Dennis Pennington

Dennis Pennington
Photo of Dennis Pennington on display in the Indiana First State Capitol Building
Indiana Territorial Legislature speaker
In office 1810–1816
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	None
Constituency	Harrison County
Indiana State Senate Speaker (1816–18)
In office 1816–1820
In office 1825–1827
In office 1830–1833
In office 1842–1845
Constituency	Harrison County
Indiana House of Representatives
In office 1822–1824
In office 1828–1830
In office 1845–1846
Constituency	Harrison County
Personal details
Born	(1776-05-18)May 18, 1776 Cumberland County, Virginia
Died	September 2, 1854(1854-09-02) (aged 78) Harrison County, Indiana
Political party	Whig Party
Spouse	Elizabeth English
Relations	Walter Q. Gresham (grandnephew)
Residence	Central Barren, Indiana
Occupation	Farmer, stonemason, politician
Nickname(s)	"Old Uncle Dennis", "Father Pennington"

Dennis Pennington (May 18, 1776 – September 2, 1854) was a farmer and a stonemason who became known for his many years in public office as an early legislator in the Indiana Territory and in Indiana's General Assembly as a representative of Harrison County, Indiana. Pennington, a member of the Whig Party, became the first speaker of the Indiana territorial legislature's lower house in 1810, served as the territory's census enumerator in 1815, and represented Harrison County as one of its five delegates to the constitutional convention of 1816. Pennington was the first speaker of the Indiana Senate (1816 to 1818), and served in the state legislature for eighteen years, which included five years in the Indiana House of Representatives and thirteen years in the Indiana Senate. His major political contributions relate to his strong opposition to slavery. Pennington ran unsuccessfully for Indiana's Lieutenant Governor in 1825. In addition to his service in the state legislature, Penning was a Harrison County sheriff and a justice of the peace, a trustee of Indiana University, and a member of the Grand Lodge of Indiana. He also supervised construction of the limestone courthouse that served as Indiana's first state capitol building in Corydon, Indiana. The historic Old Capitol, the seat of state government from 1816 to 1825, is one of his most enduring legacies. Fondly remembered as "Old Uncle Dennis" or "Father Pennington," he was known for his common sense and strong character and became one of Harrison County's most influential citizens.