Notes for John Penn, Jr.: He was born in that part of King and Queen Co. VA that became Caroline Co. abt. 1680. An excellent case can be made that he is the father of the 'Virginia Penns'
The following is from John M. Penn:
A Penn genealogy published in 'Penn Pals' gives his dob as November 1710
Virginia County Records SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 1721-1800 WILLS WILL BOOK E 1772-1798 page 28 PENN, JOHN, Spotsylvania Co., d. May 13, 1771. Executors Bond dated Nov. 19, 1772. Wit. William Scott, Jesse Smith, William Perry. Ex. my wife Mary and son John, friend Joseph Brock. Leg. son George, 100 acres of land including the plantation whereon I now live; son John, 100 acres of land; son Thomas, 70 acres of land whereon he now lives; son William; my wife Mary; grandchildren Elizabeth, Martha, William, George and Sarah May; daughter Elizabeth May; daughter Mary Pritchett; daughter Rachel Pettit; granddaughter Susannah Pettit; grandson James Pritchett; mentions "my seven children" John, Thomas, George, William, Mildred, Sally and Francis. (Page 27) NAME Penn, John. DATE [1772]. SOURCE Will Book E, 1772-1798 (Reel 28) p. 27-28. Will dated 13 May 1771. p. 28-29. Exors. bond rec. 19 Nov. 1772. p. 34-35. Inv. & appr. dated 2 Jan. 1773. p. 36-37. Guardians bond rec. 18 Mar. 1773. p. 70. Guardians bond rec. 16 June 1774. p. 71-72. Accounts rec. 1774. NOTE Part of index to Spotsylvania County Wills and Administrations (1722-1800) PLACE Spotsylvania County (Va.) FORM Wills. aat. COLLECTION Virginia wills and administrations.
The following deed (5 Mar 1727) seems to be for this John Penn's probable father, as he'd have been too young (b. Nov. 1710) to own land in normal circumstances: Virginia County Records SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 1721-1800 DEEDS DEED BOOK A 1722-1729 page 101 March 5, 1727. Thomas Chew of St. Geo. Par., Spts. Co., Gentl., to John Penn and George Penn of Drysdale Par., King and Queen Co. £40 curr., 614 a. formerly occupied by one Samll. Loyd—part of a pat. granted Larkin Chew June 4, 1722; sold by sd. Chew to sd. Loyd, by sd. Loyd and Chew to one Wm. Russell by deeds July 7, 1724, and by the sd. Russell sold to Thomas Chew, on a branch rnnning into Mattapony River, otherwise called Warner's River, joining the lands of Robt. Hutcherson and the land of Augustine Smith of Gloster Co., late called Augustine Warner, Esqr., Decd., land. Witnesses: Wm. Johnson, John Chew, James Taylor. Rec. March 6, 1727-8. Martha Chew, wife of Thomas Chew, released her dower to the above land to the sd. John and George Penn.
The following record indicates that the John Penn Jr. mention would again be too young: Account Book of Ambrose Madison (1725-1726) which was housed at the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, PA in 1975. A printed transcript appeared in The Virginia Genealogist, Vol. 19 (1975), page185-188.
The parties of interest listed include:
John Penn, Sr. John Penn, Jr. Collo James Taylor James Taylor, Jr. John Taylor Capt. John Madison Mrs. Issabell Madison Thomas Madison James Pendleton Edward Eastham
Virginia County Records SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 1721-1800 DEEDS DEED BOOK D 1742-1751 page 175 Dec. 19, 1746. Thomas Chew of St. Thomas Par., Orange Co., Gent., and Martha, his wife, to John Penn of Drysdale Par., Caroline Co. £25 curr. 307 a. in Spts. Co., on south branches of Mattapony, called Lewis' River. John Ray, Joseph Hoomes, Eusebius Stone, Augustin Muse, Moses Penn. June 2, 1747.
Virginia County Records SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 1721-1800 DEEDS DEED BOOK F 1761-1766 page 224 Septr. 7, 1761. Joseph x Penn of Spts. Co. and Elizabeth, his wife, to John Penn of sd. Co. £5 curr. Tract of land in Spts. Co. Wm. Garrett, Thomas Lane. Septr. 7, 1761.
Virginia County Records SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 1721-1800 DEEDS DEED BOOK F 1761-1766 page 230 Augt. 1, 1763. John Gayle of Spts. Co. to John Penn of Co. afsd. £5 2s. curr. 17 acres of land. Augt. 1, 1763. No witnesses.
Virginia County Records SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 1721-1800 DEEDS DEED BOOK F 1761-1766 page 231 April 20, 1764. Gabriel Penn of Amherst Co. and Sarah, his wife, to John Penn of Spts. Co. £60 curr. 130 a. in Spts. Co. Wm. Ellis, John x Sutton, Jno. Penn, jr.; Jerimh. x Smith, Thos. Penn, Benja. Johnston. Octr. 1, 1764.
Virginia County Records SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 1721-1800 DEEDS DEED BOOK F 1761-1766 page 247 Octr. 15, 1765. Henry Ellison, Esqr., of Gt. Britain, from John Penn, Senr., of Spts. Co. £188 16s. 5d. curr. Mortgage. Negroes. Witnesses, Hudson Muse, Francis Irwin, George Penn. June 2, 1766.
Virginia County Records SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 1721-1800 DEEDS DEED BOOK F 1761-1766 page 250 Septr. 6, 1766. John Penn, Senr., of Spts. Co. and Mary, his wife, to Thomas Colson of sd. Co. £20 curr. 130 a. in Spts. Co. John Chew, Thos. Bartlett, Joseph Herndon. Nov. 3, 1766.
5 June 1769 - John Penn, Sr., and Mary, his wife, deeded 130 acres to Sherod Hord in Spotsylvania Co., VA.
Caroline co. VA Court Order Book:
-10 May 1733 -Caesor, Negro of John Penn, Jr., adjudged to be 4 years old
- 13 May 1737 - George Penn and John Penn, Jr., appointed to appraise the estate of John Eubanks.
-11 April 1740 - John Penn, Jr., appointed constable of the precinct in which William Evans is present constable.
-8 May 1741 - The Last Will and Testament of John Penn, deceased was admitted for probate
-Thomas Dudley, John Penn, Moses Penn & George Penn, or any three of them, were appointed to appraise the estate of Edward Ware, deceased.
-14 April 1757 - John Penn and Mary, his wife, acknowledge deeds of lease and release to Benjamin Hubbard. This could be or include the John Penn 200 acres. John Penn must have moved to Spotsylvania Co., VA at this time because by 1758 there was a reference of Richard Fortune being appointed constable in the room of John Penn.
- 1757-1758 - Richard Fortune is appointed constable in the room of John Penn.
-May 1762 - John Penn, Gent., having taken the usual oaths was sworn in at attorney at law. I think this is John Penn, son of Moses Penn (the Signer of the Declaration of Independence). Most of the references after this date involve John Penn, plaintiff in a lawsuit, or John Penn, Gent.
-Nov. 1771 - A deed from John Penn and Henry Lyme to William Nelson, Jr., was acknowledged. I would guess this involves John Penn, Gent., and John Penn, Jr.
Virginia County Records SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY 1721-1800 DEEDS DEED BOOK C 1734-1742 page 146 March 6, 1738. Thomas Chew of St. Mark's Par., Orange Co., to Nicholas Hawkins of St. Geo. Par., Spts. Co. £5 curr. and 2750 lbs. tob. 298 a. in Spts. Co., joining the lands of sd. Nicholas Hawkins, Robt. Thomas, Francis Smith, Augustine Smith of Gloucester Co., William Richason, Johnathan Clark, John Pen and George Pen, having been acknowledged to sd. Hawkins by sd. Chew, as by Deeds, April 6, 1731, sd. Hawkins being advised sd. Deeds were defective, is the reason for making this deed, etc. John Waller, A. Foster, Edmund Waller. Mar. 6, 1738.
John Penn, Jr. (b. November 1710, d. May 13, 1771)
Notes for John Penn, Jr.: