Thomas Penn

In 1779, Thomas was residing at The Gannow.

Events

Date of Birth: about 1741.

Thomas’s burial record gives his age at death as 77. This age at death is also written into Thomas’s copy of Watson’s Book of Common Prayer and is given in the account of his death in the Worcester Journal of 28 May 1818 (p. 3).

Date of Baptism: 26 December 1741.

Place of Baptism: Halesowen, Shropshire, England.

The baptism is given in the parish register.

Place of Death: Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

Date of Death: 11 May 1818.

The date is written into Thomas’s copy of Watson’s Book of Common Prayer. A death notice in the Worcester Journal (28 May 1818, page 3): "At Bromsgrove, Mr. Thomas Penn, aged 77."

Date of Burial: 15 May 1818.

Place of Burial: Bromsgrove, Worcestershire (St John the Baptist).

The parish register records the burial. Thomas’s abode is given as High Street, and his age at death as 77.

Relationships

Father: William Penn (probably born 1716). (See the Commentary section.)

Mother: Elizabeth Hunt (probably born 1719). (See the Commentary section.)

Spouse: Sarah Bach. Married 29 August 1775 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

The marriage is given in the parish register.

Children:

(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. All children were baptized in Bromsgrove.)

Hannah Penn (born 15 January 1777 - died 21 February 1832) married William Ward 11 August 1796 in Bromsgrove.

Thomas Penn (baptized 12 December 1779).

Evidence

From the UK Land Tax Redemption (1798, Bromsgrove):

[Chadwick Yield]

Proprietor: Mr Brettell Atty

Occupier: Thos Penn

Sum Assessd: [3 pounds 4 shillings]

From a poll book for the 1806 election:

Name of Freeholder: Thomas Penn (Jurat)

Place of Residence: Bromsgrove

Place of Freehold: Bromsgrove

Occupiers Names: Rich.d Lwer & others

Land Tax: L.R.

Hon. W.B.Lygon: -- [Penn voted for him]

Commentary

William Penn and Elizabeth Hunt are given here as Thomas’s parents for these reasons:

(1) The age at death given in Thomas’s burial record (and the family Bible and the newspaper obituary) -- 77 -- matches the 1741 baptism in Halesowen.

(2) The age at death given for Thomas’s brother William was 67 in 1814, which almost matches the February 1745/6 Halesowen baptism.

(3) The two brothers are both associated with Gannow Green, which was between Halesowen and Bromsgrove -- in fact, slightly closer to Halesowen. (Gannow Green was also associated with the family of Thomas’s wife, Sarah Bach.)

(4) Thomas's brother William mentions his brother John Penn in his 1812 will. William Penn and Elizabeth Hunt had a son named John.

(5) The Halesowen Penn family later was associated with Bromsgrove: William and Elizabeth’s daughter Betty was married there in 1779; William and Elizabeth were probably buried there. (In the Bromsgrove register there is a 1797 burial record of an Elizabeth wife of William Penn.) 

References

Halesowen, Worcestershire, St John’s, parish registers, FHL film 886632, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, St John the Baptist parish registers, FHL films 321125, -7, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Thomas Penn’s copy of Watson’s Book of Common Prayer.

Land Tax Redemption Office: Quotas and Assessments. IR23. Records of the Boards of Stamps, Taxes, Excise, Stamps and Taxes, and Inland Revenue. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England . Digital image on Ancestry.com.

UK, Poll Books and Electoral Registers, 1538-1893. Digital images at Ancestry.com.