Aaron Pennel

According to family-based resources, later Albany resident Aaron Pennel was born in December 1769. He was a younger son in the large family of William and Mary Pennell of Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

However, an often-used antiquarian resource listed him as from New England. We seek further clarification regarding his origins and path to Albany. Was he a kinsman of the older Albany resident Jeremiah Pennel?

Unless subsequent death reporting is incorrect, this individual probably would not have been the disabled soldier who received a pension in March 1782 in Pennsylvania. Other military accounts for earlier services also (but not definitely) would have been for a same named contemporary.

More likely it was this Aaron Pennel who was among those Albany "businessmen" who utilized the processing resources of the nearby Manor. In October 1793 and September 1794, his substantial accounts relating to milling wheat, nailing, and coopering were noted in the chronological account books within the Van Rensselaer Manor Records.

The Albany paper reported that Aaron Pennel died on October 28, 1794 and was buried from the Presbyterian church. The notice stated that he was 25 years old, had lived in Albany for five years, and had "sustained the character of an amiable and honest man."

Sources: The life of Aaron Pennel has no CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.