Letters by Jesse L. Jennings
Copies of Letters
Letter #1 (From writing of my grandfather Jesse L.
Jennings)
A Copy of a Letter written to my father Wm. Henry Jennings of Pontatoch Miss by Uncle Robt. J. Jennings. Written in Memphiss Tennesee Jan 27th 1850. My Sister Lois Eton Jennings now holds this original letter in her possession.
Uncle Robert was married, lived and died in Memphiss Tenn, had no children, but had 1 adopted child a girl vs Hattie.
Memphis, Jan 27 - 1850
Dear Bro;
I am once more at home, and find no letters from you - Why is this so? I am very anxious to hear from you all, and I am in hopes that I het will hear from you before I leave tomorrow evening. I have no new to send you, more than that our health is good. As regards Cotton, it is high. It is 12 ½ c in the city, and about 11 cents here. But you cant get here with an emty wagon now, but I am in hopes the weather will not always be so high as it is now. The Mississippi is nearly at high water mark. We have some cases of smallpox hear. Coffee is worth in New Orleans 13 cents and the prospects is good for it to go up to 20 cents and I do believe that cotton will be 15 c be these are opinions of mine, they may not be worth anything. Now as reads the Gayoso, she reached here on Thursday morning and leaves Monday evening she is handsome small boat and is bound to be popular, she is a good running boat, and I think that, think that she will carry 12 to 15 hundred bales cotton, will make a trip every 2 weeks. I have splendid Bow fixed up, it is not inferior to none on the river, and I think that shall do well. I have my hands full now, I discharged 150 tons freight yesterday, and received 114 bales cotton after breakfast. The freight consisted of several hundred packages, but none to The Jennings Estate. 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 England shire, he landed at Philadelphia and lived several years in Pencilvania. Chaddick is our Grand Fathers sisters child he he has employed a man by the name of Preston to go to Phila and search out the records. Also to go to Comil County and search the records of that Co. Grand Father settled there after he left Penn he lived near Saltville Washington Cty Va. You must write to him and earge him to do all that he can for us in getting information.
Right to me soon.
-signed- R. J. Jennings
Letter #2 (attached to the letter shown above)
Nov. 10 / 27
Martindale, Tex Box 25
Caldwell Co.
P.S. To Mr. Henry W. Dailey of Kenedy, Texas, Karnes Co. He being my sisters only living child - Mrs. Sue Dailey.
I remember my father saying many times from about 1870 - 1890 speak of The Jennings Estate in England - left there by one Bachelor Jennings and he the deceased bachelor had 2 brothers that emigrated to the U. States in an early day. I understand they came to the U.S. in the same boat that The Dutch 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. Grandmother Agnes Stone Jennings died here in Sep or Oct 1869. I was 7 ½ years old and witnessed her death from old age. She died on Morrison’s Creek N.E. crossing on top of the hill, adjoining Flag Creek. He my Father, also told many times about being born near The Old Culpepper Court House in Va. In 6/11/09 and left Va. When he was 13 yrs old, and I think came through Memphis, Tenn and on to Miss. - left Uncle Robt in Memphis, Tenn. He spoke about marrying when he was 35 years old to Melvina Humphreys originally from Alabama. Tuscaloosa or some other town I believe. Aunt Abigail was 2 yrs old when they left Ala. My Grand Mother Humphreys was a Jones- her native state was Ga. My Father stated, the only near relatives he knew anything about said they went to the State of Missouri in an early day - and never kept track of them. His near relatives all moved to this country, besides what remained in Miss and Tenn. I remember meeting a Sheriff (in Dallas Tex) in about 1910 or 1911 or some year near that that I had fine cattle on exhibit at the Fair. I was riding on a St. Car, going to and from the fair - and met this sheriff and he asked about...[a portion of the original letter was burned at this point and it is not all readable].. ot Jennings. I replied yes ...and he ... just like a Jennings. He was well acquainted ... said in Potter or Howard Co. Mo. 40 mi S.W. of St. Louis. I had not even spoken to this man. So I think we could trace up some of our relatives in Mo. in that way. I also met one man in New Braunfels Tex about one or 2 years ago that told me about the same Jennings people. I think that this man can be found by myself now. I have heard my Father speak more about this estate than any of my Brothers and sisters. I was always a close observer of his old s...tes talk.
Yours Jesse Lafayette Jennings
Letter #3 (from Jesse L. Jennings (b. 1862) to Nan Overton
(b. 1890), daughter of Joseph H. Jennings (b. 1846))
Martindale, Tex - 7/11/27
Dear Nannie: -
I am sending to you this day “A Partial history & events of My Fathers ancestry & his family up to date with the exception of his Grand Father and Great Grand Father. You might learn some thing in regard to them by writing [my nephew] Henry W. Daily of Kenedy - as he has taken great Pain & trouble in hunting up all reckors & data, he could possible find. - I give to you as follows what I know - (1st) There were 3 Jennings Bros - lived in Eng. Two of them came to The U. States with a colony of Dutch, that first settled Penn - They left one brother in Eng - he being single named Wm. H. Jennings - he was a machinist or a Manufacturor - his property ;valued at his death at $40,000.00 I cant recall the names of the 2 brothers that settled in Penn -
My grandfather lived in Kentucky & then went to Va. Married Agnes Stone Allsup & lived near the Old Culpepper Court house. He was about 56 years old when he died.
My father was the oldest child & had to help raise the whole family of 6 boys and 4 girls. My Father left Va. At age 13 - Moved to Miss - [Ripley, Tippah] Co. Thence to [Pontotoc], & then to Holly Springs and from Holly Springs Miss to Caldwell Co. Tex - ½ mi below Martindale in 1852 Dec. His occupations 1st was Sheriff of [Tippah] Co - was a saddle, harness and shoe maker and an Inn Keeper then a farmer. When he left Holly Springs Miss - he left some fine timbered land behind him, though never realized anthing from it, hat it in the hands of a Lawyer by the name of W. H. Carr - so the Layer and the taxes ate it up - like they do today - if you turn your business over to them. He told me all about his ancestors & their names but do not remember now. Wm. J. Bryan was also born near The Old Culpepper Court House, his mother was a Jennings. The 3 wealthy Jennings of Chicago (millionares) were no doubt related to us - Once an Old man Jennings was seen in Chicago years ago by some of our local people & said he looked just like my Father. I was in Dallas once about 1909 - & met a man on the street care - & spoke to me, he lived in Mo. & asked me if my name wasn’t Jennings. I said yes. He knew a man near St. Louis, 40 mi. S.W. I believe in Cook Co. He said I favored him & looked like him -
Father was born 6/11/1809 - Died 6/10/1890 -
And that was the reason, he asked me the Question My Father said he knew no relatives - accept his only family that came to Tex. & said he had some cousins that moved to Missouri in an early day - Most of all The Jennings has some favor to one another - & I think most all are of the 1st family that move here from England. I think they were Irish - My Father was English, Irish German & Welch - & I consider the Welch good people. The name Wm. Henry J. - has been handed down from the beginning since they left Eng- to this date, in our families reckord-
My Father moved to Tex in 1852 - Dec - in an Ox wagon, accompanied by Grand Father Joseph H. Humphreys & his family- The Humphreys family originated in Alabama- & Grand Mother [?] Sallie H. Was of the State of Ga. Atlanta. Her name being Sallie Jones - She had some relatives in Houston Tex & I think Wash Jones The late Congressman was related.
My Father related many times that when he moved to Tex. he sent his papers and Fimly reckords & etc across from N Orleans by boat to [Galveston] but the boat burned on the way- & destroyed everything by fire. He was satisfied had it not happened he could have proved up that he was an heir to the Jennings Estate in Eng- which now amounts high up into millions- It was a great misfortune that he did not keep a family reckord & preserve it- The N. Y. Lawyers tried several times, to learn something of it, but failed. Negligence was the cause-
The Humphreys family is very numerous also - mostly in Ga. Miss. & Tex. They took a census of all the Jennings about 42 years ago - and there were at that time about 5000 - now they may run to 30 or 40 thousand. Grand Mother J. Died here in 1869 Aug. 31st. Born 1785 - in Va or Ky- Her children to wit-
(1) Wm. H. J. (2) Ann Crunk (3) Joseph Pulliam J. (4) Susan Luker - Miss - (5) Robt Jackson J- lived and died at Memphis - married Harriet Simpson (6) Agnes J. Married a cousin Allsup (7) Rachiel died young (8) Randolph J. - his son John Bolen J. Lives here - his wife being Isabella [ ] Wilson- (9) & (10) Jesse & Jimmie - died single-
Grand Father J. & wife were 1st Methodist - later My Grandmother J. & my Father & Grand Mother Humphreys all were Primative Baptists- We had 12 children in our family 8 girls & 4 boys- 8 are living to date. I hope this history will aid you in your motive. All Family Historys should be preserved.
Love to All your Uncle Jesse L. J.
