Pennington was born at the town of
New Berne in
Craven 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 Bern, 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. In 1875,
Pennington County was established and named after the governor. During Pennington's time as governor, the gold rush was starting in the
Black Hills;
Jack McCall was tried and hanged in
Yankton for the murder of
"Wild Bill" Hickok; 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 1878. He was part of the "Yankton Gang" that tried to consolidate territorial power in their city. However, Pennington was considered to be more honest than most of the appointed governors and he continued to live in Yankton after leaving the governorship. He built several houses and a major commercial structure in the city. 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 and is buried at the Oxford Cemetery in nearby Oxford, Alabama.
Governor Pennington's home at 410 E. Third Street in Yankton, built in 1875, is one of that city's most historical structures and the only territorial governor's home still standing. Pennington was a journalist; the house is now home to
South Dakota Magazine, a publication that explores the history and culture of the state. Two smaller houses also built by Pennington are part of the magazine's small campus. ==References==