Son of propositus William Sandford Pennington. Assistant Treasurer of the Society of the Cincinnati in New Jersey 1833-1839. Born in Newark, NJ on 4 May 1796 and died in Newark, NJ on 16 Feb 1862. Princeton graduate 1813 and MA Degree 1816. Princeton Trustee 1848-1862. Attorney and member of the Bar 1817. Clerk of the US District Court for New Jersey 1817-1826. Member of the New Jersey General Assembly 1828-1834. Governor and Chancellor of New Jersey 1837-1843. During his tenure reform measures were initiated in the penal and judicial systems; the debt imprisonment law was eliminated; schools for the deaf, blind and insane were established; and the controversial “Broad Seal War” was dealt with. Declined appointment to be Governor of Minnesota Territory. US Congress 1859-1861. Speaker of the House 1860-1861. Married Caroline Burnet in 1835. [Sources: M; (66); (98); (C); Dead Governors of New Jersey; “Appleton’s Cyclopaedia of American Biography”, volume IV, 1888. Pic: ]