Decatur County Journal

April l2, l906

SCHUYLER CUTLER JENNINGS was born in Portage County, Ohio, September 26,

l834, and died at his home in Grand River, Iowa, April 4, l906, aged 7l

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

l855 he came west to cast his lot in the then growing new states.

During the year of l857, he settled in Knoxville, Ill. He was first

married October 9, l858, to MISS LOUISA A. EIKER, only child of DAVID

EIKER. To this union were born seven children, MARY E., who died when

she was l9 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 l3, l890. MR. JENNINGS was again

joined in wedlock, February 4, l902, to MRS. MARY SIPHERD who survives

him. MR. JENNINGS moved to Iowa in the fall of l866 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.

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Decatur County Journal

April l9, l906

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 l60 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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September l7, 200l