Born in 1757, in Newark, Province of New Jersey, British America,[1] His parents were Samuel Pennington (c. 1726-1791) and Mary Sandford (c. 1726-1805).

[1] He was the 6th Governor of New Jersey from 1813 to 1815, elected as a Democratic-Republican in consecutive victories over his Federalist predecessor, Aaron Ogden.

[4][5][1] Pennington received a recess appointment from President James Madison on June 19, 1815, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey vacated by Judge Robert Morris.

[3] They had ten children including William Pennington (1796–1862) who became Governor of New Jersey and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

[7] Pennington's papers are archived with the New Jersey Historical Society in Newark.