Robert Penn (abt. 1603 - aft. 1629)

Born about 1603 in England

Died after 6 May 1629 after about age 26 in Virginia

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Biography

Robert Penn was a Jamestown colonist.

Robert Penn, born around 1603 in England, was seventeen years old when he took sail aboard the Abigaile^[1] in 1620 and journeyed to the Colony of Virginia.

Captain Samuel Mathews had paid Robert's passage, so he worked at Capt Mathews' plantation on the south side of the James River, across from James City, for several years. He was living there when the 1624/25 census was taken:^[2]

Muster of Capt. Mathews Plantation, James City

Capt. Samuell Mathews

Mr. David Sands, Minister

Servants

23 Servants, including

ROBERT PENN 22 in the Abigaile 1620

Provisions:

Corne, 240 bushells; Powder, 11 lb; Lead, 300 lb; Peeces serviceable, 18; Armours Steele Coats & Coats of Male, 24; Neat Cattell, 5; Calfes, 2; Dwelling House, 1; Stores, 3; Boats, 2.

By the time Robert was 25, he had obtained his freedom, and was a planter on the plantation of Captain William Ewens,^[3] located near the Mathews Plantation.

On 6 May 1629, Robert came before General Court in the case of "William Ewens vs. The Saker." First, William Dunn, a sailor from Middlesex, England, testified that the Saker had arrived in Virginia in 1627 and delivered to William Ewens' plantation a single passenger, a negro. Dunn was there with Captain Fellgate, and "they had authority to order the plantation."^[3] Robert Penn then testified that he was a planter at the plantation of Mr. Ewens, whom he had known for nine years.^[3][4]

Having no further information about the life of Robert Penn, we will record on this profile that he died "after 6 May 1629."

Sources

1. ↑ Passenger List of the Abigaile 1620 Research and compilation by Anne Stevens, packrat-pro.com.
2. ↑ [Jester, Annie Lash., Hiden, Martha Woodruff. 1883. Musters of the Inhabitants in Virginia 1624/1625, Adventurers of Purse and Person Virginia 1607-1625: FamilySearch International, Title No. 2058494., pp. 38,39.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} William Ewens v. The Saker, Ancestry.com. English Adventurers and Emigrants, 1609-1660 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data:Coldham, Peter Wilson. English Adventurers and Emigrants, 1609-1660. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002.
4. ↑ McCartney, Martha W. Virginia Immigrants and Adventurers 1607-1635: A Biographical Dictionary; Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, MD, 2007, p. 551.