I spent some time in “Banister World” yesterday, and discovered an important link to the founding of our country. While visiting a Banister relative in Chicago a few months ago, I took some photos of a variety of documents related to family genealogy. Included was one entitled “Ancestors of Ruby Mae Taylor.” At the time I didn’t realize its significance. Yesterday, I followed its path back to our English ancestors.

I definitely have DNA links to the Banister family, a connection unknown until just recently. I was adopted at birth and those records, although illegally secured, led me to identify Edna Faye Banister as the birth mother. Because of this, I “declare” myself to be a Banister. Edna’s father, Ivan Otis “Pete” Banister married Ruby Mae Taylor on August 17, 1922. She is a direct descendant of the Penn family, including John Penn who was one of the 56 people who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, representing North Carolina. I found this brief biography on him through ushistory.org:

“John Penn was born on May 17, 1741 in Caroline County, Virginia, to a family of means. His father died when he was eighteen years old, and though he had received only a rudimentary education at a country school, he had access to the library of his relative Edmund Pendleton. He was licensed to practice law in the state of Virginia at age twenty-two. In 1774 he moved to Granville County, North Carolina, where he established a law practice and soon became a gentleman member of the political community. He was elected to attend the provincial Congress in 1775 and elected to the Continental Congress that same year. He served there until 1777, participating in committee work. He was again elected in 1779, appointed to the Board of War, where he served until 1780. He declined a judgeship in his native state around that time, due to failing health. In retirement he engaged in his law practice. He died at the age of 48.”

John Penn was a fourth generation descendant of William Penn. According to Wikipedia, in 1681 King Charles II handed over a large piece of his American land holdings to Penn to pay the debts the king owed Penn’s father, Admiral Sir William Penn. This land included present-day Pennsylvania and Delaware. Penn immediately set sail and took his first step on American soil in New Castle (now in Delaware) in 1682 after his trans-Atlantic journey.  William Penn (14 October 1644 – 30 July 1718) was an English nobleman, writer, early Quaker, and founder of the English North American colony the Province of Pennsylvania. He was an early advocate of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful treaties with the Lenape Native Americans. Under his direction, the city of Philadelphia was planned and developed. A 37-foot high, 53,000 pound statue of him stands atop City Hall Tower.

These are definitely the most famous Banister connections that I have discovered so far. My Ancestry.com Jerry Banister Family Tree details this patriotic genealogical chain that includes these Banister relatives and their birth dates:

  • Ruby Mae Taylor Banister 1904 – married Ivan Otis “Pete” Banister
  • Charles Redona Taylor 1878 – Ruby’s Father
  • William Alonzo Taylor 1856 – Ruby’s Grandfather
  • Garrett W. Taylor 1836 – Ruby’s Great Grandfather
  • Daniel W. Taylor 1814 – Ruby’s 2x Great
  • Major Willis Taylor 1788 – Ruby’s 3x Great
  • Reverend John Taylor 1788 – 4x Great married Lucy Penn
  • John Penn 1741 – Declaration signer
  • Moses Penn 1712
  • John Penn 1680
  • William Penn 1644 – Founded Pennsylvania Colony
  • Sir William Penn 1621