Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-02-15
HEIRS TO MILLIONS.
AND THEY EXPECT To GET THEM
TOO.
SOME LIVING DESCENDANTS OF
WILLIAM PENN.
Have a Ten Million Dollar Claim
Against the Bank of England-Names
of the Penn Family Now Living-A
Valuable Old Book.

The descendants of William Penn.
most of whom are residents of Jersey.
assert a claim to a fortune which they
estimate at So, 900, 900 and $4,000. 900
of which they confidently expect to
win and receive for distribution In a
few months. They claim SIC, 900. 900
against the bank of England and it is
this claim which, if all the Penns say
is true, will make the bank Of England
directors feel ten times as sick as they
did when they discovered that their
cashier had dropped a million in bad
speculations a few weeks ago.
The Penns claim about $50. 900. 900
worth Of earth in the grand old state
of Pennsylvania, including acres and
acres Of ground in the very center of
Philadelphia, part of the very founda-
tons of the Pennsylvania railroad ter
minal. Representatives Of the Penn
heirs who were seen about the sub
ject We're either unable or unwilling to
make explanations that would raise
u abohC lit appearance vi
~abSurdity to an outside observer: but,
nevertheless, they said enough to show
the sincerity of their belief and to
' make the Penn family interesting to
the public at this time. The people
will be interested in knowing those
who propose either in law or equity
to upset titles to real estate all over
Philadelphia; to cripple the capital of
) the bank of England and grab a large
slice of property in France, too.
The prime mover in the matter is
the only living wearer of the illustrious
name of William Penn. a direct de-
: scendant of the founder, who is the
father of 4 large and prosperous family
and is an upholsterer in Newark. n. J.
This William Penn was especially in
vited to attend the Penn day celebra-
so that the school children might see
of what stuff, or what sort of flesh and
blood the founder of that city and state
was composed, making allowances for
the notifications of time and anti
hereditary influences during the many
generations of Jersey environments.
' But William Pen was unable to
come, and, as q consequence, the school
, children also failed to see a precious
old book written by Penn while I'M
! pris0ned in the London Tower. and
: which his descendant keeps ever near
himself under lock and key. The book
is mentioned not only because it is 4
curiosity in itself, which the present
owner will never part with unless
at a big price, but is an important
part of the proof of their right to the
$4,000, 900 in the bank of England.
The Penns have had their claim in
the hands of q set of big New York
lawyers. and William Penn gave the
name of Bathieu Brothers, Broadway.
This firm of lawyers. owing either to
mistaken address or misspelling of the
name, have not been found by the
correspondent. However, Mr.. Penn
said at the time of the interview that
Lawyer Bathieu was then in England
working ON the case. The Penn family
was daily expecting good word from
him, and wen hopeful ON the early
distribution of the fund.
The most communicative one of the
parties interested in this claim for mil
lions was to be q Son-in-law of the
existing William Penn, named David
]. Cohen, of Newark, who gave the in
formation about the present members
of the Penn family, being thoroughly
posted how the fortune will be divided.
He traces the branches from William
Penn, the founder, as follows:
1. First after William there were
George Penn and Thomas Penn.
2. In the next generation there were
John, Robert, Mary and Phoebe Penn.
3. John Penn, of the last named
generation, had children; William,
Eliza. Sarah and Amanda Penn, of
whom Eliza is the only one living,
and she is So years of age, and re-
sides at Elizabeth, n. J., her marriage
name being Sorrell.
3. Robert Penn, of the same gen
Grafton, had children: Thomas, John,
Joseph, Stephen. Robert, Mary.
8. Phoebe, of the same generation,
had children: Joseph, Robert, Sarah,
Catherine and Mary.
4. Eliza, of the generation marked
SO" has had children; Mary, Martha,
Harriet, Eliza, Daniel, Thomas, Henry.
4 John. Of the generation marked
49," a son Of Robert, had children;
William, David, John, Charles. Susan
and Mary.
4. Roberts son Robert, Of the gen
GRAFTON marked 8, had one son, Ed
ward.
5. William Penn. of the generation
marked 4. married his second cousin,
Harriet, daughter of Eliza, and they
are living today at Newark and their
children are Ann, Eliza, John, William,
Harriet and Lucy.
5. Williams brother, David, Is alive
and has children: Laura, Louis, Francis
and David.
5. Williams brother, John, died re-
Gently. leaving to represent him one
child. Mary Rosina.
5. Charles is living with his chill
dren, Sarah, Alice, Charles and George.
5. Susan is living with her children,
Harriet, Laura, Helen and James.
5. Mary is dead, leaving to represent
her Annie, Tsr.Sa and William.
Those named In the paragraphs
marked 90. with Stephen and Eliza,
are declared to be the living descend.
i ants of the Penn family.
E1i7a IiroS of EIi7ohofb. uy;II;op,