 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 <unk> served as the first colonial deputy governor . 
