John ALLSUP

____ - ____

INDEX

William CAMPBELL M. D.

____ - ____

INDEX

Rebecca Ann COOK

____ - ____

1.  Jason Criss VON MINDEN
2.  Jarrod Lee VON MINDEN

INDEX

Ethel CRUNK

13 Oct 1873 - 29 Sep 1950

INDEX

William Nicholas FARIS

____ - ____

1. +Alice Louise FARIS

1. +Dona Jeanne FARIS
2. +Denisha Ann FARIS

INDEX

Martha GAINES

____ - UNKNOWN

INDEX

Jesse JENNINGS Jr.

31 Aug 1780 - ABT 1845

1.  Sarah Stone JENNINGS
2.  Rachel Eaton JENNINGS
3.  James Alsup JENNINGS
4. +William Henry JENNINGS
5. +Anna Massengale JENNINGS
6.  Jesse Goode JENNINGS
7.  Robert Jackson JENNINGS
8. +Susanna Pulliam JENNINGS
9. +Joseph Pulliam JENNINGS
10.  Randolph Reed JENNINGS

INDEX

[23] A DISCUSSION OF THE POSSIBLE FOREBEARS
OF
JESSE JENNINGS
MY GR-GR-GRANDFATHER
by
James Wm. Jennings

July 7, 1987
edited December 17, 2000

First, let me give credit to all those who have given me
information about our family. Most of that information has come
from Mrs. Joan Dailey Spragins of Martindale. She has very
diligently over many years continued the work of her father, Henry
Walter Dailey. He and my grandfather, Jesse Lafayette Jennings,
shared information on the Jennings family in the 1930's. Joan
Spragins first planted the idea in my mind that our Jesse had
family in Kentucky and much of what I am writing here is a
reiteration of what she has said. I have collected what I believe
is additional supporting evidence, of which may not be known by
everyone.

I am not a genealogist in the true sense, I am simply
interested in my family history, therefore I am satisfied with
information which may shed light on the unknown even though we have
no proof. As a matter of fact, we know nothing more about Jesse's
ancestors than we did in the 1930's. I suspect that William Henry
Jennings, my gr-grandfather, knew who his grandfather was. I even
believe that he may have lived with him in Kentucky sometime in the
1815-1820 period. We have no evidence that William H. passed any
information down to his children specifically as to who his
grandfather was.

The best information we have is in a letter to William H. from
his brother Robert J. of Memphis, TN on January 27, 1850. I have a
copy of that letter made by my grandfather in which Robert J. wrote
William H.:

"I have a letter from Eli Cheddocks of VA our
cousin be I find no information in it, he says our Grand
Father only had one Brother and one sister, Our great
Grand Father was from Englandshire, he landed at
Philadelphia, and lived several years in Pencilvania.
Chaddick is our Grand Fathers sisters child. He has
employed a man by the name of Preston to go to Phila,
and search out the records. Also to go to Comil
(Campbell?) County and search the records of that Co.
Grand Father settled there after he left Penn he lived
near Saltville Washington City (Cty?) VA You must write
him and urge him to do all that he can for us in getting
information."

In a letter from my grandfather to Henry W. Dailey dated
4/13/27, my grandfather says:

"My father must have had in his possession letters
concerning this estate, probably from Eli Chaddick and
others when he move to Tex in 1852. He sent his papers,
books furniture & etc across the Gulf of Mex from New
Orleans to Galveston or Mineola Tex & The boat a small
one caught fire & burned up. He was satisfied he had
sufficient proof that we were direct heirs to the
Jennings Estate in Englandshire."

In a letter from my grandfather to Henry W. Dailey dated 10
Nov 1927, my grandfather says:

"I remember my Father, saying many times from about
1870 to 1890 Speak of the Jennings Estate in Eng. left
there by one Bachelor Jennings & he the deceased
bachelor had 2 Brothers that emigrated to the U States
in an early day. I understood they came in when they
colonized or settled Penn. He also said my Great,
Great, Gr Mother was a full blood German, But I do not
know if it was on my Grand Fathers side or Grand Mother
Jennings side."

Back to the letter from Robert J. to William H. According to
the 1810 Census, both Jesse and Eli Chedick lived in Washington Co.
William H. was born in 1809 in Washington Co. but did not seem to
know of Eli, at least Robert had to explain who Eli was to William
H. If this is true, I don't know why Robert knew of Eli and not
William. Robert was born in Washington Co. in 1810, one year after
William. It is interesting to note that the 1810 Census shows one
female over 45 living with Eli Chedick, this could have been our
Jesse's aunt. This would explain why Eli knew so much about the
family and also why Robert communicated with Eli about the family.
Eli Chedick married Sarah Hennegar on 5 Feb, 1807, the minister
was W. Wilson.

As an interesting side light, the 1810 Census also indicates a
William Jinnins (I believe to be Jesse's older brother) living next
door to Eli. My grandfather said that Jesse had a brother named
William Henry, and that Jesse and Agnes named their second son
after him. William married Mary Henegar in 1803 in Washington Co.,
bought land there in 1818 and he and his wife raised a family of 8
children in Washington Co.

The 1782-87 Virginia Tax List shows a Jesse Jennings with 1
pole in Campbell Co. Mr. Dailey saw an old ledger owned by a Mrs.
Felix Douglass in San Marcos during their Centennial celebration
that shows a Jesse Jennings in 1791-1792 furnishing barrel staves
for the Seneca flour mill in Campbell Co. We do not know for sure
if this was Virginia or not. The ledger was used by Charles
Hodges. The ledger was owned by W. P. Hodges of Columbia, TN in
1891. This, together with the information from Eli Chaddick, lead
me to believe that our Jesse's father, also named Jesse lived in
Campbell Co. Virginia from at least 1780 to 1792. I believe that
Jesse, Sr. moved with his family to Grainger Co. TN about 1801. I
believe that it was he who bought 100 acres of land from a Mr.
Cotton in 1801 for $300 in Grainger Co.

I have a copy of a certified copy of the marriage bond for
Jesse Jennings and Agnes Alsup dated 23 Nov 1803 in Grainger Co.
TN. Robert Taylor co-signed the bond with Jesse. There is also a
marriage bond recorded in Grainger Co. TN on 22 Jun 1801 for Thomas
Jennings and Agnes Dyer co-signed by a J. Horner. I believe that
Thomas was Jesse, Sr.'s first child and our Jesse's older brother.
The Early Tennessee Tax Lists show a Jessee Jennings in 1804 and a
Jesse Jennings, Sr. in 1805 as well as a Robert Taylor for both
years. I believe that the Jesse being referred to in both
instances is in fact Jesse, Sr. and not Jesse, Jr. He sold his
land in 1806 to a Christopher Conway for $550. On page 683 of
"Documented Notes on Jennings and Allied Families" by Doughtie, a
Jesse Jennings bought 150 acres of land in Garrard Co. KY on 28 Aug
1806. One of the witnesses was a Robert Taylor.

Further study of pages 683-685 of Doughtie show another
connection of Robert Taylor with the Jennings family. He married
Rachel, Jesse, Jr.'s younger sister. Jesse, Sr. and wife Rachel
had nine children, the eldest was Thomas who died in 1817 leaving a
wife named Agnes. Next came William who was alive in 1838. I
believe this is the same William Jinnins that married Mary Henegar
in Washington Co. VA. Next came Jesse, Jr. who was also alive in
1838. I believe that Jesse, Jr. died between 1838 and the time the
1840 Census (1839) was taken because he is not shown in the 1840 Censusin
Garrard Co. According to the 1850 Census, James Alsup Jennings was
born in KY. A letter from Austin Anderson to Henry Dailey
indicates that James Alsup Jennings was born in March 1808. Some
say that he was born in VA. There is also a theory that Jesse, Jr.
and Agnes had a son James Alsup born in 1808 in VA who died as an
infant and that they had a later son, born in KY who they also
named James Alsup. The only reason for this circuitous discussion
is to answer the question of whether Jesse, Jr. and Agnes went from
Grainger Co. TN to Garrard Co. KY with his father in 1806 and after
a very short stay went on to Washington Co. VA or whether they went
directly to Washington Co. VA. I believe that they went directly
to Washington Co. VA with Jesse's brother William and settled near
Eli Chaddick, their cousin. This may seem like a lot of moving
around, but a look on the map show that these places, even though
they are in three states, are not all that far apart.

According to Doughtie, Jesse, Sr. deeded 100 acres of land to
Jesse, Jr. in 1817. I believe that Jesse, Jr. and Agnes then moved
from Washington Co. VA to Garrard Co. KY where James Alsup and
Susanna Pulliam were born according to the 1850 Census. They did
not stay long in Kentucky, as their last two children that I know
about were born in Lincoln Co. TN. The first was Joseph Pulliam
born on 9 Nov 1818. Jesse, Jr. and Agnes separated on 30 April,
1822. Jesse, Jr. sold his land in Kentucky in Dec 1817. I believe
that Jesse, Jr. went back to Kentucky to live with his father at
that time. Jesse, Jr. and Agnes were divorced in 1826. According
to a letter from Austin Anderson to Henry W. Dailey on 1 Nov 1932,
Jesse, Jr. visited his family in Pontotoc, MS after 1835.

Tradition has it that Agnes Alsup Jennings rode a horse with
two slave boys on mules from Mississippi to Kentucky in the late
1830's to claim an inheritance for her children. Some say that
this trip was made after they arrived in Texas in 1852. I find
this hard to believe because she would have been more than 70 years
old at that time. This would have been the estate of their father
Jesse, Jr. According to Doughtie, Jesse, Jr. remarried in 1829 to
a widow Susan Richardson.

One last piece of information, and this is really a long shot.
There was a William Jennings who came from England to the U. S. in
1752 according to "English Convicts in Colonial America", Vol. I by
Peter Coldham, published by Polyanthos, New Orleans, 1974. He was
sentenced to transportation at Gaol Delivery Sessions (May-June
1752) and transported in Aug 1752 to America. The ship's name was
Tryal and the captain was John Johnston. We need to search out the
Gaol Delivery Books, Gaol Delivery Sessions Rolls and
Transportation Bonds. The transporting contractors had to furnish
bond that they actually delivered the person to the proper place.
If this turns out to be Philadelphia or Pennsylvania, we may have
found our emigrant.

So, until we get better information, I believe that a William
Jennings came to the U. S. in 1752. He married a German lady in
Philadelphia or nearby. They had only three children, Jesse, Sr.,
and unnamed son (I will name him William Henry until I find out
better), and a daughter who married a Chaddick.

The naming of the children by these families is very
interesting. Of Jesse, Jr.'s first four children, the first, Sarah
Stone was named for Agnes's family. The second, Rachel Eaton, was
named for his family. The third (who died early), James Alsup, was
named for her family. The fourth, William Henry, was named for his
brother. If this rule applies to Jesse, Sr. and Rachel, Thomas was
named for her family (possibly Thomas Eaton). The second, William
(Henry?), was named for his brother and/or father. The third,
Jesse, was named for the father. The fourth, Rachel Eaton, was
named for the mother.

What needs to be done to learn more about our family? I have
several ideas.

1. Run down more information on the William Jennings
transported to the U. S. in 1752. Did he come to
Philadelphia? If so, check marriages in the area for
1752-1754. Jesse, Jr. should have been born 1755-1758.
Remember that he had one sister and one brother.

2. Can any information be found about the birth of
Thomas, William, and/or Jesse, Jr. in Bedford Co. VA
from about 1775 to 1780? Campbell Co. was created out
of Bedford Co. in 1781.

3. Can any information be found concerning the marriage
of Chaddick (William?) to a Jennings, who later had a
son named Eli? This could be in Bedford Co. or
Washington Co. or it's predecessor. The time would be
from 1770 to 1780 I would guess.

4. I understand that Thomas (Jesse's older brother) and
Agnes had several children and that there are
descendants living now in Pennsylvania. The 1880 Census
of their children would show the birth state of Thomas.
In addition, can any information be obtained as to his
birth date?

5. Jesse, Sr. married a Rachel. Her maiden name could
have been Eaton. Can we find any information about their
marriage, probably in Bedford Co. VA about 1775?

6. If Jesse, Sr. is the son of the William who came to
the U. S. in 1752, he must have been born in the
Philadelphia area in late 1753 or early 1754. If he was
born then and married at age 20, he could have fathered
Thomas to be born in 1775-76.

7. It is possible, because of the oft repeated
reference to Culpepper Ct. House in our family, that
William the emigrant moved his family from Philadelphia
to the vicinity of Culpepper Ct. House. If so, I
believe that this would have occurred about 1755-1760.
I understand that others have examined the records of
that Co. and did not come up with any positive
information. In light of this new scenario that I am
proposing, perhaps another look would be in order. In December
2000 I now believe that Jesse, Jr said he was "raised" at
Culpepper Ct. House. I think that might have been in
reference to becoming a Freemason, and not where he was reared.

8. If Agnes went back to Kentucky in the late 1830's to
claim a portion of her former husband's estate for her
children as suggested by family tradition, there should
be record of that activity in Garrard Co. (or a nearby
county) KY. Thomas evidently died in Pulaski Co. Maybe
Jesse, Jr. and Susan lived there.

9. The 1830 Census shows a Rachel, age greater than 45,
and only one younger female in Garrard Co. I assume
this was Jesse, Sr.'s widow and one of the younger
girls. Jesse, Jr had remarried by that time to Susannah Stewart.

Anita Louise KELTNER

____ - ____

1.  Wendell Anthony MOTT
2.  Jacquelyn Renee MOTT
3.  Lori Michelle MOTT
4.  Jackson Bernard MOTT

INDEX

Johann PANTHER

____ - ____

INDEX

John PANTHER

29 Jun 1889 - 29 Nov 1958

INDEX

Michael Spencer PULLIN

____ - ____

1.  Mathew Spencer PULLIN

INDEX

Gladys Verne SMITH

22 Feb 1897 - ABT 1994

1. +Clarence Rhea JENNINGS
2. +Frances Verne JENNINGS

INDEX

Fern Lisa WILLIAMSON

____ - ____

INDEX

Charlotte WOFFORD

____ - ____

INDEX

James W Jennings, 4403 Campfire Rd RORA G-16, HARTSEL CO 80449     w5eut @ arrl.net