Background
Venn was born in Lydeard Street Lawrence, Somerset, England, in 1586 and was an apprentice in the Merchant Taylors" Company before becoming a wool and silk merchant.
Venn was born in Lydeard Street Lawrence, Somerset, England, in 1586 and was an apprentice in the Merchant Taylors" Company before becoming a wool and silk merchant.
He was one of the regicides of King Charles I.
He was one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Company. Together with Isaac Penington, he demanded the prosecution of the Earl of Strafford. In 1642, he fought in the army of the Earl of Essex, and following the battle of Edgehill was appointed governor of Windsor Castle, a position he retained until 1645.
He would be one of the few to change sides over the next year and a half, and come to support the army against King Charles.
In January 1649, as a commissioner of the High Court of Justice at the trial of King Charles, he was 53rd of the 59 signatories on the death warrant of the King. He died in 1650 before the Restoration in 1660 when many of his fellow signatories were imprisoned or executed.
In 1641, Venn was elected Member of Parliament for City of London in the Long Parliament.