Edgmont Township.

East Jersey in America. Robert and his wife, Hannah, settled in Middletown as early as 1686. Their children were Hannah, born Seventh month 23, 1673, died Tenth month 31, 1731, married John Sharpless; Joseph, born Tenth month 12, 1674, died Ninth month 30, 1756, married, Twelfth month 25, 1701, Alice, daughter of William Garrett, of Darby; James, born Ninth month 11, 1676; Jane, born Fifth month 13, 1678, married Samuel Garrett; William, born Eighth month 11, 1681, died 1757, married, Eighth month 26, 1710, Mary, daughter of Thomas Mercer, of Westtown; and Ann, married, Second month 17, 1689, to Benjamin Mendenhall. Robert Pennell died in 1728, and Hannah, his wife, Twelfth month 4, 1711, aged seventy-one years. William Pennell settled in Middletown, and Joseph in Edgmont. The children of Joseph and Alice were Hannah, born Eleventh month 4, 1702, married, Eighth month 18, 1722, to Joseph, son of Ephraim Jackson; Robert, born Sixth month 2, 1704, died First month 9, 1726; Joseph, born Sixth month 3, 1706, died 1728; Alice, born Eighth month 2, 1709, died Seventh month 13, 1748; Anne, born Eighth month 2, 1711, died First month 25, 1802, married Cadwallader Evans; Jane; and Mary, born 1717, died Tenth month 31, 1807, married Moses Meredith, of Plymouth, born Ninth month 30, 1714. He was the son of Meredith Meredith, born Third month 6, 1675.

The Pennell homestead stood a short distance northwest of Howellville, at the place now owned by Henry Mendenhall. Robert Pennell willed the northern part of his farm to his grandson, Joseph, and thereon erected a house, portions of which are now standing and occupied by Emlen Stackhouse. One of the windows has the small leaden lights of Queen Anne's time. Joseph died, aged twenty-one, before the house was completed.

The children of Mary and Moses Meredith were Sarah, married Joseph Pennell, of Concord; John, born Eleventh month 17, 1748, married Hannah Harrison; Joseph, who died at an advanced age unmarried; and Alice, who married David Harry. Joseph Meredith, born Tenth month 11, 1785, a son of John, inherited the north part of the tract, from whom it descended to Catharine, the wife of Emlen Stackhouse, and Alice, wife of Charles Stackhouse, who, with their children, are the present possessors. Joseph's wife was Sarah, daughter of Joseph Pennell, of Concord.

The children of Ann and Cadwalader Evans were Pennell, born 1731; Hannah, born 1733, married Rowland Parry; Alice, born 1735, married D. Jonathan Morris; Robert, born 1738, married Jane Cox; Joseph, born 1747; Sarah; Mary, born 1750; Jane, born 1752; Catharine, born 1754.

Thomas Evans owned the tannery at the old homestead. It afterwards passed into the hands of Israel Howell, a leather merchant of Philadelphia, who gave the name of Howellville to the old Rising Sun, and built the elegant residence, owned afterwards by Dr. Casper Wistar Pennock, who resided there until his death.

Samuel Lewis, a grandson of Ralph Lewis, of Radnor, purchased two hundred acres of David Register in 1720, adjoining Joseph Pennell's land. His son, Josiah Lewis, inherited it, and William Lewis, his son, was born there in 1751, who in after-life became the leader of the Philadelphia bar. In his seventeenth year he went to Chester with a load of hay, and while gratifying his curiosity by a visit to the court-room, was so much fascinated by the oratory there displayed that he at once resolved to study law, although his previous education was of the most limited character. He repaired to Philadelphia and engaged as an office-boy, and began the study of his profession with Nicholas Waln, then a young man of excellent attainments and of fine forensic talents, but, unhappily, affected by habits of dissipation and sentiments of unbelief. It was when he was in Mr. Waln's office that a remarkable incident occurred which formed the turning-point in his life. Mr. Waln, who was a Quaker, but who had himself for many years thrown off Friend's dress, was passing one day by the Pine Street meeting-house; the door was open, and, sauntering in, he was attracted by the voice of a preacher on the women's side. Suddenly his sight became obscure; a series of spectres, as he afterwards firmly believed, each bearing to him a portentous message, flitted before him; and, yielding to the awful vision, he sank upon his knees, interrupting the speaker by a prayer of terrific earnestness. This was succeeded by a trance, in which consciousness was destroyed, and from which he awoke only to renounce all worldly connections whatever. This was in 1773, just about the period of Mr. Lewis' admission to the bar, and, aided by the business which, on his master's retirement, slipped into his hands, the young lawyer soon found himself with a respectable run of clients; Mr. Joseph Reed, afterwards president of the Council, and Mr. Wilcock, afterwards, for a long time, recorder of Philadelphia, together with Mr. Galloway, then the provincial leader, being his chief competitors. When the Declaration of Independence upset the courts, Mr. Lewis took the new test, not yielding, however, any overt patriotism. To vindicate the Quaker loyalists was no small nervous effort on the part of the man whose own patriotism had been equivocal. The effort, however, he made, and made with calmness, courage, and power; and, in the trials of Chapman, Roberts, and Carlisle, he displayed, in full vigor, his eminent powers of reasoning and courage of temper. Perhaps to this may be attributed his unparalleled influence with the Quaker community.

For several years Mr. Lewis, as a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature, took the lead on the Federal side, and in 1789, in the State Convention, was foremost in upsetting the absurd Constitution which Dr. Franklin had a few years previous persuaded the State to accept.