John L. Pennington

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John L. Pennington (1821 – July 11, 1900) was a newspaper publisher, an Alabama state senator, and the fifth Governor of Dakota Territory.

[edit] Biography

Pennington was born at the town of New Berne in Wake County, North Carolina. He started a career in journalism by working as an apprentice for the "Raleigh Star." In 1856, Pennington founded the "Columban" in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1857, he founded the "Daily Progress in New Berne, North Carolina.

After leaving the newspaper business in 1866, Pennington became a member of the Republican party and joined the carpetbaggers in Alabama, where he served as a member of the Alabama legislature until 1873.

On January 1, 1874, Pennington was appointed as Governor of Dakota Territory by President Ulysses S. Grant after a recommendation by George E. Spencer. During Pennington's time as Governor, the gold rush was starting in the Black Hills; and, railroad construction and immigration had both slowed. People in the Black Hills wanted control over their own political future; and, separatists wanted to form their own territory called Lincoln. In the spring of 1877, Judge Granville was assigned to the Black Hills judicial district; and as a result, the separatist movement ended. Because of his lack of popularity in the Black Hills and negative reports on his character in Yankton, Pennington was replaced by William Alanson Howard as Governor of Dakota Territory in April of 1878.

Governor Howard appointed Pennington as collector of internal revenue for Dakota Territory. In 1885, Pennington returned to journalism and established the "Weekly Telegram" at Yankton. In September 1883, Pennington attended the constitutional convention in Sioux Falls, where he opposed dividing Dakota Territory into two states. In 1891, Pennington left Yankton, South Dakota to resume journalism in the South. He died in Anniston, Alabama.