William Penn was born in Bristol, Gloucester, England in 1548
to his father who was also named William Penn (1525 - 1591)
William's grandfather was John Penne (1500 - 1550).
William married Margaret Rastall in 1570. She was born about
1547 in Bristol. Her parents were John Rastall ( ~1508 - 1558)
and Ann George ( ~1520 - ?).
William and Margaret had two sons, George Penn who was born
in 1571 in Birdham, Sussex, England and Giles Penn who was born
in 1573 and died about 1641 in Morocco.
Giles Penn married Joanne Gilbert on November 5, 1600 in the
St. Mary Redcliffe Church in Bristol. They were the parents of
Admiral Sir William Penn and grandparents of William Penn Jr.
who was the founder and "absolute proprietor" of the Province of
Pennsylvania.
William Penn lived in Minety, Wiltshire County, "England.
Minety, derived from "mint stream", is between Swindon and
Malmesbury in Wiltshire (originally in Gloucestershire),
England. William Penn of Minety must have been quite an
important figure for when he died in 1591, it is believed that
he was buried in front of the alter at Saint Leonard's Church,
Minety. A plaque commemorating his life was erected in the
church. All evidence of this was destroyed during repairs and
alterations at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries.
