The Interesting Story About How William Penn’s Sons Stole Pennsylvania… Twice

Many people claim that William Penn’s sons stolePennsylvania twice. This is how they did it. William was married to GulielmaSpringett. Despite giving birth to eight children, Gulielma only had onesurviving child named William Jr. As a result, William Jr. was the sole heir tohis father’s estate. In 1680, King Charles the II repaid a debt owed todeceased Admiral Sir William Penn to his son William Penn. The king turned overa deed to the Province of Pennsylvania as repayment for a £16,000. Two yearsafter receiving the deed to Pennsylvania, William Sr. left to colonize hisland. After successfully signing a treaty with the Lenape he went back toEngland be with his family. In 1694, Gulielma Springett Penn died. Two yearslater, William Sr. was remarried to Hannah Callowhill. Together they leftbehind three surviving children John, Thomas and Richard.

Penn designated Philip Ford, an administrator, to keep his affairs in order. Ford lackedmoral scruples and fraudulently got Penn to sign the deed of Pennsylvaniaover to him. To save himself from embarrassment Penn and Ford kept the transfer asecret so long as Penn paid rent. Unable to pay rent Ford took Penn to court.However, the court transferred the land back to Penn. Meanwhile, William Jr.was collecting debts and developing a poor reputation.

William Penndied at age 73 and left a will naming Hannah Callowhill as the heir to theProvince of Pennsylvania. William Penn, Jr., contested the order but died atthe age of 39 leaving a son, Springett Penn (II) who picked up the lawsuit.Hannah Callowhill Penn died and left the estate to Richard Penn when he reachedmajority. Shortly after Richard reached the age of majority, Springett Penn(II), died. However, Springett Penn (II) younger brother, William Penn (III),sold his claims to the land of Pennsylvania to the sons of Hannah CallowhillPenn for £5,500. Some say this was the first time Penn stole Pennsylvania.

Hannah Callowhill Penn’s children John, Thomas and Richard dividedthe estate according to the law, which favored the eldest. Thomas wanted to payoff the substantial debt inherited from his father.They began selling all the land that their father boughtfrom the Lenape. In 1737, the Proprietors negotiated a fake treaty with theIroquois called the Walking Purchase. A day and a half later 1,200,000 acres ofland was taken from the Lenape.

 In 2004, the Delaware Nation filed an action againstPennsylvania trying to recover 314 acres that were apart of the 1737 WalkingPurchase. The court dismissed the suit. It reasoned that Thomas Penn had”sovereign authority,” even though the treaty was fake. Some peoplesay this is the second time Penn stole Pennsylvania. 

See Al Zagofsky, Penn’s Sons Twice Stole Pennsylvania, Tnonline.com, Jun. 8, 2013.

Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.