The story of Penelope Von Princis Stout is an amazing tale. The story begins when she and her husband came to America around 1643 from Holland (or possibly England). The ship wrecked on the shores near Sandy Hook in what is now New Jersey, and the passengers fled to New Amsterdam (now New York City) for safety, leaving Penelope and her sick husband behind. The Indians killed the husband and gravely wounded Penelope who hid in a hollow tree for a few days, and was rescued by two Indians – a younger one who wanted to kill her and an older one who wanted to save her. The older man nursed her back to health and she was traded to the settlers.

Later the older Indian saved her again by warning her of an imminent attack on the settlement.

This account has undergone many variations and no doubt has been embellished over the years. The truth of what happened is unknown – was it as stated or was there just a germ of truth in it? No one can say for sure. The article in Wikipedia is somewhat skeptical of many of the unsupported assertions. You can find lots of information about her on the internet.

She married Richard Stout in perhaps 1644, and had 10 children. He came from England and had apparently been a sailor for seven years before settling on Long Island. They first settled in Gravesend, Long Island, but later helped found the town of Middletown, New Jersey. Some accounts have her living to the age of 110, but this is unlikely. They were the great grandparents of Benjamin Merrill.

Penelope and Richard Stout

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