Penn, John, 1741-1788

<p><b>John Penn</b><br>
<b>BIRTH</b> 6 May 1740<br>
Caroline County, Virginia, USA<br>
<b>DEATH</b> 14 Sep 1788 (aged 48)<br>
Granville County, North Carolina, USA<br>
<b>BURIAL</b><br>
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park<br>
Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina, USA

<p>John Penn (May 17, 1741 – September 14, 1788) was a Founding Father of the United States who signed both the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation as a delegate of North Carolina.</p>

<p>Penn was born near Port Royal in Caroline County, Virginia, an only child of Moses Penn and Catherine [Taylor] 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. He became a lawyer in Virginia in 1762. In 1774, Penn moved to the Stovall, North Carolina area, where he practiced law until his death in 1788.</p>

<p>He served in the Continental Congress from 1775 to 1780.</p>

<ul><b>RACES</b>
<li>06/25/1781 NC Council of State Chair Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1779 NC Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1778 NC Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1777 NC Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1776 NC Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>12/31/1775 NC Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
<li>09/08/1775 NC Continental Congress - Special Election Won 100.00% (+100.00%)</li>
</ul>

John Penn was born in Caroline County, Virginia, to a family of means. His father died when he was eighteen years old, and though he had received only a rudimentary education at a country school, he had access to the library of his relative Edmund Pendleton. He was licensed to practice law in the state of Virginia at age twenty-two. In 1774 he moved to Granville County, North Carolina, where he established a law practice and soon became a gentleman member of the political community. He was elected to attend the provincial Congress in 1775 and elected to the Continental Congress that same year. He served there until 1777, participating in committee work. He was again elected in 1779, appointed to the Board of War, where he served until 1780. He declined a judgeship in his native state around that time, due to failing health. In retirement he engaged in his law practice. He died at the age of 48.