John Penn, American Continental congressman. member North Carolina Provincial Congress, 1775; member Continental Congress, 1775-1780; member North Carolina Board of War, 1780.
Background
Penn was born near Port Royal in Caroline County, Virginia, an only child of Moses Penn and Catherine Penn. He attended at common school for two years as his father did not consider education to be important. At age 18, after his father's death, Penn privately read law with his uncle, Edmund Pendleton.
Education
Read law privately.
Career
He became a lawyer in Virginia in 1762. In 1774, Penn moved to the Williamsborough, North Carolina area, where he practiced law. Relations Penn was elected to the North Carolina Provincial Congress and elected by that body to the Continental Congress in 1775, serving until 1780.
For the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence, he was part of the North Carolina delegation that included Joseph Hewes and William Hooper. In 1777, Penn was one of the state's signers of the Articles of Confederation. Penn also served on the Board of War until 1780, when he retired to once again practice law.
He served as receiver of taxes for North Carolina in 1784. When Penn died in 1788, he was buried on his estate near Island Creek, in Granville County. Penn was re-interred in Guilford Courthouse National Military Park in 1894, alongside fellow congressional delegate, Hooper.
The remains of his home site in Granville County, with his original grave and a nearby slave cemetery, are maintained by the local DAR chapter. The naval ship USS John Penn was named in his honor. An historical highway marker honoring Penn was the first one erected by the State of North Carolina (January 10, 1936).
Membership
Member North Carolina Provincial Congress, 1775. Member Continental Congress, 1775-1780. Member North Carolina Board of War, 1780.