Son of Edward Pennington (1750-1801) and Nettie (Lark) Pennington (1753-1784).

Whig. Farmer; stonemason; member of Indiana territorial House of Representatives, 1810, 1812-16; delegate to Indiana state constitutional convention, 1816; member of Indiana state senate, 1816-20, 1825-27, 1830-33, 1842-45; defeated, 1839; member of Indiana state house of representatives, 1822-24, 1828-30, 1845-46; candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, 1825; candidate for Presidential Elector for Indiana, 1832; candidate for U.S. Representative from Indiana, 1833.
Methodist. English ancestry.

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Inscription on stone:
He was born in Cumberland Co. Va. emigrated to Ky. there to Indiana Territory in the fall of 1804. He was chosen a delegate to form the first State constituton, and was honord by his fellow citizens with many offices of trust to a late period of his life. He was for more than half a century abeloved and esteemed member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and devoted the last few years of his life to the service of his Redeemer.
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The Pennington Family Association has erected a suitable stone marker at the church with the following inscription: Dennis Pennington, Teacher, Legislator, and Lay Minister. He was born May 19, 1776 in Mechlenburg Co. Cumberland parish, Virginia. Came to Kentucky with Henry Clay in 1797 and to Indiana Territory in 1804. Signer of the of the first State Constitution; Served 29 years in the Territorial and state Legislatures. Census Enumerator 1815 and 1850. Died September 2, 1854. Elizabeth, wife of Dennis Pennington born 1783 near Bean Station, Tenn. Daughter of William and Catherine English. Captured by Indians in 1787, Adopted by a Delaware Chief. Married August 4, 1800 and died after March 1857.

CHILDREN:
Nancy Pennington Bell
William Pennington
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One of the founders of the state of Indiana. He was an early legislator in the state, speaker of the Indiana state senate and 37 year whig party member. His most notable political contributions were his slavery opposition and support of squatter's rights. In 1809 he was awarded the contract from the territorial legislature to build the Harrison county courthouse, which later became Indiana's first state capitol. In 1816 he was elected to Indiana's Constitutional Convention where he was able to pass the bill banning slavery.

He served as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives, the State Senate, Lieutenant Governor of Indiana candidate, Presidential Elector for Indiana, and a candidate for U.S. Representative from Indiana. In the year of 1818 he had three men from Kentucky indicted for violating the states "Man Stealing Act" when these men forcibly took a black woman from a home in Harrison county and removed her to Kentucky. He died in his Harrison County home.