Abraham L. Pennock, a prominent abolitionist and patron of the arts, resided at Hoodland until his death in 1868. The home had been built in 1823 by his father-in-law, John Sellers II. A leader in the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, Pennock also advocated woman suffrage and was active in the temperance movement. Notable visitors to his home included John Greenleaf Whittier and James Russell Lowell.