US Congressman, US Senator. Born at Pine Forge, near Newmarket, Virginia, he attended the Winchester Law School, was admitted to the bar and set up law practice in Harrisonburg. He held no political office prior to being elected to represent Virginia's 16th District in the US House of Representatives, serving from 1837 to 1839. Frail but headstrong, Pennybacker turned down offers from President Martin Van Buren for the office of US Attorney General and as Associate Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court, and also refused the nomination of the Democratic Party for Governor of Virginia in 1840. Instead he became a US District Court judge for western Virginia (1839 to 1845), and a member of the Smithsonian Institution's first Board of Regents (1846). A legislative dispute left one of Virginia's US Senate seats vacant for most of 1845, until Pennybacker won it in a special election; he served for 13 months, from December of that year until his death in Washington, DC. During that time he was Chairman of the Committee on Claims. There is a cenotaph for him at Congressional Cemetery. He was a cousin of US Congressman Green Berry Samuels.
US Congressman, US Senator. Born at Pine Forge, near Newmarket, Virginia, he attended the Winchester Law School, was admitted to the bar and set up law practice in Harrisonburg. He held no political office prior to being elected to represent Virginia's 16th District in the US House of Representatives, serving from 1837 to 1839. Frail but headstrong, Pennybacker turned down offers from President Martin Van Buren for the office of US Attorney General and as Associate Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court, and also refused the nomination of the Democratic Party for Governor of Virginia in 1840. Instead he became a US District Court judge for western Virginia (1839 to 1845), and a member of the Smithsonian Institution's first Board of Regents (1846). A legislative dispute left one of Virginia's US Senate seats vacant for most of 1845, until Pennybacker won it in a special election; he served for 13 months, from December of that year until his death in Washington, DC. During that time he was Chairman of the Committee on Claims. There is a cenotaph for him at Congressional Cemetery. He was a cousin of US Congressman Green Berry Samuels.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
Inscription
Thou art gone to the grave we no longer hold thee,
Nor tread the rough path of this world by thy side.
He gave thee. He took thee and He will restore thee.
And death hath no sting since the Saviour hath died.
Family Members
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