The son of William Penn, Thomas Penn served as proprietor of Pennsylvania.
1 volume, 500 p.
Presented by J. Francis Fisher, 1834; accessioned, 1900 (1900 2753).
This Thomas and Richard Penn Collection contains a range of correspondence from the proprietors of Pennsylvania, Thomas and Richard Penn (especially Thomas, the chief proprietor), to their agents in Pennsylvania, especially James Hamilton, who served as governor in the 1750s. The Collection begins in the 1740s, spans the Seven Years' War, and ends in the midst of the imperial crisis. Because of the time period covered, the letters touch on many important matters regarding the militarization of Pennsylvania, political battles within the colony, and the crisis brought about by imperial consolidation in the 1760s.
Of particular prominence in this collection are letters relating to the Seven Years War, tax issues in the colony, and the post-war policies of the British Empire as they affected Pennsylvania.
In addition to serving as governor, James Hamilton was a large landowner who also represented the proprietors' landed interests in and around Lancaster County, information on which is also conveyed in this collection.
Additional records of Hamilton's correspondence can be found in the Burd-Shippen Collection, most of which relate to his term as governor during the Seven Years' War and to his deep interests in Lancaster County.
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