Description:

Penn William

William Penn Appoints Customs Officer for Kent County to Enforce Navigation Acts

 

Manuscript Document Signed, "Wm Penn," 1 page, 16.75" x 9.25", Philadelphia, March 10, 1701, on parchment, an appointment for customs agent (with name left blank) for Kent County, Delaware. Folds with a few minor holes filled in, moderate soiling, a few spots of mild ink erosion, else very good condition with an intact paper seal affixed at top left.

 

Citing several acts of Parliament concerning trade and customs, including "... an Act for the Encouragement of trade, and One Act of Parliament... an Act for the Encouragement of Trade, and one Act of Parliament... an act to prevent the planting of tobacco in England... and Act of Parliament ... for the encouragement of the Greenland and Eastland Trades and for the better Servicing the plantation Trade and one act of Parliament... for preventing frauds and Regulating Abuses in the plantation Trade...", Penn authorizes the appointment of a yet unnamed customs agent for the county of Kent.

 

William Penn, who had established the colony of Pennsylvania in the 1680s, desired direct access to the sea for his fledgling settlements on the Delaware River. Penn's charter specifically excluded the town of New Castle or any of the lands within a twelve mile radius of the town which was then part of the Duke of York's 1664 grant. Prior to departing to America, Penn convinced the duke to lease him the western shore of Delaware Bay which became known as "the Lower Counties on the Delaware." Although the three counties shared a governor with Pennsylvania, after 1704, they convened their own assembly. It was only with the outbreak of the American Revolution that the three counties coalesced into the State of Delaware.

 

In November 1701, Penn, with is wife and children departed for England, never again to return to America.

Provenance: The Estate of Charles E. Sigety.

 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 

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