PENN
PENNELL
released the tract of land called Pennsylvania,
to William Penn. He acquired the land as
" King's tenant," having the right to make laws,
and to appoint judges and other officers. The
laws enjoined that all persons who confessed one
almighty God to be creator and ruler of the
world and who lived peaceably and justly in
society were not to be molested for their religious
practice or ministry. All children at the age
of twelve were to be taught some useful trade;
all proceedings in the courts of law were to be
made as short as possible; capital crimes to con-
sist of two, murder and treason; all prisons to
be made into workhouses; no oaths to be re-
quired, and drinking healths, trading in rum,
cursing, lying, fighting, gaining and the pleasures
of the theatre, were prohibited. Colonists
soon sought the land across the sea, a hundred
acres being promised for forty shillings; but in
cleaning the ground, one acre of trees was to be
left for every five acres cleared. The Indian
difficulties were to be settled by a jury of six
planters and six Indians. Penn sailed for the
colony in 1683 on the ship Welcome with one
hundred passengers, mostly Quakers. Twenty-
five died of smallpox on the voyage and the re-
mainder landed at Newcastle, Del., Nov. 28, and
entered Pennsylvania, Nov. 29, 1682. He estab-
lished his capital city at a place called by the
Indians Coaquannoc and which he called Phila-
delphia. He now made his famous treaty with
the Indians, recognizing them as the owners of
the land. Several meetings between the Quakers
and Indians to transfer land took place beneath
the spreading elm at Shackamaxton, June 23,
1683. The generosity shown by Penn to the
Indians contributed to peace, and emigrants
arrived in large numbers. The indefinite bound-
ary line between Pennsylvania and Maryland
caused serious complications, as Lord Baltimore
claimed considerable of the territory held by
Penn, including Philadelphia. Hearing that
Baltimore was on his way to England to lay the
question before the privy council, Penn im-
mediately followed him in August, 1684. Upon
the death of Charles II., in 1685, and the accession
of James, the Duke of York, Penn, although op-
posed to the Roman Catholic religion, kept the
position of favorite and agent of the court. He
obtained the freedom of all Quakers, and sup-
ported the king in the abolishment of the " tests,"
which prevented Roman Catholics from holding
office, claiming that the declaration of indulgence
was the sovereign remedy of the English consti-
tution. Thus during James's reign Penn became
influential in affairs of state. In 1688, when James
was dethroned and William of Orange suc-
ceeded, Penn was arrested and upon examination
said that he had done nothing but what he could
answer for before God and all the princes in the
world and that he loved his country and the Pro-
testant religion above his life. He was thereupon
released. In 1690 he was accused of receiving a
letter from James asking for help; but he replied
that " he could not hinder the king from writing
to him," and was again discharged. Later in the
year he was arrested with others, imprisoned for
several months awaiting trial, and hearing after
his release that another warrant was out against
his liberty, hid himself for tliree years. He was
publicly proclaimed a traitor and deprived of the
government of his colony. His pardon was se-
cured in 1693. He was married secondly, in 1695,
to Hannah, daughter of Thomas and Hannah
(Hollister) Callowliill of Bristol, England. In
1699 Penn made his second visit, bringing his
family with him to Philadelphia which was at
this time a city of nearly seven thousand popula-
tion. During his exile the colony had divided
into two parties, the proprietary and the popular.
The acting governor was a soldier and his warlike
notions confused the Quakers. Although slaves
were brought into the colony, they were well
treated, Penn liberating them in 1701. When a
movement to put an end to all proprietary govern-
ments was instigated, Penn returned to England,
Oct. 28, 1701. Upon his withdrawal, disputes again
arose in the colony on the question of bearing
arms, and an unending strife began between the
governor's deputy and the people. Affairs became
so disheartening that in 1713 he thought seri-
iously of selling the governorship. His affairs in
Ireland claimed his attention, since by an un-
molested system of fradulent bookkeeping Penn
found himself in debt to the estate of Pliilip
Ford, his late manager, for more than ten thous-
and pounds and Ford's widow sued Penn for three
thousand pounds' rent, which was due from the
property held by Penn as tenant. He was ar-
rested while at a religious meeting; was inipris-
soned for debt in the Fleet jail, buc released by
the subscription of his friends, and a com-
promise was made with the Fords. The colony
also was improving under the administration of a
new governor and the province soon yielded
Penn a substantial income. He suffered a
paralytic stroke in 1712 which impaired his
memory. He died at Ruscombe, Berkshire,
England, July 30, 1718.
PENNELL, Joseph, artist and autlior, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., July 4, 1860. He at- tended the Philadelphia public schools, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Pennsylvania School of Industrial Art. He was married to Elizabeth Robins. For his art work he was awarded honorable mention and medals at various exhibitions in Paris. Philadelphia and Chicago, and a gold medal at the World's
