The Penrose Family
The Penrose family crest consists of a shield emblazoned with three bends (diagonal bars) that signify protection. Each of these contain three roses, which may denote grace or faith. The family was first documented here in 1281 in varies parishes in Cornwall. Mary’s family came with the American branch, most likely through a Willian Penn purchase, similar to the Van Leers. They settled not far from the Van Leers and Waynes. Her father Bartholomew came over sometime in the late 1600s or early 1700s with his father who was an Officer and Captain known as Capt Bartholomew Penrose Sr. of Cornwall. Mary would go on to marry the “Mad” General Anthony Wayne
The Penroses of Britain would go on to become important scientists, chess players and mathematicians. Most notable is that of Sir Roger Penrose. He has received several prizes and awards, including the 1988 Wolf Prize in Physics, which he shared with Stephen Hawking for the Penrose–Hawking singularity theorems, and one half of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics “for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity”
On the American branch, family members continued to serve in various wars and play major roles. For example William Henry Penrose (March 10, 1832 – August 29, 1903) was a United States Army officer who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Penrose commanded the First New Jersey Brigade and ended the war with the rank of brigadier general. Before serving, William was a civil and mechanical engineer. His father was also a career military officer.
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