Dennis Pennington

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Dennis Pennington
Dennis Pennington

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Indiana Territorial Legislature
In office
1809 – 1816
Preceded by None
Succeeded by None
Constituency Harrison County
Incumbent
Assumed office 
1816-20, 1825-27, 1830-33, 1842-45
Preceded by None
Constituency Harrison County
Incumbent
Assumed office 
1822-24, 1828-30, 1845-46
Preceded by None
Constituency Harrison County
Born May 18, 1776(1776-05-18)
Cumberland County, Virginia
Died December 2, 1854 (aged 78)
Harrison County, Indiana
Political party Whig Party
Religion Methodist

Dennis Pennington (May 18, 1776 - December 2, 1854) was an early Indiana legislator, speaker of the first Indiana State Senate, head of the territorial legislature, and a member of the Whig Party serving over 37 years in public office. He was also a stonemason[1]. His major political contributions where his strong opposition of slavery and his support of squatter's rights.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Dennis Pennington was born in Cumberland County, Virginia on May 18, 1776 to Edward Pennington.[2] He had four brothers and one sister.

The Pennington family had several slaves while they lived in Virginia. All were freed when they left Virginia including "Aunt Fannie", who declined to be left behind. She stayed with Pennington's household for the rest of her life,[3] she later died as one of the several freed slaves living in Corydon.

In the fall of 1773 the Penningtons went to Kentucky with Henry Clay. In 1799 Pennington supported Clay in his attempt to make Kentucky a "Free State". While Pennington in Kentucky he farmed a piece of land east of Louisville and married his wife Jenine.

In 1784 he crossed the Ohio River at Clarksville, Indiana and entered the Northwest Territory. There Pennington purchased land from George Rogers Clark near present day Lanesville, Indiana which he farmed for several years starting in 1802.[4] He moved again in 1815 to what is now Central Barren, Indiana, four miles north of Corydon.[5]

[edit] Political career

In the late 1790s Pennington was able to meet Governor Saint Clair and Thomas Worthington. His contact with these men and their success with the anti-slavery party in Ohio, Pennington decided to enter the anti-slavery debate in Indiana. Pennington first met William Henry Harrison on a trip to Vincennes in 1801.[6]. Initially Pennington supported Harrison's policies. But over time he was slowly roused to opposition. Three events led to Pennington coming out against Harrison's plans. On December 28, 1802, Harrison attempted to have the anti-slavery clause of the Northwest Territory's charter dropped. Then in 1803 he introduced measures to allow indenturing within the territory, and finally in 1807 Harrison was nearly able to have slavery outright legalized by the appointed territorial legislature[7]. It was then that Pennington decided it was time to enter politic in open opposition to Harrison and the pro-slavery government.

Pennington's first fray in the political world was his support for "squatter's rights", much to the chagrin of George Rogers Clark, still a major landholder at the time in 1807. Pennington went further in his speech at the Springville meeting and outright condemned slavery and the government that had legalized it. At the same meeting in Springfield the attendees arrived at a resolution that condemned slavery in the territory and resolved to to put an end to the "despised institution". [8]

In 1809 Congress authorized the Indiana Territory to elect it's own legislature, rather than having it appointed by Governor Harrison. [9] Pennington was elected as the representative of Harrison County in the first election. Many of his anti-slavery cohorts were also elected in the first election giving them an overwhelming majority. Pennington quickly took the lead in the legislature and introduced laws to repeal the slavery and indentured servitude laws implemented by Harrison.[10] Pennington ended up serving 29 years as a territorial and state legislator.

Also in 1809 Pennington was awarded the contract from the Territorial Legislature for the construction of what would become Indiana's first State Capitol.[11] Construction cost about $1,500 dollars (USD). [12] After the territory was reorganized Pennington wrote the resolution to relocate the capitol. Corydon was eventually selected (Pennington's hometown):

"Resolved: That the capitol be removed from Vincennes, because it is dangerous to continue longer here on account of threatened depredations of the Indians, who may destroy our valuable records."[13]

By 1810 Pennington was the defacto leader of the territorial legislature. In 1813 Thomas Posey succeeded Harrison as governor, and as the head of the pro-slavery party. It is said that it was Pennington's unrelenting political assault that drove Posey from the capital of Corydon[14] Posey would claim it was poor health and that he needed to be nearer to his physician.

In 1815 Pennington was the territory's census enumerator. He used the position to take his anti-slavery message to every home in the territory.[15] This laid the groundwork for the movement to kill any chance of slavery entering the state's constitution that would be drawn up in the following year. Pennington is quoted as saying, "Let us be on our guard when our convention men are chosen that they be men opposed to slavery."[16]

[edit] Indiana statehood

In 1816 Pennington was elected as a delegate to Indiana's first Constitutional Convention.[17] As a slavery opponent he was naturally in party with Jonathan Jennings. He and the other slavery opponents had long since wanted to make Indiana permanently a "Free State". Pennington had encouraged Jennings to run for Congress against Harrison's candidate, and once there he further encouraged him to use his position to speed the territory's path to statehood. Then, upon statehood, the constitutional convention could be stacked against slavery, and then the territory could elect it's governor rather than have it appointed by the President. They hoped by this that they could be rid of any more pro-slavery governors.[18] At the constitutional convention they did just that, slavery was clearly banned in the new constitution and the Governor was banned from holding any federal position.

“ Article 8, Section 1: But, as the holding any part of the human Creation in slavery, or involuntary servitude, can only originate in usurpation and tyranny, no alteration of this constitution shall ever take place so as to introduce slavery or involuntary servitude in this State, otherwise than for the punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. ”

Dennis Pennington ran for a seat in the senate of the new government. He won the election and ultimately become the first speaker of the Indiana State Senate from 1816-1818. He was an outspoken critic of slavery and a Whig during his tenure as a state representative. Pennington would service in the Indiana State Senate from 1816-20, 1825-27, 1830-33, and 1842-45. Pennington would also serve in the Indiana House of Representatives 1822-24, 1828-30, and 1845-46.

Ever the anti-slavery activist, in 1818, Pennington had three Kentuckians indicted for violating the state's "Man Stealing Act" when they forcibly took a black woman from a home in Harrison County and removed her to Kentucky. Governor Jennings requested the Kentucky Governor send the men to Indiana for trials; after several years of correspondence the Kentucky governor refused on constitutional grounds.[19] It was this incident which caused governor Jennings to change his course and attempt to prevent fugitive slaves from entering the state.

In the early 1820s Pennington was opposed to the construction of the Wabash and Erie Canal. He claimed, rightly so, that it would quickly become obsolete once the railroad reached the state and would turn out to be a huge waste of public money.[20] Subsequently, once the canal was nearly completed the railroad entered the state and the canal did in fact become obsolete having cost the taxpayers millions of dollars while seeing very little use.

In 1825, Pennington campaigned for the position of Lieutenant Governor, but he was defeated. First by appointment and later by an election, he became the Sheriff of Harrison County. During his election campaign his opponent claimed due to his infirmities of age he would be unable to fulfill the duties of the office. Pennington challenged him to a wrestling match for the younger man to prove his superiority; his opponent declined.[21] Pennington went on to win that election and served as sheriff for several years.

In his later years Pennington served ten years on the Indiana University Board of Trustees.[22]

Pennington died in Harrison County, Indiana on December 2, 1854.[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b The Political Graveyard - Harrison, County Indiana
  2. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 13
  3. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 23
  4. ^ A History of Indiana By Logan Esarey, Pg 206
  5. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 19
  6. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 19
  7. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 21
  8. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 21-22
  9. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 22
  10. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 23
  11. ^ Life and Public Services of Thomas A. Hendricks By John Walker Pg22
  12. ^ Kinter House - Dennis Pennington Room
  13. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 25
  14. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 22
  15. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 24
  16. ^ Historic Indiana, By Julia Henderson Levering, pg 139
  17. ^ IHB: Members of the Constitutional Convention of 1816
  18. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 22-23
  19. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 42
  20. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 11
  21. ^ Life of Walter Quintin Gresham, 1832-1895 By Matilda Gresham Pg 11
  22. ^ IU Board Members