Ebenezer Jenckes Penniman

Ebenezer Jenckes Penniman (January 11, 1804 – April 12, 1890) was an American businessman and politician who served one term as a United States representative from Michigan from 1851 to 1853. He was born in Lansingburgh, New York, the son of Chiron and Olive Whipple Penniman. He attended the common schools of his native area and, at the age of thirteen, was apprenticed as a printer in the office of the New Hampshire Sentinel. This early experience in the printing trade introduced him to the world of commerce and public affairs and laid the groundwork for his later business and political career.

At the age of eighteen, Penniman bought his indenture, ending his formal apprenticeship, and in 1822 moved to New York City to pursue a career in the mercantile business. Seeking broader opportunities, he later relocated to Orwell, Vermont, where he engaged in business as a dry-goods merchant. His work as a merchant in New England established him as a capable businessman and provided the experience that he would carry westward as the country expanded.

In 1840, Penniman moved to Plymouth, Michigan, where he again engaged in business as a dry-goods merchant. He quickly became a prominent figure in the local community and entered public service at the township level. He served as supervisor of Plymouth Township in 1842, 1843, 1844, and again in 1850, reflecting the confidence his neighbors placed in his leadership and administrative abilities. During these years he balanced his growing commercial interests with increasing civic responsibilities, helping to shape the development of Plymouth in the early years of Michigan statehood.

As a member of the Whig Party representing Michigan, Penniman contributed to the legislative process during one term in office. In 1850 he defeated incumbent Democrat Alexander W. Buel and was elected as a Whig from Michigan’s 1st congressional district to the Thirty-second Congress, serving from March 4, 1851, to March 3, 1853. He was the first resident of Plymouth to be elected to the United States Congress. Penniman’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, as debates over sectional tensions, economic policy, and internal improvements intensified. During his term he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents in southeastern Michigan. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1852 and returned to private life at the close of his term.

After leaving Congress, Penniman resumed his mercantile pursuits in Plymouth, continuing as a leading local businessman. He played an important role in the community’s financial development when the First National Bank of Plymouth was organized in November 1871. At the age of sixty-seven, he was named president of the bank, underscoring his reputation for sound judgment and integrity in business matters. His leadership in banking complemented his earlier work in commerce and public office, and he remained an influential figure in Plymouth’s economic life for many years.

Penniman was also active in the formative years of the Republican Party in Michigan. He was a member of the convention that met “under the oaks” at Jackson, Michigan, on July 6, 1854, an event widely recognized as marking the organization of the Republican Party in the state. He later served as a delegate from Michigan to the 1856 Republican National Convention, participating in the early national efforts of the new party. These activities reflected his transition from the Whig Party to the emerging Republican coalition that would dominate Michigan politics in the latter half of the nineteenth century.

In his personal life, Penniman married a woman named Maryette, with whom he had two children, Mary and Julius A. Penniman. Maryette died in 1843. He subsequently married Eliza Connor, and they had three children together: Maryette, Ebenezer Julius, and Katrine E. Penniman. His family life was centered in Plymouth, where he combined his roles as husband, father, businessman, and public figure.

Ebenezer Jenckes Penniman died in Plymouth, Wayne County, Michigan, on April 12, 1890, at the age of eighty-six years and ninety-one days. He was interred at Riverside Cemetery in Plymouth, Michigan. His life spanned from the early republic through the post–Civil War era, and he left a legacy as a merchant, local official, congressman, party organizer, and banker who contributed to the civic and economic growth of his adopted community and state.