WI American Revolution fought for Lord Penn?

William Penn was quite popular with some folks, but also had some problems with the Crown for the way the Colony was run.

He left the proprietorship to 3 of his sons, 50 % to John Penn, 25 % to Thomas Penn and 25 % to Richard Penn.
In 1746, John Penn died, and Thomas Penn became proprietor of 75 %, running the colonies 1746 to 1775. Thomas was rather unpopular with the colonials.
Richard´s son John Penn was an appointed governor of Pennsylvania, 1763-1771. Then Richard Sr. died, John Penn inherited 25 % of proprietorship and went back to England. His brother Richard Jr., who inherited no proprietorship, was appointed governor.

Richard Jr. was popular with the colonials and Thomas Penn was unhappy about that, so John was sent back to Pennsylvania.

In 1775, Thomas died, and his 15 year old son, another John Penn, inherited the 75 %.

In 1776, Governor John Penn stayed neutral in rebellion, doing nothing and letting the revolutionaries take over power. He evacuated from the advancing British forces, and eventually swore loyalty to Pennsylvania as republic. He got some compensation for confiscated lands.

This course of events depended on accidents of natural death and attitudes of individuals.

Could you get a course of events where the Proprietor of Pennsylvania, let´s say Thomas Penn dies in 1759, so Richard Penn gets 100% and John Penn is both the heir to owning the colony as well as the governor, sides with the colonists against King and Parliament in 1760-s to the extent that the Crown makes Pennsylvania a royal colony sometime after 1771 - while the ex-proprietor John Penn stays in Pennsylvania and Pennsylvanians rebel to get their Proprietor back?

This way, what would happen to the American Revolution if some colonies rebel to become republics, but Pennsylvania rebels to make Penn independent monarch?

Would USA have a union where most States have Republican Form of Government, but two are constitutional hereditary monarchies under Penn lords?
 
Very interesting idea. To make this happen I think you would need to eliminate Thomas Penn rather earlier so to keep the colonists enamoured with the Penns. If he died in say 1753 or so I'm not sure who would inherit his share, but I believe it would be his nephew John Penn (oldest son of Richard Penn, Sr.). Thomas was in England at this time and elready unloved by the Quakers, Catholics and Indians of Pennsylvania so giving John both the governorship and proprietership of the colony may allow him to ease some of the ill will that existed. As John Penn stayed nuetral during the Revolution it is not too big of step to see him oppose some of the actions of King and Parliment, thus causing the King to attempt to replace him. It would be especially interesting if this occured in 1773 or 1774 so that Pennsylvania would be at arms even before the rest of the nation.

There are some important things to consider here though...

1. Would relations with the Indians be better if a more fair minded Penn was in control earlier?

2. Would this change effect the French and Indian War (or Pontiac's Rebellion) by having Pennsylvania contribute more earlier to the war effort?

3. Is it possible for a Pennsylvanian military commander to arise who rivals Washington?

4. Would John Penn be able to form a coalition of Quakers, commercial interests, German farmers and local Indians allowing Pennsylvania to mobilize all of her resources to fight against the King?

5. What would Penn's relationship with the Founding Fathers be like? And would those that hail from Pennsylvania be more focused on freeing Pennsylvania than uniting the colonies?

Also, I doubt that John Penn would take a title, and Pennsylvania would most likely remain a Commonwealth with a Charter of Rights that pre-dates the Bill of Rights.

Benjamin
 
Out of the colonial governors, Jonathan Trumbull took the side of rebels altogether, and stayed Governor of Connecticut till 1784. The others fled or a few were arrested by rebels.

In OTL, Benjamin Franklin and Pennsylvania assembly were campaigning against Proprietor Thomas Penn and asking to become a royal colony... except that the other colonies found that King and Parliament were no fun, either.

Pennsylvania would be most supportive of the hereditary rights of Penn family if John Penn manages not to make too many mistakes alienating them. Say, John Penn is governor in 1760-s and popular with the people - then in 1771, he inherits the proprietorship and is no longer bound to take care of his father´s interests... If Governor Penn is fired in 1773 or 1774 for being too supportive of locals, such as directly violating Tea Act, this would provide the Pennsylvanians perfect grounds to rebel against royal governor, King and Parliament in 1775.
 
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