Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-23
RELICS OF WILLIAM PENN
The Quaker's Silver Plate and Silver
Pipe Which He Gave Away.

a collection Of family heiriooins Of
William Penn and his descendants has
been brought To this country by Il Lon
don dealer in antiques who obtained
them ten years ago from Il member of
the family. Hannah Penn. daughter
of Richard Penn, who was Il grandson
If the settler of Pennsylvania, be-
qurathed them to her brother, Rich
ard, upon her death in 1856. He in
turn bequeathed them IL Mariana
Rutland, late companion To lHy sister.
Hannah Penn, and from her they
passed into the hands "f her husband,
William Herbert Their adopted
daughter. Mary Butlin, became the
owner in 1901. and she sold them to
the London dealer.
Dne CT the oldest relics in the lot is
a large parchment. in queer gilt
frame. containing the original letters
patent from William and Mary rein
stating William Penn as Governor of
the Province of Pennsylvania in place
Of Benjamin Fletcher The document
is dated August 20. 1894, and is done in
red and black ink, which has faded
very little. OF PENIS personal prop
erty there is not a great supply. Evil
IDENTIFY his Quaker notions of simple
ity were carried out to the letter, for
while his descendants had fine
watches, desk ornaments, and trinkets
of considerable beauty ana value, his
CHIEF luxury appears to have been Il
simple silver plate. on the rim Of
which the Penn family arms are en-
sraved. This plate, which is dated
1664--thc date being determined by the
London hall marks on the under side
is supposed to have been given to
hin. on his twenty-tirst birthday, and
was probably the only DIT Of silver
ware that William Penn made use Of.
The only other silver thing with
which his name is connected is much
furnished pipe, which he gave to
Joseph Peckover, another Quaker, who
evidently had fewer scrupies about
owning such things There is large
oil portrait done by contemporary
artist showing William Penn dressed
in Quaker gray. AS far as the collec-
tors have been able to discover, TINS
is the only portrait for which Penn
sat. OF course. there are numerous
cngravings of him, but these We're all
made after his death. One Of them,
dated 1775, is after q painting show
ing Penn in the act of signing the
treaty with the Indians in 1881. The
scene is laid out OF doors, With the ia
nous treatv tree very much in evil
dence. and a group of gayly-featherod
redskin chiefs standing about in stat
uesque poses.
The collection includes what might
be called the first guide-book to Penn
sylvania, although it's more pretentious
title is AN Historical and Geographic
cal Account of the Province of Penn
sylvania and West -News-Jerscy in
America" and the author thereof. an
swering to the name of Gabriel Thorn
as, explains that he presided there fif-
teen years" The book was printed In
London, 1859, and no doubt had a big
circulation among the forerunners of
many present day Jersey commuters.
Nearly every other member of the
Penn family left more relics than did
the founder of Pennsylvania. There is
even Il document signed by Admiral
Sir William Penn, his father. appoint
ing one William Nobel boatswain to
41is Najesty's ship Swift. One of the