Jennings, Schuyler Cutler 1834-1906

JENNINGS, RIKER, SIPHERD

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 2/23/2019 at 12:34:40

Obituary ~ Schuyler Cutler Jennings
September 30, 1834 ~ April 04, 1906

Decatur County Journal
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa
April 12, 1906

SCHUYLER CUTLER JENNINGS was born in Portage County, Ohio, September 26, 1834, and died at his home in Grand River, Iowa, April 4, 1906, aged 71 years, 6 months and 4 days.

He was the youngest son in a family of eight children and made his home with his widowed mother until he attained his majority. In the fall of 1855 he came west to cast his lot in the then growing new states. During the year of 1857, he settled in Knoxville, Ill. He was first married October 9, 1858, to MISS LOUISA A. RIKER, only child of DAVID RIKER. To this union were born seven children, MARY E., who died when she was 19 years of age; MRS. H.W. DREW, of Grand River, Iowa; MRS. V.R. MCGINNIS, of Leon, Iowa; MRS. CHAS. H. SIPHERD, of Pittsburg, Penn.; MRS. WEBB SIPHERD, of Grand River, Iowa; DAVID O., who lives at Wewoka, Indian Territory, and S.C. JENNINGS JR., of Grand River, Iowa. All of the children were at his bedside at the time of death except MRS. CHAS. SIPHERD, who was unable to be present.

MRS. LOUISA A. JENNINGS died June 13, 1890. MR. JENNINGS was again joined in wedlock, February 4, 1902, to MRS. MARY SIPHERD who survives him. MR. JENNINGS moved to Iowa in the fall of 1866 and improved the land which he occupied so many years and which is a part of the town plot of which his late home is a part. He has been a useful and active citizen and foremost in all endeavors which were conducive to the best interests of the community. He was a respected and honored citizen and will be missed by a host of friends. He was always spoken of in the highest terms and raised a family amid the dangers and temptations of life, who are all honored members of the church. Certainly his fatherly advice and counsel has been on the side of right.

The cause of his death was Bright's disease which was of long standing and from which he was a constant sufferer, but bore it all so patiently that no one suspected the end was so near.

[Interment at Oak Hill Cemetery, rural Grand River, Iowa.]

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Decatur County Journal
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa
April 19, 1906

GRAND RIVER NEWS:

Last week's JOURNAL contained a brief obituary of the late S.C. JENNINGS. While the article was correct, as far as it went, it seems to your correspondent that it does not do full justice to his character. MR. JENNINGS was among the earliest settlers in this part of Decatur County. The writer of this has often heard him tell of the conditions that prevailed at the time of his advent in this part of the county. There was but a small part of the land improved at the time. He said that at the time he commenced to improve his first quarter section, the whole section of the country was vacant almost to the county line south and he thought that he would have plenty of range for all the stock that would be kept by all the settlers in his life time, but it was soon apparent that there would soon be little range for what stock there was here and he purchased another quarter section of land. At that time, MR. JENNINGS was engaged in buying and shipping stock. The only other buyers were Noah Warnstaff, Henry Gilreath and Cartwright. At that time the nearest shipping point was Murray, but soon the railroad was completed to Leon, and thousands of head of stock were bought by these buyers who drove them to Leon and shipped from there to Chicago. MR. JENNINGS was a successful farmer. He improved the 160 acres of land (can't read) the town site on the west (can't read) attention to business accumulated a moderate competency. He was a man of the strictest integrity; in business his word was as good as his bond, and he never employed any sharp tricks in business which pass among many as good business tactics. In public affairs he was always found on the right side. He was public spirited and a supporter of all measures for the upbuilding of our town, both morally and materially. He was an uncompromising opponent of what is known as the whiskey element in our town and surrounding country, so much so that an attempt was made to intimidate him and drive him out of the country, and an emissary was sent to him and he was told that if he did not let up in his opposition to bootleggers and dives, he would have to get out of the country. He replied that if he could not live here he could die here. He never changed his course in any particular and came and went in danger of his life for months, and finely when his barn was burned, he made no complaint but at once proceeded to rebuild.

MR. JENNINGS was a liberal giver to the churches and all institutions calculated for the upbuilding of the community. He had been a member of the Masonic Fraternity for more than thirty years and was buried by them. His health had been poor for the last three years but as far as we know, no one knew the nature of his disease until he was found to be in the last stage of Bright's disease. A staunch friend and good citizen has gone and left many aching hearts that only time can heal.
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