Fourth Generation

14. William Archie JENNINGS was born on 22 September 1832 in Stradbroke, Suffolk County, England.^1,2,15,31,32 He was baptized on 22 September 1838 in Stradbroke, Suffolk County, England. He appeared in the census in 1841 in England, United Kingdom.¹⁶ William emigrated on 9 March 1856 from England, United Kingdom.^1,15,33 on the ship "Pioneer" from Liverpool. He arrived in New York City on 25 March 1856 and then lived with his uncle George. While living there, he met Mary Jane Hunter, who worked for George. He appeared in the census in 1860 in Dodge Township, Boone County, IA.^2,15,34 His occupation was "Farmer." (He and his wife had moved to Iowa in about 1859.) In 1864 he was a hotel owner in Ridgeport, Dodge Township, Boone County, IA.¹ William lived at his home in Ridgeport, Dodge Township, Boone County, IA in 1864.¹ In 1865 he was a farmer in Ridgeport, Dodge Township, Boone County, IA.¹ Between 1865 and 1883 he was an owner of a hotel and general store in Ridgeport, Dodge Township, Boone County, IA.¹ William appeared in the census in 1870 in Dodge Township, Boone County, IA.^15,35 His occupation was "Hotel Keeper." He appeared in the census in 1880 in Ridgeport, Dodge Township, Boone County, IA.^15,35 His occupaton was "Ships Stock." He lived at 529 Green Street in Des Moines, Polk County, IA about 1885.^15,35 The City Directory listed his occupation as "Stock Buyer." Another source listed his occupation as "Saloon Owner." William died on 7 March 1898 at the age of 65 in Boone, Boone County, IA.^{1,2,15,31,32,33}

Obituary Notes: "Passed to the great beyond--On Monday night, William Jennings, an old resident of Boone County, departed this life at his home, 1511 Boone Street. The deceased has been ill but a few days. The funeral was held Tuesday and the remains were taken to Ridgeport and services were held at the M. E. Church at that place. Interment was in the Mineral Ridge cemetery.

Deceased was a native of England, where he was born 59 years ago. In 1856 he came to America and three years later located on a farm in Dodge Township. Of late years, he has resided in this city where he was engaged in stock buying and was short time in the restaurant business.

His wife and three sons, William, Sam and McClellan survive him and reside in this county."

. He was buried in Ridgeport, Dodge Township, Boone County, IA.² in the Mineral Ridge Cemetery.

William Archie JENNINGS and Mary Jane HUNTER were married on 24 December 1857 in Clayton, Cape Vincent Township, Jefferson County, NY.^1,2,15,31 Newspaper article: "24 Dec 1857, by the Rev. D. Dye, of 8 Mile Bay, William A. Jennings, of Clayton, to Miss Mary Jane Hunter, of the same place."

From The Jennings History--William Archie Jennings (1838-1898), written by his oldest son, William Humphrey Jennings: "In April of 1859, W. A. Jennings, with his wife and little son, Wm. H., who had blessed their home since Oct. 16, 1858, heard of the opportunities in the great West from my father's uncles Robert Dennett and Samuel Wilson, who had also come from England in the early 1850's, but had pushed west and settled in the greatest state in the union. We think Iowa and in boone Co., the garden spot of the world.

My parents came from New York State to Iowa City, Iowa by railway and on to Boonsboro, now West Boone, or 5th ward of Boone by stage coach drawn by 4 horses. When they landed in the city of their destination, father left his wife and baby in a private home and started out on foot in a northerly direction. He was in search of his uncles Dennet and Wilson, as he had been told and found Uncle Dennet. Dennet lived on farm now known as the Wackerhauser farm, 5 miles north of Boonsboro.

Uncle Robert Dennet took my father in the best conveyance of that day, which was a 'linch-pin' wagon drawn by a yoke of oxen and proceeded to Boonsboro for mother and me. In later years, they told me, my first ride in an oxcart, but I can well remember later riding in wagons drawn by oxen.

Father worked for W. L. Defore on his farm for 2 years. Defore furnished them with an up-to-date cottage with built-in furniture. This consisted of a log cabin with pusheon floor and built-in fireplace. The furniture consisted of a built-in bedstead and table, which were made of native black walnut rails hewed in square and set in 2 in. holes in the log wall and 2 in. holes in the puncheon floor and 3 stool chairs. The provisions furnished by Defore the first 6 months consisted principally of corn bread and side meat, no white bread.

After the harvest in '59, some of the farmers took wheat to the flour mills, I don't remember where. I do remember they told me they had a reunion of folks at the Uncle Wilson home, where my mother told me they had the first white bread in 6 months, with fried chicken, pumpkin pie and crabapple sauce. So much for 1859.

The first home my father owned was in Ridgeport, Boone Co., Iowa in 1864. He ran the only Hotel and store there. The next year he sold the store and Hotel to Henry Condon and bought what is now the Hannum farm east of Ridgeport, but sold it to Wm. Hannum the same year, in 1865. He then bought a farm on the east side of Ridgeport and built a Hotel and General Store, which he operated along with buying and shipping livestock for the next 18 years. In 1884, they moved to Boone, where he continued to buy and ship stock until his health failed. He passed away on March 7, 1897 (sic)."

.

Mary Jane HUNTER, daughter of Peter HUNTER and Williama TAIT, was born on 22 July 1837 in Scotland, United Kingdom.^1,2,7,33

From The Jennings History--William Archie Jennings (1838-1898): "My mother, Mary Jane Hunter, and her sister Martha came from Scotland to America in 1849 at the young ages of 12 years and 16 years. A brother, George Hunter, had been in America since the death of their parents in 1847. He had settled in New York State and worked and saved in order to send for his sisters, Martha and Mary Jane. He provided homes for them with families in the country of New York State."

. She emigrated in January 1852 from Scotland, United Kingdom.^1,12 She appeared in the census in 1860 in Dodge Township, Boone County, IA.³⁴ Mary died on 17 January 1902 at the age of 64 in Boone County, IA.^2,7,31 She was buried in Ridgeport, Dodge Township, Boone County, IA.^2,31 in the Mineral Ridge Cemetery.

William Archie JENNINGS and Mary Jane HUNTER had the following children: