Jennings, Charles H.

JENNINGS, MCCOWN, HEIFNER, NIFFIN, MILLER, KINTZ

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/31/2009 at 11:54:08

Jennings, Charles H.

All honor and praise is due the old soldiers, they who, when the Union was in danger of being disrupted, gladly and unhesitatingly left their varied tasks, forsook their cheerful hearthstones, bade farewell to home folks, shouldered their muskets and offered their services and their lives, if need be, in order, as the Great Emancipator said, "that the nation, under God, might live." By their great sacrifices we of today are enjoying the fruits of their labors, the glorious heritance which is inestimable. One of this worthy number is Charles H. Jennings, of Newton, Jasper County, a man whose life has been led along consistent lines, resulting in much good to those with whom he has come into contact and he is held in high esteem wherever he is known.

Mr. Jennings, who is of English and Irish ancestry, was born in Knox County, Ohio, May 26,1845, the son of Joseph and Eliza (McCown) Jennings, of New England. They came to Ohio when both were children. The paternal grandfather, Joseph Jennings, owned land in Knox County, Ohio, on the stage road, his home becoming a stage station in the early days, in fact, his place was a sort of tavern and there both driver and teams were changed. His son Joseph, father of the subject, when fifteen years of age, began driving the stage through Knox and adjoining counties and continued in this business for a period of twenty-five years. In 1856 he came to Iowa, driving overland in "prairie schooners" from Franklin County, Ohio, where, at Reynoldsburg, he had kept a grocery store, the trip here requiring a month, for the roads were very rough; on the way a sick horse was traded for a good yoke of oxen. He arrived with his family in Newton in April 1856, his family at that time consisting of three children, four having been born at later dates, and, besides himself and wife, his father also came along, but the latter later returned to Ohio and his death occurred at Columbus. During the first year of his residence here Joseph Jennings engaged in freighting. He handled the brick for the first two brick houses built in Newton, those for George Anderson and Colonel Meyers, both still substantial buildings. The same year he bought one hundred acres of land in Newton Township, which land now lies in Sherman Township, paying two dollars and fifty cents per acre for the same. This he cultivated for over thirty years, during which time he became one of the township's leading farmers, and laid by a competency; then he bought property in Newton and moved there, where he continued to reside until his death, in 1898, at the advanced age of eighty-two years, his wife having preceded him to the grave many years before. He was a man of sterling character and always a hard worker and a useful citizen.

Charles H. Jennings was the second child in order of birth in a family of seven, named as follows: Isabel, who married Milton Heifner, a farmer, died some time ago, leaving four children; Mary F., who married Austin Niffin, taught school a number of years in this County, and her death occurred in Newton a few years ago; George, Cordelia, Maggie and William, all died during childhood.

The subject's schooling was not extensive, owing to the fact that he grew up in a pioneer county; however he improved such opportunity as he had in the subscription schools, walking three miles, also going to school some in Newton. When seventeen years of age he ran away and joined the army, his father having opposed his suggestion to become a soldier; but he enlisted in Company L, Ninth Iowa Cavalry, on August 3, 1863. His service was mostly in Missouri and Arkansas, taking part in a, number of minor engagements and skirmishes, and while he was not wounded he suffered from a severe sunstroke, which has proved detrimental to his health ever since. He was also badly hurt by his horse falling on him. He was honorably discharged on February 3, 1866, and after his return home he began farming. In 1871 he took up a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres in Kansas, remaining there until 1873, when he sold it and returned to Jasper County. In 1878 he bought land in Adair County, but sold it a few years later, after which he followed carpentering in Newton for ten years. He was appointed janitor of the courthouse, which position he held for five years. He bought a substantial residence property on Main street in the west part of Newton, and in 1894 traded this for his home place, which is pleasantly situated in the north end of the city, surrounded by four and one-half acres of ground, and on this Mr. Jennings has planted a number of fruit trees of excellent variety, and that same year he built a good, cozy house here. Besides this valuable property, he is the owner of a very desirable farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Wells County, Colorado.

Mr. Jennings was married in 1868 to Araminta Rumbaugh, which union proved a failure and continued less than a year. In 1876 he was again married, his second wife being Mary Eleanor Miller, whose death occurred in 1896; this union was without issue, but they adopted a son when he was three days old, he having proved to be a good boy and a great comfort to his foster parents. Two years after the death of his second wife Mr. Jennings was united in marriage with Mrs. Alma Sager Kintz, who was born in Jasper County, Iowa, the daughter of Simon and Eliza Sager. By her former marriage, she became the mother of one child, William Kintz, who is now living in Newton; he is a moulder and carpenter. The two boys just referred to grew up together. The adopted son was named Charles Ernest Jennings. He is now in Colorado. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 598.