the people of Pennsylvania, says Sherman Day, who, with loyalty upon their lips, but the spirit of resistance in their hearts, pushed forward the Revolution.