Penn Family - Rochester, Kent

[greyann]

The story handed down the generations is that my husband's family in Australia is descended from William Penn, who founded Pennslyvania. We have traced it back to a Thomas Penn born 1749, died abt. 1808. He married Ann Pluckwell at St Nicholas, Rochester, Kent. We think his father was William Penn who married Catherine Hunt but cannot find any record of his birth or possible relationship to William Penn of Pennslyvania. Can anyone help please.

Ann

[Peter Goodey]

"He married Ann Pluckwell at St Nicholas, Rochester, Kent"


Did you get that out of the IGI? That gives a date of 17 Jun 1782. I've just had a look at the parish register and I'm blowed if I can see such a marriage.

Have you checked the parish register for yourself?

Perhaps someone else would care to give a second opinion on this marriage???

[Elley]

I have found this docment on Cityark, which does tie in with the date of the marriage on the IGI. The image of the marriage may be on the site if anyone wants to trawl through the pages!

Hope this may help?

Elley

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Result number 6 - Please quote Reference: Unofficial_Series_Collections/ U901_T14 on request slip.

Path: Unofficial_or_Privately_Originated_Collections_135 7_1980/ Unofficial_Series_Collections/ U0901_Title_deeds_to_properties_in_Rochester_1657_ 1865/ U901_T14.html

Deeds relating to property in Rochester.

Pre-nuptial settlement by lease and release prior to the marriage of Thomas Penn and Ann PLUCKWELL.

(i) Thomas Penn of Rochester, blacksmith (devisee in the will of this brother, Peter Penn deceased
(ii) Ann PLUCKWELL of Rochester, spinster
(iii) William Saltonstall of Gillingham, esq. and Edward Dyne of Rochester, surgeon.

Reciting that Ann PLUCKWELL is possessed of £600 in her own right and entitled to a further sum on the death of Ann PLUCKWELL, widow, her mother-in-law [ sic i.e. step mother?]

Two new brick-built messuages, blacksmith's shop, forge, gardens, summerhouse, wharf etc. in Eastgate Street, Rochester lately erected by Peter Penn in the place of two other messuages which were pulled down.

Condition: settlement of the property on parties at (iii) above as trustees to give Thomas Penn a life interest, to provide a jointure for Ann PLUCKWELL and to pass the property to their children as tenants in common, not as joint tenants. Confirmation to Ann Stunt, spinster of an annuity for life of £10 charged on the property by the will of William Penn, deceased, on the contingencies specified therein.
Date: 14-15 June 1782
Quantity: 2 items

[busyglen]

CityArk ULR is: https://cityark.medway.gov.uk/

Glenys

[Peter Goodey]

I don't know if the records were out of order but I can see the marriage now!

St Nicholas Rochester. 17 June 1782. Bachelor & spinster. Both of this parish. Both signed.

Witnesses: Willm. Saltonstall and Jemima Arne.

So no real clues there!

[greyann]

Thank you to everyone who replied to my request it is much appreciated.

Ann
New Zealand

[Peter Goodey]

I don't know what message you're taking away from all this but I would have said that there are several things you could follow up -

1 The document Ellie found

2 Peter Penn's will

3 The parish records of St Nicholas. Many of these registers are online at -
https://cityark.medway.gov.uk/query/r...ords=&DateList

4 Other wills eg Thomas Penn's & William Penn's (if, as seems likely, William Penn and Catherine were the parents of Thomas and Peter.

[pjhclarke]

Re: William Penn, the Founder. I also come of a family which traditionally believed they were descendents of William Penn of Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, not so. Although he had several children by two wives, all the descendents of William Penn stem from Penn's granddaughter Sophia Stuart and great granddaughter Christina Gaskell. As Brigadier Fogg, one of his living descendents writes: "Probably there are not more than 80 to 100 persons who can claim William Penn, the Founder, as an ancestor, and certainly no one of the name of Penn. A small contingent after 300 years."

We are all disappointed but there it is. Penn was a common name of all sorts of butchers, bakers and candlestick makers. There was one aristocratic family of Penn of Penn in Buckinghamshire in the 17th century, but the last of them died out and the estate went by inheritance to Lord Curzon.

Jane

[greyann]

Jane

I did manage to go back to a William Penn but not the right one. The information in the original replies I received re Ann Pluckwell etc is my husband's family tree. So I had some success if not what I was looking for.

Ann