PENNOYER, William, Esq. [1603-1671] -- English philanthropist

Relationship to me: 1S11 (by marriage) PENNOYER family Outline Descent Tree(s) ODT

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He was the benefactor of Harvard College in New England, creating the fund known as the Pennoyer Aid by bequest in his will.

Waters' Genealogical Gleanings in England (NEHGS Register, July 1883-Jan 1899; Salem, 1907; Baltimore, 1969) has a summary of his will:

And for and concerning my other messuages, lands tenements and heritaments in the said County of Norfolk [in or near Pulham St Mary, ENG], let to Robert Moore at the yearly rent of forty and four pounds per annum. My will is that out of the rents and profits thereof ten pounds per annum shall be paid for ever to the Corporation [meaning?] for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and that with the residue thereof two Fellows and two scholars forever shall be educated, maintained and brought up in the college called Cambridge College in New England, [note: later Harvard College, now Harvard University] of which I desire one of them, so often as occasion shall present, may be of the line of posterity of the said Robert Pennover, [his brother] if they be capable of it, and the other of the colony now or late called "Newhaven" Colony, if conveniently may be. And I declare my mind to be that eight years or thereabouts is a convenient time for education of each scholar respectively, and about that standing others to be taken in their places, which nevertheless as to time I leave to the Master and Governors of said College. [Provision is then made for the continuance of the trusteeship.

Holman, in "Pennoyer and Lounsbury Notes" (NEHGS Register, 108:287ff, Oct. 1954):

We are particularly interested in the will of William [Pennoyer], whose legacy founded the Pennoyer Aid at Harvard.

[The relevant part of the subject will is quoted.]

Harvard sold this Norfolk property only recently.

The scholarship is still offered, according to the Harvard University Committee on General Scholarships, here.  
 

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