William Pennington

William Pennington (born May 4, 1796 in Newark , New Jersey , † February 16, 1862 ibid) was an American politician and governor of the state of New Jersey from 1837 to 1843 . Between 1859 and 1861 he represented his state as a member of the US Congress .

Early years

William was the son of William S. Pennington (1767-1826), who had been Governor of New Jersey between 1813 and 1815. He was also the cousin of Alexander Pennington (1810-1867) a congressman who served two terms in Washington, DC between 1853 and 1856 . William Pennington attended the public schools in his home country and then studied at Princeton University until 1813 . After a subsequent law degree and his admission as a lawyer in 1817, he was between 1817 and 1827 clerk at the federal court responsible for New Jersey, where his father was a judge. At the same time he also worked as a lawyer.

Political advancement and governor of New Jersey

William Pennington became a member of the Whig Party . Between 1829 and 1833 he was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly . In 1837 he was elected governor of his state by the New Jersey Legislature . After he was confirmed in his office in the following years, he could remain in this position between October 27, 1837 and October 27, 1843. During this time, New Jersey reformed its judiciary. A law punishing debtors with prison was abolished. At that time special schools for the blind, deaf and mentally ill were also established.

A sensitive issue in his reign was the so-called "Broad Seal War". It was about the congressional elections of 1838 and five MPs who were to be sent to Congress for New Jersey. The choice was tight and controversial. The governor confirmed five Whig candidates as Congressmen, while the House of Representatives only confirmed one of those candidates and preferred four Democratic candidates. After it became clear that in some constituencies there was indeed electoral fraud in favor of the Whigs, all five seats were finally given to the candidates of the Democratic Party. William Pennington also sought re-election to the highest office in his state in 1843. This time he was defeated by the Democrat Daniel Haines .

Further political career

After the end of his governor's tenure, Pennington was initially active again as a lawyer. He later turned down President Millard Fillmore's appointment as territorial governor for the Minnesota Territory . When the Whigs disbanded in the 1850s, William Pennington joined the newly formed Republican Party . He was elected to Congress in 1858 as their candidate. There he completed a legislative period between March 4, 1859 and March 3, 1861. From February 1, 1860 until the end of his time in the US House of Representatives , he was its spokesman . In 1860 he ran unsuccessfully for re-election to Congress. William Pennington died in February 1862. He had four children with his wife, Caroline Burnet.

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personal data
SURNAME	Pennington, William
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	May 4, 1796
PLACE OF BIRTH	Newark , New Jersey
DATE OF DEATH	February 16, 1862
Place of death	Newark , New Jersey