Jennings, Joseph M. REV 1848-1930

JENNINGS, CRANE, BEAVERS, MORRIS

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 9/12/2015 at 19:44:25

Joseph M. Jennings was born in the town of Green Bush in Warren County, Illinois, November 11, 1843. In December, 1846, the family moved to Iowa and settled near Iowa City. In 1847 the family moved to Grant county, Wisconsin, but returned to Iowa the following year and settled in the southeastern part of Clayton County, near Colesburg. In March, 1853, the family moved to Fayette county and settled near the east line, close to the Volga River on the north side of Steamboat Mound.

It was a real pioneer life. There were not even schools. For three summers Mr. Jennings drove four yoke of oxen on a breaking plow. Two seasons he worked for Mr. Paddleford, for forty cents a day.

On August 15, 1862, he and his brother Aaron enlisted at West Union, Iowa, in Company A, 38th Iowa Infantry, of the Civil War, for a period of three years. They first saw action on New Year's Day, 1863, in the battle at Columbus, Kentucky. They later were in action at the battles of Vicksburg and Mobile, besides many other smaller engagements. Mr. Jennings was discharged from the army at Houston, Texas on August 15, 1865.

Upon his return home, Mr. Jennings attended the home school during that winter. On March 25, 1866, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Ellen Crane. To them were born four sons and one daughter, Joseph Henry, James Shakespere, Walter Edgar, Samuel Orley and Esther Ellen.

Those years in raising the family were spent on a farm near Volga City. James Shakespere died at the age of 18 months.

In March, 1908, Mr. Jennings decided to retire from the active work of the farm, so he and his wife moved to Volga City, but their days of enjoyment of the hard earned leisure were soon broken in the death of his wife on June 15, 1908.

After he was left alone, he spent four years preaching in the western part of Iowa for the United Brethren Church. On June 19, 1912, he was again united in marriage to Mrs. Martha E. Beavers and they have lived in Volga City up to the present time.

Mr. Jennings was a member of the United Brethren Church from 1866 until his death. His first charge was five country appointments near Colesburg. His last appointment was Hillsdale, in Mills County, Iowa. He was a life worker in Church and Sabbath School.

For more than thirty years he was chaplain of the Fayette County Veteran's Association. He was also a member of the G.A.R. Abernathy Post, West Union, Iowa.

Mr. Jennings' health had not been of the best for several years, and as time went on, he felt that each day was bringing him closer to the call of the Master. Despite the fact that his physical powers were fast waning, he retained his keenness of mind until a few days before the end came. While quietly [illegible words] 29th of June, his spirit passed into the Great Beyond into the presence of the Master Power of the Universe, at the age of eighty-six years, seven months and eighteen days. Thus draws to a close the enviable life of a truly noble man.

The life of Mr. Jennings is expressed in a short poem written by him on the date of his eighty-sixth birthday, which he terms, "My Motto, What I Live For."

I live for those that love me,
For friends sincere and true,
For the Heaven that smiles above me,
And the good that I can do.

For the cause that lacks assistance,
For the wrong that needs resistance,
For the future in the distance
And the good that I can do.

The funeral was held from the Methodist church, Tuesday afternoon, at 2:30, Rev. A.B. Chamberlain officiating . Interment in Hill Crest cemetery. The casket bearers were H.H. Dohrer, Irving Phillips, H.W. White, Wm. Probert and W.M. Ewing. The entire community join in sympathy to the sorrowing ones.
~Clayton County Register, Thursday morning, July 10, 1930

Note: Son of Zachariah & Mary (Morris) Jennings