Robert Pennoyer

1614 - Bef 1694  (< 79 years)

 Set As Default Person

• Name	Robert Pennoyer  [1]
  Born	21 Nov 1614	Bristol, Somerset, England   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Reference Number	1963
  Died	Bef Apr 1694  [1]
  Person ID	I1963	FelsingFam
  Last Modified	16 Feb 2024

  
  

  Father	Robert Butler Pennoyer,   b. 1550,   d. 1625  (Age 75 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Family ID	F2920	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elsie Marshall,   b. 1619,   d. Bef 6 Mar 1671  (Age < 52 years)
  Children	+ 1. Elizabeth Pennoyer,   b. Abt 1652, Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA  [natural]
  Last Modified	16 Feb 2024
  Family ID	F438	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  ROBERT PENNOYER ORIGIN: Bristol. MIGRATION: 1635 on the Hopewell (on 8 September 1635, "a turner, Robert Pennaird, of age 21 years," with a certificate of conformity from Doctor Denison, was enrolled at London as a passenger for New England on the Hopewell [Hotten 144]). FIRST RESIDENCE: Medford. REMOVES: New Amsterdam by 1642 [NYHM:D, Council Minutes, Volume IV, 1638-1649, 158], Gravesend 1645, Stamford by 1648 [Stamford LR 1:13], Mamaroneck 1667. OCCUPATION: Turner [Hotten 144; New York Secretary of State Deeds 5:23]. Planter [Stamford LR 1:48]. EDUCATION: Signed his deposition by mark [NYHM:D, Register of the Provincial Secretary, Volume II, 1642-1647, 105-6]. ESTATE: On 29 November 1645 [NS], William Kieft granted to "Robbert Pinoyer a piece of land on Long Island between the properties of Antony Jansz and Meleydie Modey [Milady Moody] . containing 89 morgens 442 rods" [NYHM:D, Land Papers, Volumes GG, HH & II, 42]. On 1 April 1653, "William Goulder, inhabitant of the village of Gravesande, . declared to have conveyed to Arent van Hattem, mayor of this city of New Amsterdam, a piece of land located on Long Island, bordering on the village of Gravesande, and that by virtue of a letter of attorney and patent granted to him, the grantor, by Robert Pennayer, dated [blank] etc." [NYHM:D, Land Papers, Volumes GG, HH & II, 116; see also NYHM:E, Books of General Entries of the Colony of New York, 1664-1673, 138; NYGBR 16:99, 102]. In late August or early September 1647 [NS], "John Ruckman and Richard Uzell jointly together bought of Rodger Scott the plantation that was Robert Penneer" [Gravesend TR 1:14, 30]. On 27 November 1652, "[a]n agreement [was made] between Ealse Marshell and Robert Penoyer, viz: that the said Ealse Marshell doth pass over and surrender from her and hers the house and land (passed over as above specified from John Watterbery to her) unto Robert Penoy[e]r and his forever as his proper right and title" [Stamford LR 1:56]. (Alice Marshal had acquired this land from John Waterbury just three weeks earlier, on 6 November 1652 [Stamford LR 1:56].) On 23 [worn] 1654, "Robert Penoyre of Stanford" sold to "Steeven Clawson of the same plantation . my now dwelling house in Stanford . with the home garden and yard and homelot, also two acres of upland in the North Planting Field ., also two acres and a half of upland in the said field ., also four acres and a half of upland lying by the river in the said field ., also two acres of meadow lying in the East Field" [Stamford LR A:2]. On [8 July?] 1666, "Robert Penoyre of Stanford" sold to "Thomas Lawrence of the same place . my dwelling house, housage & homelot situate in Stanford ., also six acres of upland" [Stamford LR A:3]. (These two documents are extremely worn and difficult to read and a third deed in the same sequence, being the first page in the record volume, is even more worn and illegible [Stamford LR A:1].) On 20 February 1659[/60?], "Jo[h]n Med" sold to "Robert Penoyer both inhabitants of Stanford and planters, . all my housing and homelot with all appurtenances belonging to it, being two acres . in the East Field, 2 acres meadow . and two acres . in the Seam Field . and in the South Field five acres of upland ., more in the Seam Field three acres and half"; "all which lands as above specified was formerly Danill Scolfield's, only three acres and half that was Wilyam Med's" [Stamford LR 1:48]. On 15 November 166[?], "Robert Penoyer" sold to "Jonat[han] Sellicke" "in the East Field five acres of meadow" [Stamford LR 1:87]. On 24 December 1670, "John Richbell with the free consent & approbation of Ann my wife" sold to "Robert Penoir . two allotments or homelots named No. 2 and No. 3 . together with a certain parcel of land betwixt Sheldrake River & Momoronok River ., together with two-eighths parts of all the upland and meadows above the now common path called Westchester Path" [New York Secretary of State Deeds 6:62-65]. On 8 January 1671/2, "Robert Penoyer of Mamorinock in New Yorkshire" stated that "[w]hereas the said Robert bought & purchased a certain tract and parcel of land of Mr. John Richbell and Anne his wife as by a deed of sale . bearing date December 24, 1670, . the said Robert" deeded to "my dearly beloved children William & Thomas Pennoyre all my estate personal & real, that is to say, all and every part of the land & appurtenances thereunto belonging bought & purchased by me as aforesaid of the said Mr. John & his wife Mrs. Ann Richbell ., together likewise with all my present stock of cattle & their increase ., with all my working tools and all other sort & manner of goods & household goods ., [to] my eldest son William Pennoyre . two-third parts of the said lands, housing, buildings and fencing ., and for the cattle & their increase as aforesaid, and other goods & household stuff as aforesaid, to be equally divided betwixt my said two sons William & Thomas . and my daughter Martha Pennoyer ., the working tools to be equally divided betwixt my two sons William & Thomas ., always provided . that the said Robert shall have the full management & ordering of the said land & cattle during his natural life, and the profits thereof arising, and to give & bequeath by his last will & testament what part of the goods and tools he shall think meet to his daughter Martha Pennoyre or any else" [New York Secretary of State Deeds 6:66-67; Westchester LR B:100]. BIRTH: Baptized St. Thomas, Bristol, 21 November 1614, son of Robert Butler alias Pennoyer [NGSQ 60:244] (aged 21 on 8 September 1635 [Hotten 144]). DEATH: After June 1678 (on [blank] June 1678, "old Pennoyer" was summoned to court [NYHM:E, The Andros Papers, 1677-78, 388-89). MARRIAGE: (1) By about 1653 _____ _____. (The deed from Alice Marshall to Robert Pennoyer was made on 27 November 1652 [Stamford LR 1:56], in the year before the estimated year of birth of the eldest known child of Pennoyer. As Alice Marshall had just acquired this land three weeks earlier, and as the deed mentions no consideration, this may have been a deed of gift upon the marriage of Robert Pennoyer, suggesting a possible relationship between his first wife and Alice Marshall.) (2) By 1672 Mary (_____) Scofield, widow of Richard Scofield (on 6 March 1671[/2], "the widow Scofeild now the wife of Robert Penoer" testified to the accuracy of the inventory of the estate of her deceased husband Richard Schofield [Fairfield PR 2:62; Gillespie Anc 437-40]). CHILDREN: With first wife ELIZABETH PENNOYER, b. about 1653 ("about the age of four and twenty years" on 1 January 1677[/8] [New York Secretary of State Deeds 5:9-13]); m. (license) 1 August 1670 Richard Lounsbury [NYHM:E, Books of General Entries of the Colony of New York, 1664-1673, p. 363; NYMarr 239, 297; NEHGR 108:290-96]. WILLIAM PENNOYER, b. about 1655 ("about the age of two and twenty years" on 1 January 1677[/8] [New York Secretary of State Deeds 5:9-13); m. by about 1681 Mary _____ [NEHGR 108:289-90]. THOMAS PENNOYER, b. Stamford 29 March 1658 [TAG 10:45, 112, citing Stamford LR 1:20, 74] ("about the age of seventeen years" on 1 January 1677[/8] [New York Secretary of State Deeds 5:9-13]); m. Stamford 22 May 1685 Lydia Knapp [TAG 10:175, citing Stamford LR 1:101]. MARY PENNOYER, b. Stamford 25 November 1660 [TAG 10:118, citing Stamford LR 1:98]; no further record. MARTHA PENNOYER, b. Stamford 26 September 1664 [TAG 10:114, citing Stamford LR 1:76] ("about the age of eleven years" on 1 January 1677[/8] [New York Secretary of State Deeds 5:9-13]); m. Stamford 21 December 16[82?] Henry Rich [TAG 10:175, citing Stamford LR 1:101]. (On 17 November 1687, "Henery Rich of Horseneck have received full satisfaction of my brother Thomas Penoiry forty-seven pounds and one pair of three-year-old steers which was in a bill of [16]84 & also from all debts, dues or demands whatsoever from the beginning of the world to this day" [Stamford LR A:84].) ASSOCIATIONS: In his will of 25 May 1670, "William Pennoyer, Esq., citizen and cloth-worker of London," included bequests to "Evan Butler of Cusopp, Hereford, . and to his son Walter, now at New England," to "Robert Pennoyer of Stamford in New England," and to "his sister Elianor Reading and her husband Thomas Reading" [Waters 503-7, citing PCC 25 Duke]. On 18 October 1671 at Rye, "Robert Penoyer late of Stanford" appointed "my trusty & well beloved friend Jonathan Sellick to be my true & lawful attorney to demand & receive for me my full legacy left me by my brother Mr. William Penoyer late of London" [SLR 6:280-81]. (Note that this instrument does not call Robert Pennoyer a resident of Rye, but merely states that town as the place where the document was executed. All other records in this period place Robert Pennoyer in Mamaroneck. William Pennoyer transacted business with some Charlestown merchants in 1649 and 1650 [Aspinwall 255, 356-57; WP 5:150].) In 1972 Peter Wilson Coldham published additional records that clarified the relationships among the legatees named by William Pennoyer [NGSQ 60:243-49]. On 1 January 1677[/8?], Richard Loton, surviving executor of the will of William Pennoyer of London, in order to end controversy, offerred a legacy of £600, in place of the £800 specified in the will, "and whereas the said Rob[er]t Pennoyer hath informed the said Richard Loton that he the said Rob[er]t Pennoyer hath only four children living, viz: Elizabeth Pennoyer, W[illia[m Pennoyer, Thomas Pennoyer and Martha Pennoyer, which said Elizabeth is about the age of four and twenty years, the said W[illia]m is about the age of two and twenty years, but the other two children, viz: Thomas Pennoyer and Martha Penoyer, are both of them in minority, viz: the said Thomas Penoyer about the age of seventeen years and the said Martha about the age of eleven years, now know you that we the said Rob[er]t Penoyer & the said Elizabeth Penoyer & W[illia]m Penoyer, being of full age as aforesaid, by and with the consent of the said Thomas Pennoyer and Martha Pennoyer being in minority, . do accept the six hundred pounds sterling . in full of that legacy . by the said W[illia]m Pennoyer aforesaid" [New York Secretary of State Deeds 5:9-13]. On 4 January 1677[/8], "Rob[er]t Penoyer of Memorenock ., turner, W[illia]m Penoyer of the same place, son to the said Rob[er]t, & Rich[ar]d Lounsbry of Rye . together with Elizabeth his wife, eldest daughter of Rob[er]t aforenamed," are bound to "Rich[ar]d Loton of London, Esq., & George Heathcott of the County of Middlesex in England, mariner in the sum of seven hundred and twenty pounds" for the "legacy left them by W[illia]m Penoyer of London, Esq., brother to the abovenamed Robert, in his last will and testament, other than what hath been done by them the first day of this instant month" [New York Secretary of State Deeds 5:23]. On 1 January 1677[/8], "[w]hereas W[illia]m Penoyer, Esq. & Citizen and Clothworker of London, did make and declare his last will and testament bearing date the five and twentieth day of May, Anno Dom[ini] 1670, . and thereby did give and bequeath to Walter Buttler of Greenwich in New England, son of Evan Buttler of Cusopp in the County of Hereford, the sum of threescore pounds ., I the said Walter Buttler" appointed "my trusty friend George Heathcott of the County of Middlesex & in the Kingdom of England, mariner, or his assigns my true and lawful attorney" to recover the legacy [New York Secretary of State Deeds 5:26-27]. Samuel Pennoyer, elder half-brother of Robert Pennoyer, "was apprenticed in 1638 to Matthew Cradock" [NGSQ 60:247, citing "PRO: C2/Chas I/A17/29 and A13/69, Andrewes vs. Pennoyer"]. This meshes very nicely with the presence of Robert Pennoyer at Mystic [Medford], Matthew Cradock's plantation in New England, in 1639 [Lechford 177-78]. Samuel Pennoyer later married Rose Hobson, who married in turn as her second husband SAMUEL DESBOROUGH {1639, New Haven} [NGSQ 60:248; GM 2:2:340]. On 20 July 1639, "Thom[as] Riddings & Ellene Penny" were married at Plymouth [PCR 1:129]. (The bride's name was probably written with a flourish at the end, indicating the elided terminal syllable "er"; if so, the transcriber missed this detail.) Thomas Redding and his wife moved to Scituate and then to Saco [GDMNH 578-79]. Robert Pennoyer and Evan Butler, father of Walter Butler, were first cousins [NGSQ 60:248]. Walter Butler resided in Greenwich, Connecticut [TAG 32:145-46, 33:50-52]. COMMENTS: On 3 September 1639, "Lydia Dastin wife of Josiah Dastin of Charlestowne in New England aged about 26 years sworn saith upon her oath that about a month since this deponent being in the house of Mr. Cradocke at Misticke in a certain room there at meat one Robert Panare offerred violence to her & would have kissed her & offerred to put his hands under her coats & said he came of a woman & knew what belonged to a woman & because her husband was not able to give her a great belly he would help him or such most shameful words & he caused her to cut her hand & her apron in striving with him. And this deponent saith that she refusing to commit this wickedness he used some threatening words as well I will be meet with you but if you will not do it for love you will not for anything else, and this offense being done late upon a last day of the week a little before night this deponent went presently purposing to make it known to Goodman Knight but he was at top of an house & could not conveniently come down at that time and her husband coming home late that night she made it known to him the next evening after" [Lechford 177-78]. On 3 September 1639, "Robert Penyer is bound in £10 to appear at the next Court. Thom[as] Turner & John White are bound in £5 apiece for Peniar's appearance" [MBCR 1:268]. On 31 October 1639, "Robert Penyar appearing, his surety was discharged; but an attachment was granted against Penyar for going away undischarged" [MBCR 1:282]. On 3 December 1639, "Robert Penyar, for his unclean attempt, & his flying when he should have appeared, was censured to be whipped" [MBCR 1:284]. On 1 February 1639[/40], with regard to a dispute "[i]nter Mr. Cradock and W[illia]m Bartlett," "Robert Penoyre said that W[illia]m Bartlett was lame and not able to do anything for about 6 weeks, but after that he did go forth and help to work but could not do as formerly; and further he saith that his brother did help him with some diet, as a cheese of about 20lb. and some biscuit, because he might not eat of the full diet of the family" [WP 4:217]. On 4 September 1642 [NS], at New Amsterdam, "Robbert Pinoyer, plaintiff, vs. Tomas Sandersz, defendant, complaining that he was beaten when he came to get his clothes and tools. The defendant answers that Pinoyer tried to force his door. The plaintiff admits that it took place. Pinoyer is provisionally put under arrest and the fiscal is ordered to seek information" [NYHM:D, Council Minutes, Volume IV, 1638-1649, 158]. On 29 September 1644 [NS], the fiscal sued "Cornelis Pietersen and Laurens Andriesz, both soldiers, for assault committed on Sunday last"; the fiscal fined both soldiers and awarded "fl. 75 . for the benefit of the wounded Robbert Pinoyer, on condition that he pay the surgeon out of the fl. 75" [NYHM:D, Council Minutes, Volume IV, 1638-1649, 239-40]. On 22 March 1643 [NS], "Robert Penoyer, aged twenty-five years," deposed that "on the 21st of March, it being Saturday afternoon, he heard Lysbet Tyse say in the tavern (after he had asked her twice what ailed her): 'Robert, my husband wants to shoot the commander. Go and run after him!" which he, the deponent, immediately did, finding Maryn Adriaensen in the director's chamber with a loaded pistol that was cocked in his hand. He, the deponent, drew the sword from Maryn's side and threw it upon the director's bed" [NYHM:D, Register of the Provincial Secretary, Volume II, 1642-1647, 105-6]. (The director referred to here was William Kieft. This incident may have led to the grant made by Kieft to Pennoyer two years later of a tract of land on the borders of Gravesend.) On 3 December 1648, "Ro[bert] Penoyer was complained against for misdemeanor, first, that on the last day of the week within night the 30 of November 1648, the said Ro[bert], being overcome with wine, in so much as did most [worn] himself, and abused the watchman, both in words and blows, as is witnessed by Francis Holms and appeared upon Francis Holms his face, and Francis Bell see the wound, and also the said Ro[bert] doth acknowledge the same. Sentence: that the said Ro[bert] is fined to Francis Holms, twenty shillings, and to the town, twenty shillings, to be paid within eight days and that the said Ro[bert] stands bound to his good behavior for one whole year, in the sum of ten pounds forfeiture" [Stamford LR 1:13; TAG 10:43]. On 27 November 1665, upon a "complaint made by Eleser Slawson and Obadyah Seelly against Robert Penoyer for being drunk aboard the vessel appearing by his staggering and 'roughunall' words and a quarrelling and challenging of [Oba]dyah Seelly to fight with him with weapons and striking of Obadyah [Seel]ly, testified upon oath by the said Eleser and Obadiah and Jo[h]n Miller; [worn] the said Penoyer offensive carriages for his being drunk, it being the second time according to the law, is fined 20s. and ten shillings the first time, which is 30s., and for his quarrelling and challenging to fight and disturbing the peace, and persons in particular, he is bound in a bond of ten pounds [worn] his good behavior until the next Court of Fearfield" [Stamford LR 2:6]. On 18 June 1667, "Robbert Penoyre" was represented in the Court of Burgomasters and Schepens by "John Rishbel" [Fernow 6:80]. Pennoyer had sold what may have been the last of his Stamford land in 1666 [Stamford LR A:2], so this record may reflect his move to Mamaroneck in late 1666 or early 1667. Pope suggested that this immigrant "may be the same as Robert Pen or Penny, at Salem, 1638" [Pope 353]. On 29 October 1638, "Robert Penn is admitted to be an inhabitant here at Salem" [STR 1:73]. On 12 November 1638, "Robert Penny" was one of six Salem men to have "a ten-acre lot" to each of them [STR 1:74]. Robert Pennoyer was residing at Mystic [Medford] in 1639, so this is probably a different man. Both Jacobus and Holman included in this family a sixth child, a daughter Abigail, born at Stamford on 13 October 1666 [Miner Anc 146; NEHGR 108:290]. Births for Robert Pennoyer's third, fourth and fifth children were recorded at Stamford, but no birth record for this supposed daughter Abigail appears in Stamford records. Such a child was included by Huntington in his summary of early Stamford vital records arranged by family [Stamford Hist 163]. Note, however, that Robert's son Thomas did have a daughter Abigail, also born on 13 October, but exactly twenty years later, in 1686 [TAG 10:177, citing Stamford LR 1:102]. Huntington created this nonexistent child by scrambling up his notes, and was copied by Jacobus and Holman. BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTE: In 1928 Donald Lines Jacobus prepared a brief account of this immigrant and his family [Miner Anc 144-46]. In 1954 Winifred Lovering Holman published a somewhat more detailed treatment of Robert Pennoyer [NEHGR 108:287-90].

  
  

• Sources

  [S12] New England Historical & Genealogical Register, 1954 P287-296 Pennoyer & Lounsbury notes.