Swedes and Dutch had previously settled in Pennsylvania, but colonists from various regions of the Old World now poured in. Universal toleration was proclaimed, a charter of liberties was solemnly consecrated, and a democratic government was established. In his dealings with the Indians and their chiefs, Penn manifested his accustomed magnanimity and justice. The capital city, Philadelphia, was planned on a scale commensurate with Pennsylvania's expected greatness. Penn's family was in England. Hearing that his wife was ill and that his friend Algernon Sidney had perished on the scaffold, he sailed for England. During the reign of James II. Penn was continually at court. James had been his father's friend, and he had always been glad and prompt to help Penn himself. The overthrow of James was in more than one respect a misfortune for Penn. In the spring of 1690 he was arrested on the charge of holding treasonable correspondence with the dethroned monarch. The absurdity of the charge being swiftly and glaringly evident Penn was set at liberty. Yet, though his conduct continued to be blameless, he was, by an order in council, stripped, March 14, 1692, of his title to the Pennsylvanian government—a tyrannical act involving his utter ruin; for, besides that he had risked his whole substance in the Pennsylvania experiment, his estates, both in England and in Ireland, had been grievously mismanaged by incompetent or dishonest overseers. An order in council capriciously restored to Penn, in 1694, the Pennsylvania government. But the ownership of territories so extensive was almost barren to him. His agents were faithless, and the colonists, though profuse in expressions of regard, were in reality ungrateful and grasping. A visit to his Irish estates preluded Penn's second expedition to the New World. His family went with him to America, though rather from necessity than choice. Penn's residence in the colony was more beneficial to the colonists than to himself. He branded as iniquitous negro slavery, and to the aged, the sick, and the destitute he was a bountiful almoner. In 1701 he returned to England, and endeavored to negotiate the sale of Pennsylvania to the crown for $60,000. This negotiation was interrupted in 1712, through his being attacked by an apoplectic fit, which, happening twice afterward, greatly impaired his mental faculties. He survived for six years longer, quite unfitted for any serious employment. Penn died July 29, 1718; and was buried at the village of Jordan, Buckinghamshire.
PENNANT, a small flag or banner. In naval affairs, a long, narrow piece of bunting, worn at the mast-heads of vessels of war.
PENNELL, MRS. ELIZABETH (ROBINS), an American writer, wife of Joseph. For many years she resided in London, and traveled extensively in Europe. Besides contributions to the "Atlantic," the "Century," and other magazines, she published numerous books, illustrated by her husband, and in some cases written in collaboration with him, the best known being: "A Canterbury Pilgrimage" (1885); "Two Pilgrims' Progress" (1886); "Our Journey to the Hebrides" (1889); "Play in Provence" (1891); "To Gipsyland" (1892); "Feasts of Autolycus" (1896); "Our Philadelphia" (1914); "The Lovers" (1917).
PENNELL, JOSEPH, an American illustrator and author; born in Philadelphia, Pa., July 4, 1860. Besides works written in collaboration with his wife, he published: "Pen Drawings and Pen Draughtsmen" (1889); "The Jew at Home" (1892); "Modern Illustrations"; "The Work of Charles Keene" (1897); "Lithography and Lithographers" (1900); "Life of Whistler" (with Mrs. Pennell, 1910); "The Wonder of Work" (1916). Was awarded the Grand Prize at St. Louis Exposition (1904); Milan Exposition (1906); London (1913); and Florence (1914).
PENNSYLVANIA, a State in the North Atlantic Division of the United States, bounded by New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, and Lake Erie; one of the original 13 States; capital, Harrisburg; counties, 67; area, 45,126 square miles; pop. (1890) 5,258,014; (1900) 6,302,115; (1910) 7,665,111; (1920) 8,720,017.
Topography.—The State presents three well defined physical divisions, the E. plain, middle hills, and W. highlands. A number of parallel ridges cross it from N. to S. with a maximum altitude of 2,500 feet. The Appalachian system in Pennsylvania, aside from its general division in two ranges, the Blue or Kittatinny, and the Allegheny, is subdivided into a great number of smaller ranges, intersected by numerous broad and fertile valleys. The W. table-land, occupying one-half the area of the State, is a broad rolling plateau, gradually descending toward Lake Erie on the N. W., and has several isolated peaks. There are six distinct water basins draining the State; the Delaware, the Susquehanna, the Genesee, the Potomac, and the Ohio rivers,
