William Sanford Pennington | |
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| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of New Jersey | |
| In office June 19, 1815 – September 17, 1826 | |
| Appointed by | James Madison |
| Preceded by | Robert Morris |
| Succeeded by | William Rossell |
| 6th Governor of New Jersey | |
| In office October 29, 1813 – June 19, 1815 | |
| Preceded by | Aaron Ogden |
| Succeeded by | William Kennedy (acting) |
| United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey | |
| In office 1803–1804 | |
| President | Thomas Jefferson |
| Preceded by | George C. Maxwell |
| Succeeded by | Joseph McIlvaine |
| New Jersey State Council | |
| In office 1801–1802 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Sanford Pennington 1757 (1757) |
| Died | September 17, 1826(1826-09-17) (aged 68–69) |
| Party | Democratic-Republican |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 10, includingWilliam |
| Education | read law |
William Sanford Pennington (1757 – September 17, 1826) was aUnited States Attorney for the District ofNew Jersey, an associate justice of theSupreme Court of New Jersey, the sixthgovernor of New Jersey and aUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Born in 1757, inNewark,Province of New Jersey,British America,[1] His parents were Samuel Pennington (c. 1726-1791) and Mary Sandford (c. 1726-1805). He was the namesake of his grandfather William Sandford (III) and great-great-grandson ofWilliam Sandford.[2] Pennington likely was trained as ahatter and likely engaged in that profession during his early years.[3] He joined theContinental Army during theAmerican Revolutionary War. In 1777, he was promoted to sergeant in the Second Regiment of Artillery. He was promoted tosecond lieutenant in 1780. At the end of the war he wasbrevetted a captain by anAct of Congress.[3] Pennington served in theNew Jersey General Assembly in 1797, 1798, and 1799, was elected to the New Jersey State Council (now theNew Jersey Legislative Council) in 1801, and 1802.[3]
Penningtonread law in 1802,[1] withElias Boudinot.[3] He entered private practice in Newark,New Jersey from 1802 to 1816.[1] He was county clerk forEssex County, New Jersey in 1803.[1] He was theUnited States Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 1803 to 1804.[1] He was an associate justice of theSupreme Court of New Jersey from 1804 to 1813.[1] He was reporter for the Supreme Court of New Jersey from 1806 to 1813.[1] He was the 6thGovernor of New Jersey from 1813 to 1815, elected as aDemocratic-Republican in consecutive victories over hisFederalist predecessor,Aaron Ogden.[4][5][1]
Pennington received arecess appointment from PresidentJames Madison on June 19, 1815, to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the District of New Jersey vacated by JudgeRobert Morris.[1] He was nominated to the same position by President Madison on January 8, 1816.[1] He was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on January 9, 1816, and received his commission on January 16, 1816.[1]
While serving as a District Court Judge, Pennington published a treatise onsmall cause courts.[6] His service terminated on September 17, 1826, due to his death in Newark.[1]
Pennington was the son of Mary Sanford and Samuel Penningston.[3] He married Phoebe Wheeler around 1786.[3] They had ten children includingWilliam Pennington (1796–1862) who becameGovernor of New Jersey andSpeaker of the United States House of Representatives.[3] After the death of his wife in 1804, he married Elizabeth Pierson (c. 1765–1840) on July 13, 1805.[3]
Pennington joined other New Jersey officers in becoming a founding member of theSociety of the Cincinnati in the State of New Jersey.[7]
Pennington's papers are archived with theNew Jersey Historical Society in Newark.[3]Pennington, New Jersey is named for Pennington.[5]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Governor of New Jersey 1813–1815 | Succeeded by William Kennedy (acting) |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of New Jersey 1815–1826 | Succeeded by |
| Proprietary Province |  | |
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| East New Jersey | ||
| West New Jersey | ||
| Dominion of New England (1688–89) | ||
| Royal governors |
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| State (since 1776) |
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* UnderN.J.S.A. 52:15-5 (as amended in 2005), an acting governor serving for 180 continuous days or more is conferred the title of Governor. | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
