William S. Pennington

William S. Pennington

William Sanford Pennington (* 1757 in Newark , Province of New Jersey , †  September 18, 1826 ibid) was an American lawyer and politician and governor of the state of New Jersey from 1813 to 1815 .

Early years and political advancement

William Pennington attended public schools in his home country. It wasn't until much later that he studied law. In 1802 he was admitted to the bar. When the Revolutionary War broke out , Pennington served in a New Jersey artillery unit. He was wounded during the Battle of Yorktown and later honored for his military achievements.

Pennington became a member of Thomas Jefferson's Democratic Republican Party . Between 1797 and 1799 he was a member of the New Jersey Parliament , which was then called the State Assembly . From 1801 to 1802 he was a member of the State Council of New Jersey, which later became the State Senate ; between 1803 and 1804 he was the successor of George C. Maxwell federal attorney for the district of New Jersey. He also served as a clerk in the Essex County administration . From 1804 to 1813 Pennington was a judge and clerk to the Supreme Court of his state.

Governor of New Jersey

In 1813 Pennington was elected governor of his state. He took up his new office on October 29, 1813. His tenure was overshadowed by the events of the British-American War , to which New Jersey also had to contribute. Particular attention was paid to strengthening the coastal defenses. In 1814 Pennington was confirmed in office by the Legislature. But after he was appointed judge at the federal district court for the district of New Jersey by President James Madison in 1815 as the successor to the late Robert Morris , he resigned from his office as governor on June 19, 1815. The remainder of the term was ended by William Kennedy .

Pennington served as judge for eleven years until his death in 1826. He was married twice and had a total of ten children, including his son William (1796-1862), who was later to become Governor of New Jersey as well as MP and President of the US House of Representatives .

Web links

• William Pennington in the National Governors Association (English)

• William S. Pennington in the database of Find a Grave (English)