Penn, John (1740-88) Signer of the Declaration of Independence from North Carolina. Document Signed by Penn as attorney for the plaintiff, one page, 4½ x 9½ in., Granville County, Aug. 2, 1785. To the county sheriff, ordering the arrest of Harris Hicks on a charge of trespass. Penn also filled in the day "2nd…August" and initialed "J.P." under the docket, below the notation that Harris was not found. Toning and a few edge chips. Accompanied by a second Document Signed with intitials ("J.P. atto") as attorney, under the docket, one page, 9 x 7 in., Granville County, May 2, 1785. Penn signed on the verso of an order to attach the estate of Abraham Mitchel for failure to pay £20 damages.
Penn moved to North Carolina from Virginia in 1774 and was elected to the Continental Congress in September 1785 to fill the vacancy left by Richard Caswell. Penn served continuously in Congress 1775-80, and in 1778 he signed the Articles of Confederation. In 1780-81, he was the most powerful member of North Carolina's Board of War, and, as such, controlled the state at the time Cornwallis invaded. Penn was responsible for supplying Continental forces under General Nathanael Green, as well as Francis Marion's guerilla fighters.
John Penn is very rare.
Estimated Value $4,000 - 6,000.
Signers of The Declaration of Independence
