 King Charles II granted the land for the Pennsylvania Colony to William Penn on March 4 , 1681 as payment for a debt the crown owed his family . Penn wrote the Frame of Government of Pennsylvania before departing for the colony , which called for religious tolerance towards many groups , including the Religious Society of Friends and local natives . As a proprietary colony , Penn governed Pennsylvania , yet its citizens were still subject to the English crown and laws . Penn 's cousin William Markham served as the first colonial deputy governor . 
 King Charles II granted the land for the Pennsylvania Colony to William Penn on March 4 , 1681 as payment for a debt the crown owed his family . Penn wrote the Frame of Government of Pennsylvania before departing for the colony , which called for religious tolerance towards many groups , including the Religious Society of Friends and local natives . As a proprietary colony , Penn governed Pennsylvania , yet its citizens <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> still subject to the English crown and laws . Penn <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>cousin William Markham served as the first colonial deputy governor . 
King Charles II granted the land fir da Pennsylvania Colony to William Penn on March 4 , 1681 as payment fir a debt the crown owed his family . Penn wrote tdaFrame of Government of Pennsylvania before departing fa thdaolony , which called for religious tolerance towards many groups , including the Religious Society of frens and local natives . As a proprietary colony , Penn governed Pennsylvania , yet its citizens was still subject to thedaglish crown and laws . Penn  cousin William Markham served as the first colonial deputy governor .