Honor John H Jennings

JENNINGS

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/20/2009 at 00:52:44

Honor John H Jennings, has been an important factor in political circles in Boone county as well as a leading representative of its agricultural interest and his efforts have been of such a character as to promote the general welfare. He is ever true to any trust reposed in him and I public office he has discharge his duties faithfully and capably, placing the general good before partisanship and the welfare of the state before personal aggrandizement. He is now devoting his energies to farming, having 240 acres of well developed land on Sec 22, Worth township. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and has been a resident of Boone county for half a century. His birth occurred in Greene county of the Keystone state on April 3 1825, and his father, Jotham S Jennings, was born in Pennsylvania in 1800. After arriving at years of maturity he was married there to Elizabeth Hill, also a native of Greene county and there the father our subject followed farming until 1839, when he removed with his family to Ohio, settling in Knox county, where he purchased a place upon which some improvements had been made. To its further cultivation and development, however, he gave his attention until called to his final rest in 1865. In the family were five sons and three daughters of whom the subject of this review is the eldest. The father was twice married by the first union there were three sons and three daughters. The three eldest were soldiers of the war of 1812, and two of the brothers laid down their lives upon the altar of their country, being killed in battle, and on, Nathaniel was wounded and afterward died.
John H Jennings who is he eldest of the children born of the first marriage, was largely reared in Knox county, Ohio. He received fair school advantages and was well trained to farm work, so that the practical experiences of his youth enables him to successfully carry on business along that line in later years. After he had attained his majority he was married on August 26, 1852, in Ohio, to miss Elizabeth Ewart, a native of Knox county, and a daughter of John Ewart one of the early settlers of Ohio, removing there from Greene county, Pennsylvania. The bridal trip of the young couple consisted of a journey to Iowa, made in a wagon drawn by a team of horses. Boone county was their destination and on reaching this place Mr Jennings purchased 320 acres of land upon which he still resides. He then built a cabin home and at once began to break the prairie and place it under the plow. The grater part of the work was accomplished by him without assistance. From early morn until dewey eve he worked in the fields and in the course of time his labors were rewarded with good harvests. He afterward erected a substantial residence, barn and substantial outbuildings, while the land was divided into fields of convenient size by well kept fences around. He planted fruit trees and also shade trees around the home and made a valuable farm. In connection with the raising of cereals best adapted tot eh soil and climate he also engaged in raising good stock. A poor an when he started out in life, he has long since gained a place among the men of affluence in this locality and his prosperity is well merited.
Mr and Mrs Jennings have but one living child, John E who is a resident farmer of Worth township. They lost three children, two having died in infancy, while Mary J grew to mature years and married Lewis Morris. They then settled on the home farm, but Mrs Morris died, leaving two children, Clara E and Mabel who now finds a pleasant home with their grandparents. Politically Mr Jennings was an old line Whig in early life and his first ballot was cast for Zachary Taylor. Upon the organization of the Republican party in 1856 he joined its ranks and has since been a follower of its standard. IN 186 he was elected to represent his district it eh eighteenth general assembly , being the first member of his party ever chosen to that office in Boone county. He served on a number of important committees and made an honorable record. He has also been a member of the township board of trustees and has been township treasurer of the school funds and for thirty-five years has been township treasurer--facts which indicate in an unmistakable manner his fidelity to duty and the confidence reposed in him by his fellow townsmen. Frequently he has been sent as a delegate to county, congressional and state conventions and is regarded as one often leading and influential Republicans of his district. He and his wife hold membership in the Baptist church in which he is serving as deacon. Justly numbered among the honored pioneers of the county, he has contributed in a large measure to public progress. Fifty years ago he came to Iowa and aided in organizing the first Union League of Boone county during the war. In all possible ways he has labored for the advancement of this portion of ht state, giving his cooperation to all movements for the material, social, intellectual and moral welfare of his community. He has a very extensive acquaintance throughout this portion of te state and no man is held in warmer regard than the Honor John H Jennings.

1902 Boone County History Book