The Founders of Penn Home

Elizabeth Van Dusen was born in Kensington around the year 1800, the daughter of John Crist (or Christ) and his wife, Ann Theiss. Elizabeth's grandfather, Michael Crist, had emigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania in the mid-1700's. He was a farmer "near Kensington" when the American Revolution broke out, and served in the local militia unit. Tragically, he was shot by British troops encamped on his farm while drawing water from his own well. Elizabeth married Matthew van Dusen Jr. on May 3, 1817 at Kensington Methodist ("Old Brick") Church. The Van Dusens were prominent Kensington shipwrights, and lived in the old Fairman mansion on Beach Street until its demolition in 1825. Elizabeth was the mother of nine children, and was a widow herself when she died at her residence, 1312 Beach Street, on February 8, 1868.

Margaret Creamer (or Kramer) was born in Kensington around 1798. She, and her sister Elizabeth Keen, were the daughters of another prominent shipwright, Thomas Vaughan, and his wife, Mary Bryan. Their five brothers were all shipwrights as well; the family and their descendants practiced shipbuilding down through the twentieth century. Margaret married Matthias Creamer at Kensington Methodist, in March of 1817. The Creamers, like the Crists, were an old Kensington family of German descent. Matthias Creamer was a ship carpenter and active member of "Old Brick," where he served as Class Leader and Sunday School Superintendent. Margaret was the mother of eight children and, like Elizabeth Van Dusen, a widow in her old age, residing for many years at 1029 Marlborough Street. The date of her death is unknown.

Elizabeth Keen, the sister of Margaret Creamer, was born February 5, 1793, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Vaughan. She married Jacob Keen, a shipwright, on September 10, 1812, at Kensington methodist Church. Her husband was a member of the prolific Keen family, who traced their ancestry back to Joeran Kyjn, one of the original Swedish settlers of the Delaware Valley. The Keens, like the Vaughans, had been involved in shipbuilding for generations, both in Southwark and Kensington. Elizabeth Keen was the mother of two daughters. Sadly, she died shortly after helping found Penn Home on September 23, 1855.

Ann Lee is the least known of the Penn Home founders. She was born around 1795 in Kensington, possibly the daughter of James Brusstar and his wife, Ann Cheesman. The Brusstars and Cheesmans were New York shipwrights; shortly before the Revolution, the four Brusstar brothers moved to Kensington, where they became shipwrights and mastmakers. Ann Brusstar married (Edward) George Lee at Kensington methodist Church on July 8, 1830. He was an Englishman by birth, and a ship rigger by occupation. Ann Lee was living at Marlborough and Allen Streets, close by her own family's homes on Brusstars Alley, when she died on August 20, 1859; her own date of death is unknown.

These biographies were compiled by Rich Remer