NATHANIEL PENNOCK

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THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

 The Pennock family was a leading Quaker family in colonial Pennsylvania. The descendants are numerous. Three known books have been written about them:
The Pennocks of Primitive Hall by George Valentine Massey II,
The Pusey Family by Pennock Pusey, and
Christopher Pennock Genealogy, compiled by Charles A. Rudolph, 1959.

A note about the Quaker calendar. From the 12th century in England the year began with the vernal equinox, on March 25th. This lasted until January 1752 as the legal and civil year. However, from the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D. the first of January had been considered the historical beginning for the year. It was customary to use a system of double dating between Jan 1 and March 25, giving both years i.e. 11-8-1747/48. In Pennsylvania, where friends controlled the legislation for many years, the numerical form of dating was commonly used and sanctioned by law, i.e. eleventh month, 8th day, which would translate to Jan. 8, 1748 in the new calendar. Whenever dates were given with numbers we have left them as we found them.

Nathaniel Pennock was born 10/15/1712 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was 6th of 12 children. His father was Joseph Pennock who was a merchant in Philadelphia until 1714. His mother was Mary Levis.

The family then settled on 1200 acres in West Marlborough, Chester County that Joseph had inherited from his grandfather George Collett of Ireland. That land had been an original Penn Land Grant. The house that Joseph built, Primitive Hall stayed in the family until 1960 when it was transferred to the Primitive Hall Foundation. The Foundation is a non-profit organization whose Board and many members are comprised of Joseph Pennock descendants. The house is considered one of the most important houses in Pennsylvania reflecting the sense of 18th Century solitude and strength.

Nathaniel Pennock married three times. He had at least nine children. However, reports differ as to which child belongs to which wife. More work needs to be done to be sure the record is correct.

Nathaniel married Jane Pusey on April 22, 1738. According to information we have, she had no children and died before 1743.

Nathaniel then married Ann Bennett. He was granted a certificate to marry her by the Concord Monthly Meeting on 7-24-1743. They had at least one child John Pennock born 11-8-1747/8. Nathaniel's next child was born in 1754. I believe it is very possible that Ann died sometime after John was born and he was her only child. Not only because of the gap but because of future events. John was the oldest son but when he died intestate the court proceedings used words about his "not fulfilling promises". His three brothers paid John's widow what may have been fair market value and then split the estate between themselves. This makes a bit more sense, if indeed they were half brothers with a significant gap in ages.

It is not known where Ann Bennett Pennock is buried, but it may have been at New Garden Meeting.

At any rate Nathaniel married a third time to Sarah Bourn who was born in 1735/6. We do not know when they married.

Here are all of Nathaniel's known children with their birth date:

1. John born 11-8-1747/8
2. Joseph born 1754
3. Susan born 1756
4. Mary born 1759
5. Samuel born 1763
6. William born 1765
7. Sarah born 1768
8. Alice born 1770
9. Ann born 1773

Swarthmore college library is the site of the Friends Historical Society's library. They hold the unpublished Henshaw Collection there. It contains the records of the New Garden Monthly Meeting, which condemned Nathaniel Pennock for marrying contrary to discipline on 1-25-1755. We know that Ann had been Quaker so this must have referred to Sarah Bourn and is the reason we don't have information on his marriage date.

Nathaniel Pennock, like his father before him served in the Colonial legislature.

In 1744 Joseph transferred property to his son Nathaniel Pennock. Nathaniel had married his second wife, Ann Bennett the year before. We have not yet read this deed. It can be found in the Chester County Deed Book F page 501. It may have been a parcel of land on which to build their home. At some point Nathaniel moved his family into Primitive Hall.

 In 1749 Nathaniel purchased land in New Castle County Delaware. His eldest son, John lived there with his family until he died about 1786.

In 1774 he added a codicil to his will "being sick and weak". However, his estate was not finalized until 1786. It is possible he recovered in 1774 or that the estate was large and difficult to resolve. We do not know when he died.

 

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

If you know the answer please CONTACT US
    1. Did Jane have any children?
    2. When did she die?
    3. When did Ann die?
    4. When did he marry Sarah?
    5. Where was the Delaware farm?
    6. When did Nathaniel die?
    7. Where are they all buried?

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Date Last Edited: 2/9/1998