Matthias Pennypacker (August 15, 1786 – April 4, 1852) was an American politician from Pennsylvania. He served as a member of the

Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts. It ...

, representing

Chester County Chester County may refer to: * Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States ** Chester County Council, boy scout council in Pennsylvania. * Chester County, South Carolina, United States * Chester County, Tennessee, United States * Cheshire ...

from 1827 to 1828 and in 1831.

Early life

Matthias Pennypacker was born on August 15, 1786, at Pennypacker's Mill in

Schuylkill Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania Schuylkill Township is a Township (Pennsylvania), township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It contains the village of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Valley Forge. The population was 8,516 at the 2010 ...

, to Mary (née Custer) and Matthias Pennypacker. His father was a farmer and a miller and was a preacher at a church in

Phoenixville Phoenixville is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia at the junction of French Creek (Schuylkill River tributary), French Creek an ...

. Pennypacker grew up on the farm and was educated at subscription schools.

Career

Pennypacker worked as a farmer and a miller. He operated a sawmill and was a lumber dealer. Pennypacker was a Whig. He served as a member of the

, representing

from 1827 to 1828 and in 1831. He was a member of the 1837 constitutional convention. In 1831, Pennypacker was one of the organizers of the

Reading Company The Reading Company ( ) was a Philadelphia-headquartered railroad that provided passenger and freight transport in eastern Pennsylvania and neighboring states from 1924 until its acquisition by Conrail in 1976. Commonly called the Reading Railro ...

and was an incorporator of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad.

Personal life

In 1807, Pennypacker married Sarah Anderson, daughter of Isaac Anderson, of Schuylkill Township. They had four sons and one daughter, James A., Mary A., Isaac A., Washington and Matthias J. His son Matthias also served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. His grandson was Pennsylvania Governor

Samuel W. Pennypacker Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker (April 9, 1843 – September 2, 1916) was an American judge and politician who served as the 23rd governor of Pennsylvania from 1903 to 1907. A judge assigned to Pennsylvania's Court of Common Pleas system prior to his ...

. His great-grandson was Union General

Galusha Pennypacker Uriah Galusha Pennypacker (June 1, 1841/1842/1844 – October 1, 1916) was a Union Army, Union general during the American Civil War. He may be the youngest person to hold the rank of brigadier general in the United States Army, US Army and re ...

. Pennypacker was a Mennonite. Pennypacker died on April 4, 1852, at his home on Pickering Creek in Chester County.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pennypacker, Matthias 1786 births 1852 deaths Politicians from Chester County, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Whigs Members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives 19th-century American farmers 19th-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly