Simeon S. Pennewill

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = Simeon S. Pennewill
honorific-suffix =


imagesize =
small

office = Governor of Delaware
term_start = January 19 1909
term_end = January 21 1913
predecessor = Preston Lea
successor = Charles R. Miller
birth_date = birth date|1867|7|23|mf=y
birth_place = Greenwood, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1935|9|10|1867|7|23
death_place = Dover, Delaware
spouse = Lydia Wright Elder
Elizabeth Halsey
party = Republican
residence = Dover, Delaware
alma_mater =
occupation = farmer
profession =
religion = Methodist

Simeon Selby Pennewill (July 23 1867 – September 10 1935) was an American farmer and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

Pennewill was born July 23 1867 near Greenwood, Delaware, son of Simeon & Ann Curry Pennewill. The elder Simeon was one of the larger peach growers and owned the land that later became the town of Greenwood. He was also active in the Republican Party and served in the Governor's Guard during the Civil War. Simeon, the younger, was educated at Wilmington Conference Academy, now Wesley College in Dover, and married later in life, after he served as Governor, first in 1920, Lydia Wright Elder, and second in 1927, Elizabeth Halsey. There were no children by either marriage. Pennewill inherited and continued to operate his family's peach orchards in Greenwood and Bridgeville, but lived at 228 North State Street in Dover. He was a member of the Methodist Church.

Governor of Delaware

Pennewill was elected to two terms in the Delaware State Senate and served from the 1899/1900 session through the 1905/06 session. In 1908 he was elected Governor of Delaware by defeating Rowland G. Paynter, the Democratic Party candidate and served one term from January 19 1909 until January 21 1913. Like his predecessor, Pennewill began his career as an Addicks Republican, but was dedicated to reuniting the party.

This General Assembly at this time approved the sale of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal to the Federal government, and passed the Boulevard Corporation Act, which provided the legal authority for T. Coleman du Pont to begin to build his privately funded highway the length of the state.

Delaware's antiquated whipping post again received embarrassing national attention. Out of state pressure forced Pennewill to reduce the number of lashings given in one sentence, but the pressure seemed to only intensify local opinion in favor of the use of the whipping post. He also made the controversial appointment of his elder brother, James Pennewill, to the position of Chief Justice of Delaware. He served until his death 26 years later in 1935. It was during Pennewill's term that the DuPont Company lost its anti trust suit and was forced to divest itself of what became the Hercules Powder and Atlas Powder Companies.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
"(sessions while Governor)"
-!Year!Assembly!!Senate Majority!President
"pro tempore"!!House Majority!Speaker
-
1909-1910
95th|
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |George W. Sparks|
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |Thomas O. Cooper
-
1911-1912
96th|
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |Thomas M. Monaghan|
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |Denward W. Campbell
-
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Death and legacy

Pennewill died September 10 1935 at Dover and is buried at the Bridgeville Methodist Cemetery, Bridgeville, Delaware.

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. Members of the Delaware General Assembly take office the second Tuesday of January. State Senators have a four year term. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four year term.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" | Public Offices
-! Office! Type! Location! Elected! Term began! Term ended! notes
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1898
January 10 1899
January 13 1903|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1902
January 13 1903
January 8 1907|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Governor
Executive
Dover
1908
January 19 1909
January 21 1913|
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly "service"
-! Dates! Assembly! Chamber! Majority! Governor! Committees! District
-Party shading/Democratic
1899-1900
90th
State Senate
Democratic
Ebe Tunnell|
Sussex "1st"
-Party shading/Republican
1901-1902
91st
State Senate
Republican
John Hunn|
Sussex "1st"
-Party shading/Republican
1903-1904
92nd
State Senate
Republican
John Hunn|
Sussex "1st"
-Party shading/Republican
1905-1906
93rd
State Senate
Republican
Preston Lea|
Sussex "1st"
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
-!Year!Office!!Subject!Party!Votes!%!!Opponent!Party!Votes!%
-
1908
Governor|
Party shading/Republican |Simeon S. Pennewill
Party shading/Republican |Republican
Party shading/Republican |24,905
Party shading/Republican |52%|
Party shading/Democratic |Rowland G. Paynter
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |22,794
Party shading/Democratic |48%
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

References

*cite book |title = Clearing New Ground, The Life of John G. Townsend, Jr. |last= Carter |first= Richard B. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= The Delaware Heritage Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 2001 |id= ISBN 0-924117-20-6
*cite book |title = Democracy in Delaware |last= Hoffecker |first= Carol E. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Cedar Tree Books |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 2004 |id= ISBN 1-892142-23-6
*cite book |title = History of Delaware Through its Governors |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= McClafferty Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1984 |id=
*cite book |title = Memoirs of the Senate |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Roger A. Martin |location= Newark, Delaware |pages= |year= 1995 |id=
*cite book |title = Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States 1789-1978|last= Sobel |first= Robert |coauthors= J. Racino |publisher=Greenwood Press |location= Westport, CT |year=1988 |id=ISBN 0-930466-00-4

=

* [http://www.state.de.us/research/Tour/information/Governors/govs-31.shtml Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery ] "Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover."

External links

* [http://www.russpickett.com/history/delgov4.htm#penne Delaware’s Governors ]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7880715 Find a Grave ]
* [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=b77b224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD National Governors Association ]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/pendry-penniman.html#RKD0IOK5D Political Graveyard ]

Places with more information

* [http://www.hsd.org/ Historical Society of Delaware ] 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware [phone]
* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ University of Delaware Library ] 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware [phone]