Chapter I: Front Matter

_Life Stories for Young People_

WILLIAM PENN

_Translated from the German of
Hugo Oertel_

BY
GEORGE P. UPTON
_Translator of “Memories,” “Immensee,” etc._

WITH FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS

CHICAGO
A. C. MCCLURG & CO.
1911

Copyright
A. C. McClurg & Co.
1911
Published September, 1911

THE · PLIMPTON · PRESS
[W · D · O]
NORWOOD · MASS · U · S · A

Translator’s Preface

The life of William Penn is one which cannot be too closely studied by American youth, and the German author of this little volume has told its story in most attractive style. Not one of the early settlers of the United States had loftier purpose in view, more exalted ambition, or nobler character. The brotherhood of man was his guiding principle, and in seeking to carry out his purpose he displayed resolute courage, inflexible honesty, and the highest, noblest, and most beautiful traits of character. He encountered numerous obstacles in his great mission—imprisonment and persecution at home, slanders and calumnies of his enemies, intrigues of those who were envious of his success, domestic sorrows, and at last, and most deplorable of all, the ingratitude of the colonists as the settlement grew, and in some cases their enmity. It is a shining example of his lofty character and fair dealing that the Indians, who were always jealous of white men and suspicious of their designs, remained his stanch friends to the end, for he never broke faith with them. His closing days were sad ones, and he died in comparative seclusion, but his name will always be preserved by that of the great commonwealth which bears it and his principles by the name of the metropolis which signifies them. This world would be a better one if there were more William Penns in it.

G. P. U.

Chicago, _July, 1911_

Contents

Chapter Page
I William Penn’s Father—Childhood of Penn—Expulsion from Oxford
for his Religious Views—Travels on the Continent 11
II The Plague and its Results—Penn as a Soldier—His Religious
Struggle—Becomes a Quaker—Imprisonment for Attending
Meetings—Death of his Father 24
III Penn’s Third Imprisonment—His Happy Marriage—Fresh
Persecutions—Visits to Germany—Quaker Emigration 36
IV The Popish Plot—Settlement of Virginia—The Royal Cession to
Penn—Christening of Pennsylvania—Outlines of Penn’s
Constitution 48
V Description of Penn’s Domain—Negotiations with the Indians by
Penn’s Agent—Death of Penn’s Mother—Final Instructions
to his Family—Departure of the “Welcome” 60
VI Penn’s Arrival—The Founding of Philadelphia—First General
Assembly—Building of the “Blue Anchor”—The First School
and Printing Press 72
VII The Indian Conference—Signing of the Treaty—Penn Returns to
England to Defend his Rights against Lord
Baltimore—Accession of James the Second—His Dethronement
and Accession of William the Third 84
VIII Penn Tried for Treason and Acquitted—Withdrawal of Penn’s
Charter—Death of his Wife and Son—Second
Marriage—Journey to America—Penn’s Home—Attempts to
Correct Abuses—Returns to England and Encounters Fresh
Dangers—Penn in the Debtors’ Prison—Ingratitude of the
Colonists 96
IX Death of his Dissolute Son William—Penn’s Last Illness and
Mental Decline—His Death and Will 109
Appendix 113

Illustrations

Page
William Penn _Frontispiece_
The Duel 22
Penn and the Indians 82
The Conference 84

William Penn