Samuel Jennings or Samuel Jenings was born in England and died in Burlington, New Jersey, in 1708. Jennings and his family arrived in West Jersey in September 1680. Governor Edward Byllynge in 1682 appointed Jennings to the position of deputy-governor of West Jersey. At the instigation of William Penn, Jennings allowed himself to be popularly elected as governor, causing a falling-out with Byllynge, who believed this to be an illegal usurpation of his authority. In 1684, Byllynge removed him from his position as deputy.