• Thornton Jennings
  • Charity Fender

Thornton Jennings
& Charity Fender

Thornton Jennings, son of William M. JENNINGS & Martha JOINES, was born May 16, 1809, in Wilkes Co., NC, and died 1866 in Grayson Co., VA. He married Charity Fender, daughter of John FENDER & Martha TOLIVER, Dec. 7, 1830. She was borm Dec. 8, 1813, in Ashe Co, NC, and died July 25, 1907, in Galax, VA. Thornton & Charity Jennings' place of burial is unknown.

Children of Thornton Jennings & Charity Fender:

  1. Allen Jennings, b. Dec. 27, 1831, Ashe Co., NC; d. Dec. 28, 1895, Grayson Co., VA; m. Adeline BLEVINS, daughter of Samuel BLEVINS & Nancy COX, Oct. 8, 1857, Ashe Co., NC (b. Sept 23, 1837; d. Jan. 13, 1895); bur. Meadow Creek Union Baptist Church, Old Town Dist., Grayson Co., VA. Children: William Houston Jennings (1858), Nancy Jennings (1860), Alexander Jennings (c.1862), Jonathan Jennings (c.1865), Margaret Jane "Peggy" Jennings (1869), Thomas Jennings (c.1871), Martin Jennings (c.1872).
  2. Solomon Jennings, b. Aug. 2, 1833, Ashe Co., NC; d. bef. 1880; m. Susanna Rachel HAMPTON, daughter of Andrew HAMPTON & Mary "Polly" ISOM, Oct. 15, 1854, Ashe Co., NC (b. abt. 1837; d. aft. 1880). Children: Andrew Jennings (1855), Mary Adeline "Polly" Jennings (1856), A.T. Jennings (1858), William Ephraim Jennings (1860) m. Susan B. ANDREWS, Sarah Margaret Jennings (1866), John R. Jennings (c.1868), James Jennings (c.1870).
  3. Sarah Jennings, b. Oct. 18, 1835, Ashe Co., NC; d. June 20, 1921, Cherry Co., NE; m. Ephraim HAMPTON, son of Andrew HAMPTON & Mary "Polly" ISOM, July 23, 1854, Ashe Co., NC (b. June 17, 1834; d. Aug. 31, 1864, in Battle of Jonesboro, Clayton Co., GA). Sarah moved to Nebraska with her sons Isom and William. She is buried at the Dry Valley Cemetery, Cherry Co., NE. Children: John Hampton (c.1855), William G. Hampton (c.1857), Isom Hampton (c.1860).
  4. Martha Alice "Patsy" Jennings, b. Mar. 12, 1837, Ashe Co., NC; d. July 1, 1886, Morgan Co., KY; m. James Jefferson CARR, son of Thomas CARR & Elizabeth PORTER, Oct. 13, 1855, Ashe Co., NC (b. Oct. 1, 1834; d. Oct. 2, 1877); bur. Carr Cemetery, Ezel, Morgan Co., KY. Children: Thomas F. Carr (c.1857), Charity Carr (c.1858), Sarah F. Carr (c.1859), William E. Carr (c.1861), Charles L. Carr (c.1868), Mary A. Carr (c.1869), James M. Carr (c.1871), Fielden J. Carr (c.1873), Ellis M. Carr (c.1876), Martha E. Carr (c.1877).
  5. Mary "Polly" Jennings, b. Sept. 22, 1838, Ashe Co., NC; d. Aug. 19, 1919, Alleghany Co., NC; m. William Wilborn CARR, son of Thomas CARR & Elizabeth PORTER, Oct. 18, 1857, Ashe Co., NC (b. Nov. 1, 1839; d. Apr. 13, 1919); bur. Crab Creek Primitive Baptist Church, Ennice, Alleghany Co., NC. Children: Margaret Carr (c.1861), Jestin Carr (c.1863), Alice Carr (c.1866), Nancy Carr (c.1869), Richmond Carr (c.1872), Robert Lee Carr (c.1874), John McKinley Carr (c.1876), Morris Jefferson Carr (c.1878), Ellen Carr (1881).
  6. William M. Jennings, b. July 25, 1840, Ashe Co., NC; d. Dec. 9, 1926, Grayson Co., VA; m. Emeline (Emily) BLEVINS, daughter of Samuel BLEVINS & Nancy COX, Aug. 15, 1865, Alleghany Co., NC (b. July 25, 1840; d. Dec. 9, 1926); bur. Samuel Blevins Cemetery, Baywood, Grayson Co., VA. Children: Samuel H. Jennings (c.1867), Catherine Nancy Jennings (c.1868), John M. Jennings (c.1872), Sophia A. Jennings (1873), Andrew Jennings (c.1876), Laura Jennings (1877), Phoebe Jennings (1880), Cora Jane Jennings (1884).
  7. Frances "Franky" Jennings, b. Nov. 8, 1843, Ashe Co., NC; d. aft. 1880, Morgan Co., KY; m. Felix BARTLEY, son of John BARTLEY & Alsha MCKNIGHT, Apr. 20, 1866, Alleghany Co., NC (b. abt. 1848; d. aft. 1880). Living in Black Water, Morgan Co., KY, in 1870 and 1880.
  8. John Jennings, b. June 22, 1844, Ashe Co., NC; d. abt. 1865 in the Civil War.
  9. Thomas Jennings, b. May 31, 1846, Ashe Co., NC; d. Oct. 3, 1902, Grayson Co., VA; m. (1) Jane CALLOWAY, daughter of Marshall N. CALLOWAY & Mary "Polly" REEVES, Nov. 2, 1868, Grayson Co., VA (b. abt. 1847; d. 1870-1878); m. (2) Elizabeth "Betty" HACKLER, daughter of Griggs HACKLER & Sena BARTON, Dec. 12, 1878, Alleghany Co., NC (b. abt. 1852; d. aft. 1900); bur. Crossroads Primitive Baptist Church, Baywood, Grayson Co., VA. Children: Allen Lee Jennings (1879), Alice Jennings (1880), Charity Jennings (1882), Cora Jennings (1883), Mitchell Jennings (1886), Fielden Jennings (1887), Posey L. Jennings (1889), Sarah Jennings (1891).
  10. Martin Jennings, b. Oct. 15, 1848, Ashe Co., NC. Listed with his mother in the 1870 census of Grayson Co., VA, then no further records.
  11. Susan Jennings, b. July 7, 1851, Ashe Co., NC; d. aft. 1920, Grayson Co., VA; m. George CALLOWAY, son of Marshall N. CALLOWAY & Mary "Polly" REEVES, Oct. 18, 1868, Alleghany Co., NC (b. Dec. 1847; d. aft. 1920). Children: John Jennings (c.1869), Luella Jennings (c.1877), Marshall Jennings (c.1879), Arthur Jennings (c.1881), Molly Jennings (c.1883), Betty Jennings (c.1885), Liddy Jennings (c.1891), Claud Jennings (c.1894).
  12. Margaret "Peggy" Jennings, b. June 30, 1854, Ashe Co., NC; d. May 1, 1908, Grayson Co., VA; m. Creed Nuckolls VAUGHAN (VAUGHN), son of Meredith VAUGHAN & Polly SHUPE, Feb. 11, 1872 (b. Oct. 30, 1844; d. aft. 1920). Children: Sarah Vaughan (c.1873), Susan Vaughan (c.1875), Mary Vaughan (c.1876), Floyd Vaughan (c.1878), Sena Vaughan (1880), Rosa Vaughan (c.1888), John Vaughan (c.1891), Pinky Vaughan (c.1894), Thomas Vaughan (c.1896).
  13. Jesse Jennings, b. Nov. 13, 1860, d. Dec. 1, 1860, Grayson Co., VA.

Notes

T

hornton Jennings lived on Crab Creek in Grayson County, Virginia, near the North Carolina State line.  There is a book on this family, Descendants of Thornton Jennings of Grayson Co., VA by Carrie M. Jennings (privately published, 1988).  Thornton died of typhoid fever in 1866.  Thornton's son William M. "Billy" Jennings wrote an article about his Civil War experiences, published Jan. 29, 1963, in the Galax Gazette.  He states that he was born July 25, 1840, in Alleghany County, NC, and had five brothers: Allen, Solomon, John, Martin, and Tom. "All but one of us went through the war got back safe." (Source: New River Notes)

1840 Census, Ashe Co., NC: THORNTON JENNINGS
1 w/m under 5 2 w/f under 5
1 w/m 10-15 1 w/f 10-15
1 w/m 15-19 1 w/f 20-29
1 w/m 30-39  
no slaves  

1850 Census, Ashe Co., NC, p.247 (HH#144):
THORNTON JENNINGS, 42, farmer, $1200, NC
-- Charity, 36, NC
-- Allen, 19, laborer, NC
-- Solomon, 16, NC
-- Sarah, 15, NC
-- Patsy, 12, NC
-- Polly, 10, NC
-- Wm, 9, NC
-- Franky, 7, NC
-- John, 5, NC
-- Thos, 3, NC
-- Martin, 2, NC

Oct. 30, 1851. Thornton Jennings is named in his father William Jennings' will and served as the executor of his estate following William's death in 1856. (Ashe Co., NC, WB D, p.33; NC Archives File No. CR.006.508.16).

Oct. 22, 1857. Andrew HAMPTON & wife Polly to Thornton JENNINGS, 169 acres on Crab Creek. (Grayson Co., VA, DB 11:277.)

1860 Census, Grayson Co., VA, Peach Bottom, p.1/p.185 (HH#2):
THORNTON JENNINGS, 50, farmer, $2500, $300, NC
-- Charity, 48, NC
-- William, 19, NC
-- Frances, 17, NC
-- John, 15, NC
-- Thomas, 10, NC
-- Martin, 13, NC
-- Susan, 9, NC
-- Pegga, 5, NC

Jan. 26, 1863. Haywood COX to Thornton JENNINGS, 30 acres on Crab Creek. (Grayson Co., VA, DB 12:54.)

Sept. 28, 1863. Haywood COX & wife Frances to Thornton JENNINGS, 30 acres on Crab Creek. (Grayson Co., VA, DB 12:88.)

1863 Tax List, Grayson Co., VA: THOM. JENNINGS, 182 acres, Crab Creek, 8 miles south of courthouse, total value $1,462, tax $14.62

Sept. 6, 1866. The land belonging to Thornton JENNINGS, dec'd, was divided between his wife, Charity, and eleven surviving heirs: Thomas Jennings, Wilborn Carr, Allen Jennings, Solomon Jennings, Jefferson Carr, William Jennings, Susannah Jennings, Martin Jennings, Sarah Hampton, Margaret Jennings, and Felix Bartley. (Grayson Co., VA, WB 4, pp.220-222.)

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