Discovering America Podcast

Taking you through the years after 1711 until William Penn’s family take over the Pennsylvania proprietary.

Popple who was secretary to the plantation office in 1688, wrote to Penn on varies topics and about the attacks that were being made against him. Penn responded as one would expect with principle and laid out a defense and proof on allegations of character and religious persuasion.

Pep talk, more of a scolding, William Penn was disappointed on the behavior of the colonists and the financial burden was taking its toll. Here is a letter to give them a sort of wake up call. Do your part and enjoy the freedom you have to make a life for yourself.

Recounting Pennsylvania during the years 1702 through 1710 pertaining to meetings between the different Governors and the House and the assembly, there were individuals on both sides of the isle trying to set up an acceptable government with guidelines from England and William Penn, a definite learning curve. And the cost to the William Penn’s estate was not growing as planned.

This episode is a continuation of the historical encounters and events of William Penn residing either in England or Philadelphia, trying to set up and maintain the territory of Pennsylvania and the lower counties between 1684 and 1701.

Individuals were starting a new life across the ocean and with that were able to purchase land. This land also had some strings attached. The crown had amount that was due for lands sold to the Proprietors, such as William Penn. The new comers had to purchase and pay a yearly fee upon what land was obtained, they experienced the old feudal system of “Quit-Rent.” This episode covers this system in Pennsylvania and the Lower Counties.

I read the United States Constitution in Celebration of July 4th 2023.

I read an excerpt of William Penn’s frame of government for Pennsylvania.

It was time to let people know just what they had invested in, you know, keep them happy, so the monies would continue to flow to his venture. Penn offered to the first 100 investors an additional 5000 acres. Whoa what a deal. Is there a road to the property? Most likely not, so starts the hard work of making your own estate. Although, something you probably couldn’t accomplish in your mother country.

A treatise written by Andrew Sowle in 1684 describing the why a person should make their way to the land of Pennsylvania.

This is a letter written in 1681 by William Penn to the Indians to express his intentions of peace and prosperity between the colonists and the Indians.

William Penn with patient in hand from Charles II begins to set up his form of government for Pennsylvania and the lower counties. Are the boundaries really set, yea riiiight that will come later? People pour into this land with opportunity abound, for those willing to work hard. Who sails to see this land, WP himself?

Mahlon’s letter expresses the beauty and fertility of the country. He invites others to join him and with hard work will enjoy a good life. Gawen Laurie writes to the proprietors at London expressing much the same about the abundances the country has to offer.

Thomas Budd owned a share of propriety in West Jersey. He was related to large family who had arrived at Burlington in 1678. Thomas wrote a pamphlet nine or ten years after settling in. It describes relations between the colonists and the surrounding Indian inhabitants.

Samuel sends off a request to William Penn Edward Byllinge or Gawen Laurie about discontinuing the paying of customs or duty to the New York government.

This episode is kind of a part two surrounding William Penn. There is much more to it before he gets involved. So a back story must commence that involves other players, such as the Dutch, the Swedes, the Duke of York, Sir George Carteret and Lord Berkeley to name a few. These are the events that take place with William Penn’s Quakers, in a sense, as they were gaining a place to live and worship in peace

I read a speech that was given on July 5th, 1926 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by the 30th President of the United States, Calvin Coolidge, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Who was William Penn? Which one you say, the father or the son? The father was a great sea commander and had ties to England’s royalty. The son would not follow in his father’s steps but, did make a name for himself in a non-agreeable way. Let’s see what that means.

My next topic will be the settling of the Pennsylvania territory. I have not had the time to create a new episode for the podcast. So I’ve decided to give to you a small sampling of William Penn’s Writing. Please enjoy.

In celebration of July 4th, I continue reading the final chapter of “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine - Chapter 4