Pennington is a historic Morgan County community named for the Pennington family, who first acquired land from ceded Native American territories. In 1784, Thomas Pennington received a land grant of 287½ acres in what was then Washington County in recognition of his service in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. By 1882, Pennington had both a post office and a country store. Pennington Methodist Church was dedicated in 1890, and in 1905 a two-room schoolhouse was educating area children through seven grade levels. The Pennington home place, built in 1847, is still used by the family and community, and although the school was destroyed, the church, store, and several other residential and agricultural structures dating to the mid-19th century still mark the heart of the community. The Newton family, also prominent in the area, donated land for the church and cemetery. Early agriculture centered on cotton, dairy, timber, peaches, and seed crops, while current agricultural interests are timber, beef, and dairy farms. Pennington Seed Company, founded in 1945 by Brooks Pennington, Sr., grew to serve local, national, and international markets, and Pennington is recognized as a significant part of county history.