On June 6, 1933, a memorial tablet to Penn’s great-grandfather, James Taylor, was unveiled at King and Queen Courthouse in Richmond, Virginia listing several of his descendants including “John Penn (signer of the Declaration of Independence)”. John Penn was born in Caroline County, Virginia, to a family of means. His father died when he was eighteen years old, and though he had received only a rudimentary education at a country school, he had access to the library of his relative Edmund Pendleton. Originally buried in the family graveyard adjacent to his home, his remains now rest in Guilford Courthouse National Military Park near Greensboro. Drawing: Detail from the lithograph "Signers of the Declaration of Independence," published in 1876 by Ole Erekson, Library of Congress. 6 May 1740–14 Sept. 1788 "John Penn 1740-1788." N.C. Highway Historical Marker G-1, N.C. Office of Archives & History. John Penn, revolutionary statesman and signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born near Port Royal in Caroline County, Va., the only son of Moses and Catherine Taylor Penn. Moses Penn did not place a high priority on formal education, so his son received only a few Signer of the Declaration of Independence from North Carolina. Born in Virginia, he studied law under his cousin, Edmund Pendleton, a lawyer who was also a leading Virginia patriotic leader. When he was 21, he received his license to practice law. Our Ancestors, The Signers The Declaration of Independence holds a unique place in the history of our country—and together with the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights, ranks as one of the three greatest documents in the English-speaking world. In 1774, John Penn moved to Granville County, North Carolina, where he established a law practice and soon became a gentleman member of the political community. Discover the family tree of John Penn signer of Declaration of Independence for free, and learn about their family history and their ancestry. John Penn (May 17, 1741 – September 14, 1788) was an American Founding Father who served multiple terms in the Continental Congress, and who signed both the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation as a delegate of North Carolina. Signers of the Declaration of Independence Download this Information in PDF Format John Penn was born in May of 1741 in Port Royale, Caroline County, Virginia. He was the only child of his parents, Moses Penn and Catherine Taylor. Like so many of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, his name has been largely forgotten to history, eclipsed by the historical fame of a relative few others of the signers. Family tree of John PENN American politician Born John PENN American politician, signer of both the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation Born on May 17, 1741 in Caroline County, Virginia , United States Died on September 14, 1788 in Granville County, North Carolina , United States On June 6, 1933, a memorial tablet to Penn’s great-grandfather, James Taylor, was unveiled at King and Queen Courthouse in Richmond, Virginia listing several of his descendants including “John Penn (signer of the Declaration of Independence)”. John Penn was a lawyer, North Carolina delegate to the Continental Congress, patriot, and some might say a bit of a rebel. Most importantly, he was one of 56 men who pledged to each other, “our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor” by signing the Declaration of Independence. John Penn was not the most famous of the 56 signers. In fact, not much is written about him in the usual Signer of the Declaration of Independence from North Carolina. Born in Virginia, he studied law under his cousin, Edmund Pendleton, a lawyer who was also a leading Virginia patriotic leader. Ahnentafel (ancestor) chart for the family tree of John Penn that includes citations of all sources. Also includes family tree and ancestor charts showing the family relationships of John Penn to many famous kin. John Penn was a delegate from North Carolina to the Second Continental Congress that signed the Declaration of Independence. John Penn was a North Carolina delegate to the Continental Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and also a great man. Like many other great men of his time, John’s strength to stand up and risk his life for freedom is the reason our country exists today. John Penn, signer of the Declaration of Independence from North Carolina, was born in Caroline County, Virginia, 17 May 1741, the son of Moses and Katherine Taylor Penn. Research genealogy for John (signer of Declaration of Independence) Penn, as well as other members of the Penn family, on Ancestry®.
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