Alexander Gordon Penn (May 10, 1799 – May 7, 1866) was a U.S. Representative from Louisiana.
Born near Stella, Virginia, Penn moved with his parents to Lexington, Kentucky; he then completed preparatory studies and attended Emory and Henry College, Marion, Virginia. Later he moved to the parish of St. Tammany, Louisiana, in 1821 and engaged in planting near Covington. He served in the State house of representatives. Postmaster of New Orleans from December 19, 1843, to April 18, 1849. He served as delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1844, 1852, 1856, and 1860.
Penn was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-first Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John H. Harmanson. He was reelected to the Thirty-second Congress and served from December 30, 1850, to March 3, 1853. He served as chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Post Office Department (Thirty-second Congress). He returned to St. Tammany Parish and engaged in planting and the operation of a lumber mill near Covington. At the conclusion of the Civil War returned to Washington, D.C., where he died May 7, 1866. He was interred in Glenwood Cemetery.
Famous quotes containing the words alexander and/or penn:
“I thought when I was a young man that I would conquer the world with truth. I thought I would lead an army greater than Alexander ever dreamed of. Not to conquer nations, but to liberate mankind. With truth. With the golden sound of the Word. But only a few of them heard. Only a few of you understood. The rest of you put on black and sat in chapel.”
—Philip Dunne (1908–1992)
“The spirit of [William] Penn will not be stayed. You cannot set limits to such knightly adventurers. After their own day is gone their spirits stalk the world, carrying inspiration everywhere that they go and reminding men of the lineage, the fine lineage, of those who have sought justice and right.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)