Penington family.

The Penington family, residents of Philadelphia from the early years of the Pennsylvania colony, played a role in the religious, civic, and mercantile activities of the region. Among the most successful of the Penington businessmen was Edward Penington (1766-1834), whose sugar business supplied some of the most prominent families in the Philadelphia area. In addition to his business savvy, Edward was known locally as an ardent bibliophile, compiling a personal library of over six thousand volumes. Edward passed his literary tastes along to his son, John (1799-1867), who became a highly regarded intellectual, antiquary, and bookseller in Philadelphia, specializing in rare and foreign volumes. John's son Edward joined his father's business, known thereafter as Penington & Son. John's daughter, Elizabeth Davis Penington, married Henry Carey Baird, an author, publisher, and grandson of Mathew Carey.