The 1648 Slander Trial

Someone reminded me that I have never posted the details of the 1648 slander trial where the name Penelope Prince is written. That is a critical document in searching for the true Penelope because it is one of the few documents (or perhaps the only one) containing her name and created during her lifetime.

John Tilton, town clerk for Gravesend and long-time resident, recorded the village's transactions in English for many years in a ledger that has survived for over 350 years. I have never seen the actual book and can't locate it although I think it's buried deep in the New York library system. There is a microfilm copy in the NY library system and a transcript exists at the Brooklyn Historical Society,
128 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201 (718-222-4111  library@brooklynhistory.org ) The BHS description is "3.0 items, in 3 folders. Transcriptions of early town records of Gravesend, dated 1646 to 1670, and a 100-page historical sketch of Gravesend. The transcribed records and the historical sketch were prepared by Works Progress Administration researchers of the Historical Records Survey, Service Division, New York, NY, in March of 1942. The transcribed records include town meeting minutes, dated 1646 to 1653, as well as property deeds and leases, dated 1653 to 1670.with call phrase 1977.308 box A0061."

An Internet entry ( http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/Dutch-Colonies/2002-11/1038519631 ) provides an index in which Penelope Prince is mentioned on page 24 and Richard Stout in 19 places:  pp. 4, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 38, 41, 43, 45, 46, 68, 69, 99, 103, 114. (No Van Princis listed.)
The slander trial has been posted on the Internet in several places. Do a Google search on the misspellings Penellopey Aplegate. Here's one from an Applegate site: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/APPLEGATE/2007-12/1197518311

12 Sep 1648:Ambrose London plaintive agt:ye wife of Tho: Aplegate defent in an action of slander for saying his wife did milke her Cowe.

The defent saith yt shee said noe otherwise but as Penellopey Prince tould her yt Ambrose his wife did milke her Cowe.
Rodger Scotte being deposed saith yt being in ye house of Tho: Aplegate hee did heare Pennellopy Prince saye yt ye wife of Ambrose London did milke ye Cowe of Tho: Aplegate.
Tho: Greedye being deposed saith yt Pennellope Prince being att his house hee did heare her saye yt shee and Aplegates Daughter must com as witnesses agat: Ambrose his wife milking Aplegates Coew.
Pennellope Prince being questationed adknowled her faulte in soe speaking and being sorrie her words she spake gave sattisfaction on both sides.

Here is a very clear summary from Ken Sajdak at http://this.ismyfamily.info/PhpGedView/note.php?nid=N60&ged=Sajdak : September 12, 1648. "Deposition was given by [Thomas] Applegate’s wife that Penelope Prince had stated in her presence that Ambrose London’s wife had milked Applegate’s cow. Rodger Scott also deposed that he had heard the same. Thomas Greedye further testified that Penelope Prince had stated while at his home that she and Thomas Applegate’s daughter would be summoned as witnesses against Ambrose London’s wife. Upon questioning, Penelope Prince acknowledged her error in speaking and 'gave satisfaction' on both sides."

Ken Sadjak further comments: " The appearance of Penelope’s surname as Prince in this record has caused many researchers to question the traditional belief that her surname was Van Princes. It might indeed suggest an attempt to give a Dutch appearance to her otherwise English surname in the traditional accounts. The fact that she was not at this time referred to by her married name of Stout may also imply that her marriage to Richard Stout did not take place until after this event in 1648."

What is an Indentured Servant?

An indentured servant was a person who signed a contract (also known as an indenture or a covenant) by which he agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for monetary compensation upfront. The term was often four to seven years for adults and younger for children if they were apprenticed to learn a trade. Often the monetary compensation paid off a debt or paid for transportation to America. I was not previously aware that indentured servitude was common in England at the time but that explains why no one thought it unusual for bringing workers to America.

Below is the format that Lord Baltimore recommended to use for indentured servants coming to Maryland. He suggested 5 years as a typical length of service.

The Indenture made the ____ day of ____ in the ____ yeere of our Sovereign Lord King Charles, etc between ______ of the one party and ________ on the other party, witnesseth that the said _____ doth hereby covenant promise and grant to and with the said ____ his Executer and Assinge, to serve him from the day of the date hereof, untill his first and next arrival in Maryland, and after for and during the term of ____ years in good service and employment, as the said ________ or ssigns shall him empoy him, according to the custome of the country. In consideration whereof, the said _______ doth promise and grant, to and with the said ______ to pay for his passage and to find him with Meat, Drinke, Apparell and Lodging with the necessaries during the said term; nad at the end of the said time, to give him one whole yeeres provision of Corne, and fifty acres of land, according to the custome of the Country. In witness whereof, the said _____ hath put his hand and seale, the day and yeere above written.
Sealed and delivered in the presence of __________
The most common problem with the whole process was cruel treatment (such as whippings and poor food) by the master (owner of the contract), thus leading to numerous runaways. The common punishment for runaways was more beatings and extension of the period of service.

More information on Kent Island

The Facebook Group Penelope Stout Descendants is having a vigorous discussion of Kent Island and indentured servant Penelope Prince (who may or may not be famous Penelope of Sandy Hook), who was transported by Captain Robert Vaughan in 1644, who sold her contract to William Cox. She ran away in 1646.

From the following source, I have extracted detailed information about William Clayborne, Robert Vaughan and William Cox. This reference doesn't shed much light about the Times of Troubles on Kent Island around 1646-48, but does provide other background information.  

George A. Hanson. The Eastern Shore of Maryland: Notes Illustrative of the Most Ancient Records of Kent County, Maryland. Baltimore, 1876.

(http://www.archive.org/stream/oldkenteasterns00hansgoog/oldkenteasterns00hansgoog_djvu.txt )

Timeline

1627-29: The governor of Virginia authorized William Clayborne, “the Secretary of State of this Kingdom,” to explore the Chesapeake Bay.

During 1627-1630: Clayborne established a trading post and brought in settlers as a part of Virginia.

May 1631: King Charles I gave Clayborne a license to trade in the Chesapeake Bay area.

June 20, 1632: King Charles I granted a charter for Maryland to Cecilius Calvert (Lord Baltimore).

July 1633: King Charles rejected the complaints of Clayborne and Virginia that Kent Island was part of Virginia.

March 27, 1634: An expedition led by Leonard Calvert (Lord Baltimore’s brother) founded a settlement at St. Mary's. Until 1650 the whole of the Western Shore was called "St. Mary's," to distinguish it from the Eastern Shore, or Kent. 

Sept 1634: Maryland established jurisdiction over Kent Island and confiscated Clayborne’s properties. Clayborne fled to Virginia and then to England.

 

December 30, 1637: Governor Calvert appointed his "good friend Captain George

Evelyn to be “Commander” of Kent Island.

April 22, 1638: Governor Calvert appointed William Brainthwayte to be Commander.

April 1638: King Charles re-affirmed Maryland’s jurisdiction over Kent Island

February 25, 1638/9: Two delegates, representing the 24 male heads of families of Kent Island, were accepted into the Maryland assembly. This implies a population of about 120 residents.

1639: Maryland refused Clayborne’s request for restitution.

February 3, 1639/40: Capt. Giles Brent became Commander.

August 14, 1640: William Brainthwayte became Commander again.

July 10, 1641: Governor proclaims it lawful to kill any Indians found on Kent Island.

1642: King Charles appointed Clayborne Treasurer of Virginia.

December 16, 1642: Giles Brent became Commander and chief captain in all matters of warfare. Robert Vaughan was appointed one of 3 commissioners.

1 Dec 1644: Governor Calvert proclaimed William Clayborne and Richard Thompson enemies of the Maryland for attempting to stir up the Indians.

Jan 1, 1644/5: William Brainthwayte became Commander again. Robert Vaughan and William Cox were commissioners.

1644: Clayborne persuaded the Indians to make war on Maryland. Then Clayborne occupied Kent Island while his associate Richard Ingle militarily drove Governor Calvert from Maryland and took over the western shore.

April 16, 1647: The inhabitants of Kent Island either fled or swore loyalty to Maryland.

April 18, 1647: Robert Vaughan became Commander. William Cox became a commissioner.

April 20, 1647: Governor Calvert ordered property of “late rebels” to be taken into protective custody.

June 9, 1647: Leonard Calvert died at St. Mary’s.

Jan 30, 1648/9: The puritans beheaded King Charles I.

1649: Capt. Robert Vaughan was Kent Island representative to Maryland legislature

Sept 1651: Lord Protector Cromwell authorizes Clayborne to conquer Maryland.

March 1651/2: Clayborne with help of English warships conquers Maryland.

July 1652: Clayborne allowed Governor Stone to have the western shore while Clayborne kept the eastern shore.

August 1652: Thomas Ward was arrested upon “suspicion of felony.” A servant had run away several times. Mrs. Ward whipped her with a peach tree rod and afterwards salted her. The court fined the Wards 300 pounds of tobacco for "unreasonable and unchristian-like punishment … considering her weak estate of body” but didn’t find them guilty of the maid’s death.

Edward Coppedge was fined 600 pounds of tobacco for "living in" with Elizabeth Kisby, who received 15 lashes.

Capt. Robert Vaughan was fined for insulting the “Puritan” court.

April 1, 1653: Robert Vaughan apologized and his fines were remitted.

Uncertain date: “In the year 1652, Mark Benton " petitioned against Robt. Vaughan for order from the Court for his freedom, with corne and clothes." The Court decided in his favor.”

Late 1654: Lord Baltimore claimed all of Maryland.

March 25, 1655: Clayborne defeated Governor Stone in battle.

1658: Governor Stone re-establishes permanent control of Kent Island.

genealogy notes: Major James Ringgold, of Huntingfield, " lord of the 

manor on Eastern Neck," son of Thomas Ringgold, was twice 

m. By his 1st wife he had one son, Thomas Ringgold. His 

2d wife was Mary Vaughan, dau. of Capt. Robert Vaughan, 

the Commander of Kent from 1647 to 1652,

January 26, 1668/9: Mrs. Mary Vaughan, the Relict of Capt. 

Robert Vaughan, brought a suit against John Muggison.

 

To the above, we can add from other sources that indentured servant Penelope Prince was transported to Kent Island in 1644 and ran away in 1646. The above reference doesn't shed much light about the Times of Troubles on Kent Island around 1648-48, but does provide other background information.

Documentation for Penelope Prince of Kent Island, Maryland colony

This week I just provide more documentation for Penelope Prince of Kent Island, Maryland colony. Still not sure what ot make of all this. 

Item 1
Archives of Maryland, LIV (vol 54), Proceedings of the County Courts of Kent (1648-1676), Talbot (1662-1674) and Somerset (1656-1668). Baltimore: Maryland Historical Society, 1937.
Robert Vaughan, adiminstrator of the estate of William Coxe in 1648 and of his wife Francis Coxe in 1656 prepared an inventory for the orphan Elizabeth Coxe

P 99
A True Acct of The Estate That belongeth to Elizabeth Cox The Daughter of Will Cox Deseased & francis Being now in The hands of Capt Robt Vaughan Taken The 24th of August 1656
Itt one Planttation with housing Vpon it: And one Thousand Acres
of land Belonging Vnto it With A Pattent
Itt an Indenture for 5 yeares serves Dew from Penellope Prince
That Rann Away from Mistiris Cox Anno: Dom 1646:
etc

 

Item 2

The Maryland Calendar of Wills: Wills from 1635 (earliest probated) to 1685

Page 21

Mees (or Mee), George                                      probated 6^th Aug 1662

To Joisas (Josiah?) Smith, house and ground

To John Vanheck, land on side of Deep Cr.

To wife (unnamed), residue of estate, real and personal during widowhood; if she marry, entire estate to John Vanheck, except dower rights. Caesar Prince to live with testator’s wife until he is 18 yrs. of age.

Exs: wife (unnamed) and John Vanheck

Test: Geo. Wilson and Thos. Ward.

Jim’s Note 1: Catherine was widow of Oliver van Heck of Virginia and mother of John van Heck, thus disposition of assets to widow’s son was typical

Jim’s Note 2: On page 16, Caesar Prince is “overseer” of will of William Martine, probated 4 Jul 1660. I think an overseer was a work foreman, implying that Caesar was probably a teenage in 1660 and thus near 18 in 1662.

Jim’s Note 3: Thus Caesar Prince was born likely between 1644 and 1646.

Item 3              

Provincial Court Proceedings, 1677/8.    Liber N N (Vol 66)  Pages 206 and 241

Lawsuit of  Edward Inglish   agt   Jno Stanesby Adr  and  Caesar Prince was settled. No details.

Item 4

Side-lights on Maryland history: with sketches of early Maryland families ...

“Eastern Neck” 200 acres surveyed October 24, 1692 for Caesar Prince and John Powell

Note: Archives of Maryland Online has very detailed biographies of Maryland legislators:  A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.  see http://aomol.net/000001/000426/html/am426--849.html for example

Penelope Prince, a runaway from Kent Island, Maryland?

The text below is a letter written by Nora James (please identify yourself) to the website WeRelate, where people work to "build a unified family tree containing the best information from all contributors." See  http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person_talk:Penelope_Kent_(1)

"After many years (approximately 10) of obsessive research about the identity of the person known in legend as Penelope Van Princis/Van Princess/Kent and Thomson before deciding that I needed to get on with actual life on this here Earth, it is my strong opinion that her name was Penelope Prince; that she was English, that she came to Kent Island (note, "Kent" Island) in the Chesapeake under indenture by Robert Vaughan (note the similarily in pronunciation to the "Van" in one version of the legends about her; that she was the same Penelope Prince whom Robert Vaughan testified in court records in about 1656 and who ran away from her indenture in 1646-7 or so during the time of troubles on Kent Island; that she was working out her indenture in the service of William Cox and his wife Frances on Kent Island and that they lived near Richard Thompson/Thomson (note the "Thompson/Thomson" in some versions of her name) on Kent Island who was involved in a big old major way in the "Time of Troubles" that led to her running away; that another version of her surname that pops up in some versions is "Lent" and there was a man named "Lent" living on Kent Island and who figured in that "Time of Troubles." It is also very possible (though by no means proven) that she was the Penelope Prince who was born in 1629 in Stepney and baptized at St. Dunstan's.

"Penelope Prince ran away from Kent Island in 1646-7 (according to the testimony of Robert Vaughan); the Penelope who marries Richard Stout appears in the historical record as "Penelope Prince" in 1648 on Gravesend in Long Island. It is an educated guess on my part, and based on extraordinarily strong circumstantial evidence contained in the legends about her, that the Penelope Prince who married Richard Stout is the same person who was the Penelope Prince living on Kent Island from 1644-6.

"Take this and run with it or ignore it, I don't much care at this point, but anyone who wants to see this for themselves can look at Filby's at the entry for Penelope Prince which references the court testimony of Robert Vaughan in 1656, and read about the history of Kent Island during the time of troubles with William Claiborne, and read the various versions of the legends of Penelope Van Princess in all of those old histories of New Jersey, and consider how it is that legends take shape over time and names become misunderstood, and begin to understand how it might be that those who wrote down the stories of Penelope Prince many years after her death might have misunderstood how a young English girl on "Kent" Island in the 1640's, who was brought to the island by Robert "Vaughan," and who ran away during a war in which her neighbor Richard "Thompson" figured prominently as did her neighbor "_____ Lent," and might have merged all of these names into hers in print, making it almost impossible to determine her identity without careful consideration.

"At another time I will try to explain all of this and source it better, including why I believe there is a strong chance that she was the same Penelope Prince born in England, but at least for now I offer you Filby's for Penelope Prince and the Gravesend Town Records for someone of the same name. And for whatever it's worth, the records of St. Dunstan's in the East where Penelope Prince was baptized in 1629, the child of Mary Kilburn and Lawrence Prince."

unsigned User:Norajames
posted at WeRelate by administrator Jennifer JBS66 19 April 2011

On another page http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Penelope_Prince_(2) of the same website is written:

"Penelope Prince was born in Stepney, in what is now the east end of London, in 1629. Her mother, Mary Kilburn, was a widow when she married Lawrence Prince, a tailor, at St. Dunstan's in the East on 17 May 1629. Penelope was baptized at St. Dunstan's three months later, on 20 Sep 1629. Lawrence died in 1630 and was buried at St. Dunstan's in February of that year. See the records of St. Dunstan's church for the records of all of these, which can be viewed on microfilm at a Family History Center....

"Penelope Prince was an indentured servant at home of William and Frances Cox on Kent Island from 1644 to 1646. The Coxes had a tobacco plantation on Kent Island, and two small children. Penelope ran away during the "time of troubles" on that island, in 1646. See Filby's for the reference to a record of a court proceeding in 1656 wherein Robert Vaughan testifies that Penelope ran away in that year. "

This is Jim writing now. I don't know what to make of this but if an indentured servant were fleeing Kent Island in 1646-7, the logical path would be northeast to the Swedish settlement of Fort Christina (now Wilmington, DE) on the Delaware River, about 40 miles as the crow flies. The economies of both Maryland and Virginia were built on indentured servitude at that time and the authorities in those colonies were sure to enforce the law by returning runaways to the master. New Sweden was a foreign country and, as far as I know, didn't have indentured servants.

I am intrigued because of Nicholas Stillwell, another ancestor of mine. Virginia Protestants settled Kent Island in Cheaspeake Bay, east of Annapolis, and did not take kindly to their king re-assigning their home to Catholic Maryland in the 1630s . The political squabbles and armed assaults led by William Claiborne resulted in Nicholas Stillwell (among others) being banished from both Maryland and Virginia. Stillwell settled in Manhattan and joined the Gravesend group in the original settlement of 1643, did not rejoin in 1645 resettlement but purchased a lot in 1648 and was elected magitrate in 1649.

In my novel Nicholas Stillwell and his wife are major characters who help Penelope.

If anyone has more to contribute to this subject, please let me know.

Was Penelope Scalped?

The earliest reference I’ve found that claims Indians scalped Penelope was printed in 1876 by John Carroll Power in Early Settlers of Sangamon County [IL] – 1876. Springfield, IL: E. L. Merritt & Bro., Printers, 1876. pp 690-3

Even though John Carroll Power cites Benedict’s book as a source, this 1876 version disagrees in many respects with Benedict. See how many you can identify.

This garbling of a cited source suggests that the scalping was invented or at least was an embellishment of the original.

“STOUT, the origin of this family in America is quite romantic. The principal points in their history may be found in Benedict's History of the Baptists. Some of his statements are based on the writings of an earlier historian. The following embraces all that is known on the subject:

“Some time during the seventeenth century, probably about 1680 or '90, a young couple just married in Holland, embarked on a vessel bound for America. The voyage was prosperous until they were nearing the port of New Amsterdam, now the city of New York. The vessel was wrecked off what is now the coast of New Jersey, and nearly all on board drowned. The young couple of Hollanders, escaped drowning and with a small number of the passengers and crew succeeded in reaching the shore. Upon landing they were attacked by Indians, who lay in ambush awaiting their arrival. The whole party were tomahawked, scalped and otherwise mutilated, and left for dead. All were dead except the wife, from Holland. She alone survived, and although her scalp was removed and she was otherwise horribly mangled, she had sufficient remaining strength to crawl away from the scene of the slaughter, and secreted herself in a hollow log which was concealed by underbrush. She lay there a day or two, during which time her mental and bodily suffering may be imagined but cannot be described. She finally made up her mind that there was no possibility of her escaping with life; that if she remained quiet she would certainly die of hunger and thirst, and if she attempted to seek sustenance, that would expose her to the Indians, who would be sure to kill her. At this juncture, a deer, with an arrow sticking in its body, ran past where she was. This led her to believe that Indians were near, and she reasoned that it would be a much easier death to let them kill her, than to endure the pangs of starvation by remaining where she was. She then summoned all her remaining strength and dragged her body out to an open space that the Indians might see her should they pursue the deer. In a short time three of the savages appeared on its trail. Two of them rushed upon her with uplifted tomahawks, but the third one, a chief, restrained them and saved her life. It was not humanity, but gain that prompted him to this act of mercy. He took his prisoner to New Amsterdam and there received a ransom for her. That placed her in the hands of friends who gave her the proper surgical treatment and nursing as she recovered. The name of her husband is not known, neither is her own family name, nothing but her first or given name, Penelope; a name that has stood for more than twenty-five centuries, in tradition and literature, as the highest ideal of a true and loyal wife. It will readily be understood that I allude to one of the creations of Homer, the father of Greek poetry. A brief statement of the case, gleaned from his works will not be out of place here.

"When the Greeks declared war against Troy...[omitting long paragraph on  Trojan War]

“This modern Penelope had no such doubts to contend with. The death of her first husband was only too sure, having been witnessed by her own eyes. After her recovery, she became acquainted with and married an Englishman by the name of Richard Stout. They then went over into New Jersey, made themselves a home and raised a family of twelve sons. One of them, Jonathan Stout, and his family, were the founders of the Hope well settlement, in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, where Hopewell Baptist Church was afterwards constituted. Of the first fifteen members, nine were Stouts. The church was organized at the house of a Stout, and for forty years their meetings were held chiefly at the houses of the Stouts; after which they erected their first house of worship. In 1790, two of the deacons and four of the elders were Stouts. Jonathan Stout lived until his descendants were multiplied to one hundred and seventeen....

“The Stouts very justly take pride in their family history, and being mostly Baptists, they take pride in their Baptist history also. When they meet a stranger by the name of Stout, who manifests a disposition to claim relationship, they apply one test only in their family history. They do not ask him to pronounce the word Shibboleth, but ascertain if he has any knowledge of PENELOPE, and if he knows nothing of her, they know nothing of him. In other words, they do not cultivate his acquaintance, in the direction of relationship, any further.”

The same passage (minus the long-winded paragraph about the Trojan War) also appeared in PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF SANGAMON COUNTY, ILLINOIS , Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1891  p 493 and in PAST AND PRESENT OF THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD AND SANGAMON COUNTY ILLINOIS by Joseph Wallace, M. A. of the Springfield Bar (The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, IL 1904).

The novel ideas in this passage are
Voyage about 1680 or 1690
A mention of New Jersey but not Sandy Hook
Indians lay in ambush at time of shipwreck
Tomahawked and scalped
Three Indians rescued her
Twelve sons

However, I do like their method of distinguishing Stouts who are relatives from non-relatives.

If anyone knows of an earlier scalping reference, please let me know.

Often Heard about her Adventures When He Was Young

The previous blog entry discussed Therese Walling Seabrook. Among some hand-written letters to Therese found in the Vera Conover collection at Monmouth County Historical Association by Kathleen Mirabella is the one below from Joseph Harrison West, of Mercer County, NJ, a local politician and historian and genealogist as well as descendant of Penelope. The content under discussion is obviously the account of Penelope’s experiences, presumably similar to what Mrs. Seabrook published in the Midget (circa 1891) and what John Stillwell published in 1916.

What I find interesting are the memories of the writer’s father, Joseph L. West, who “never saw or read an account of Penelope Stout.” Mr. West, Sr. had heard many of stories but not the scar story.

“Hamilton Square, NJ July 8, 1886

“Cousin Therese:

“I venture to call you cousin, although we are beyond the third degree of consanguinity.

“I have been much pleased in reading your letter, and have read it two or three times. The tradition, as you have it, reads very much like the account in Smith’s, 1765, history of New Jersey, excepting the part which speaks of Penelope’s allowing her grandson, John, to pass his hand over the scar. There is no doubt but what it is all true, though I never heard that part before. Penelope must have lived to 1730, as John Stout was probably a young man about that time; and though I have doubted, a little, that she lived to be 110 years old, yet according to your accounts, it must have been a fact.

“My father, also, never saw or read an account of Penelope Stout, yet when I read to him the story as published in 1790, he said he had often heard about her adventures when he was young. I am a grandson of Annie Stout West. In her father’s bible it is spelled Anne and in the West bible Anna. It is likely that I am the youngest of all the great grand children of John Stout. My father was her youngest son, and I am his youngest.

“Grandmother was born in 1755, my father in 1798, and I in 1847.”

[skip sections]

“And now I come to grandmother Anne, who married William West, a son of Bartholomew, who was of the Monmouth Wests. I suppose you saw my “West” article in the Monmouth Democrat last April. William and Anne had nine children. They have all passed away. My father died in 1876, and he the next youngest, William S., died last spring aged 90 years and some months. Grandmother died in 1814.”

[no closing; missing page(s); but we know it is from Joseph West from the contents as well as from other complete letters in this handwriting and with his signature.]

The genealogy of Joseph H. West is as follows:

Richard Stout + Penelope

John Stout (-1724) + Elizabeth Crawford
Richard Stout (1678-about 1749/50)+ Esther Tilton
John Stout (1701-1782) + Margaret Taylor (about 1711-)
Anne Stout (1755-1814) + William West (-1850)
Joseph Lippet West (1798-1876) + Hannah Hammell (1804-)
Joseph Harrison West (1847-) + Mary Reed Appleton (-)
 

Thus Joseph H. West and Therese Walling Seabrook were 2^nd cousins, one generation removed.

It’s nice to know that the various stories passed down through the generations in New Jersey substantially agree and that Penelope herself wanted her descendants to remember her adventures and survival. Next time, a family tradition that seems somewhat garbled.