I am wary about relying too much on Four Women In A Violent Time by Deborah Crawford because the book is not really a history or genealogy book but a fictionalized biography, e.g., it recounts conversations that were never recorded, or contains details about Penelope's education that have not otherwise been recorded (most likely the education details are based on what was a typical education for a girl of Penelope's background living in New Amsterdam at that time). As far as my research indicates, Penelope's surname is uncertain. I have seen her surname listed as Lent, Kent, Prince and Von Princen, with the last two names possible reflecting a first marriage. I don't know where Crawford got the name "Thompson." I believe there are no records or either Penelope's first marriage in the Netherlands or her second marriage to Richard Stout so Crawford's marriage dates are probably guesses. The 1642 marriage date to Richard Crawford may derive from the birthdates of their children or from a supposition that they were married when Gravesend was founded in 1643. The book of marriages that you cited, I don't believe was based on any recorded marriage lists. Note a 1642 marriage date conflicts with a 1648 Gravesend record referring to a "Penelope Prince" who is thought to be Richard Stout's wife, Penelope. Richard's will was dated June 9, 1703 and was proved on October 23, 1705 at Perth Amboy, New Jersey. (Richard StoutÂ’s will recorded in Liber. 1, p. 120, of Wills at Trenton, N.J.) All I can say about his death date is that he died between those two dates. The first published story of Penelope and the Indians was printed in Samuel Smith's History of New Jersey, published at Burglington, NJ in 1765. A second version of the story was published in Morgan Edwards' Materials Towards A History of The Baptists in New Jersey, published in 1792. Both versions were reprinted in Historical and Genealogical Miscellany, Early Settlers of New Jersey and their Descendants by John E. Stillwell, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore (1970), Vol. IV, 296-297. Stillwell seems a good source for early information on the Stout family. These volumes by him also contain the first town books of Middletown, NJ Patt _______________________________________________________ Say Bye to Slow Internet! http://www.home.com/xinbox/signup.html