Timeline Category: William Penn

Penn died at the age of 74 and was buried at Jordan’s Meetinghouse in Buckinghamshire. In 1726, Hannah died and was buried next to him.

Penn suffered several strokes. Hannah managed Penn’s affairs while he was ill. Penn’s cousin, Rebecca Blackfan, oversaw Pennsbury Manor after Penn’s stewards, John and Mary Sotcher, decided to leave.

Penn’s poor management of his Irish estates landed him in debtor’s prison for several months. This followed a six-year court battle with the heirs of Philip Ford, his former steward in Ireland.

Penn offered to turn Pennsylvania back over to the Crown.

Delaware separated from Pennsylvania to become an independent colony. Penn remained Delaware’s Proprietor.

Penn’s family spent their second summer at Pennsbury. In the fall, they sailed back to England to ensure Penn retained control of the colony. Though they planned to return, this would be the last time they saw Pennsylvania.

Penn drafted the Charter of Privileges before leaving the colony.

Charter of Privileges
Penn initially did not want to pass such a charter, relented in response to complaints from colonial leadership prior to his second (and what would become his final) departure for England. Over the course of his 15 years absence between 1684 and 1699, his colony had been left to fend for itself without the ability to govern itself effectively. The Charter would give unprecedented controls to the people of Pennsylvania. 50 years later, in 1751 Philadelphia’s residents celebrated the anniversary of this document by ordering a bell to be made for the State House tower. It was not made well, and had to be recast, but it rang out for many public announcements during the next few decades, including an important declaration of independence from England in 1776. It was later named the Liberty Bell.

1700 Penn’s son John is born in Philadelphia in January, only a month after they arrived. The family spent the winter living in the Slate Roof House in the city. When the Delaware River thawed they moved out to Pennsbury Manor.

Penn sailed to Pennsylvania with Hannah, daughter Letitia, and several servants.

Penn married Hannah Callowhill; he was 52, and she was 26. They had seven children, and four reached adulthood: John (1700-1746), Thomas (1702-1775), Margaret (1704-1751), and Richard (1706-1771).

Penn agreed to provide some troops to the king, and is given back the proprietorship of Pennsylvania.

Soon after Penn returned home, his wife Guilielma died.