Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/446

 The Supreme Court of New Jersey. the middle of the eighteenth century. His mother's brother, William Sandford, after whom he was named, was a very large land holder between Newark and New York, and early in life his nephew was apprenticed to him to learn to be a farmer, with the under standing that he was to become the uncle's heir. When the lines between Whig and Tory were sharply drawn, the uncle and his

nephew found them selves standing far apart from each other; William Sandford em braced the royal cause, and young Pennington was an ardent sup porter of the colonies. The uncle threatened to disinherit the young patriot, if he continued in his disloyalty to the British Crown. The young man chose rather to risk losing a very large fortune, than surrender his principles. The uncle sundered the relation of master and appren tice; and young Pen nington, at a very early age, entered the pa triot army, and became WILLIAM attached to a company of artillery. He soon attracted the attention of General Knox, by his cool and intrepid conduct at an engage ment, when, abandoned by his comrades, he continued to fire the cannon intrusted to him, and was instantly promoted to a lieutenancy. He took an active part in several battles, was present at the siege of Yorktown, was wounded either there or soon after, and was brevetted captain. He was obliged, however, to leave the army; became a hatter, and em barked in some commercial enterprises. He kept a diary, while in service, which is still existing, and is in the library of the New

411

Jersey Historical Society. Unfortunately it covers only about a year's time. Much in formation can be gained from it, short as is the period it covers. He seems to have been present at the execution of Major Andre-; he certainly was one of the detachment sent to Pompton to quell the mutiny of the troops of the New Jersey line. In 1787 he was elected to the Assembly from Essex County, and, in 1801, while a student-at-law, he rep resented. the same county in the Council, and was re-elected Councillor in 1802. In 1798 he entered the office of Elisha Boudinot, as a student-at-law, and was licensed as an attorney in 1802. In February, 1804, before he had been licensed two years, and prior to the time when, ac cording to the rules of the Court, he could become a counsellorat-law, he was made an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the ROSSELL. elevation of Andrew Kirkpatrick to the Chief-Justiceship. Mr. Pennington, with his brother Samuel, who for fourteen suc cessive years was a member of the Lower House of the Assembly, was a leader in the Republican, or as it was afterward called, the Democratic party, who opposed the Fed eralists. This organization had very few lawyers in its ranks. Pennington was then in middle life, was a man of pronounced ability, of great good sense, of excellent judgment, was wise and sagacious; and his appointment as Associate Justice was the best which could possibly be made from his