Warren County, Ohio, and Henry Jennings
James Riley Jennings 1967
When James Jennings, son of Jacob, left Haddonfield for Ohio, he was looking for land and a place to settle. He found it in Waynesville.
The previous year a settler had staked out a claim, cut the timber in preparation for burning and clearing. Before the next season the settler moved on west looking for greener fields. Residents of Waynesville suggested to James that he take over where the other had left off. This was done and James soon had a farm and was in business.
Lawrence E. Brown now (1966) owns the old Jennings farm. He has owned it since 1930. The log cabin, original, that stood by the modern home for so long, was torn down in 1943. The compiler has a picture of it taken in 1923.
Harry Scherwood, Waynesville, with whom the compiler visited in 1923, and who gave him the old James Jennings chest as a souvenir, is now deceased. The chest, languishing in the barn, had, at one time been ornate and expensive. The covering and interior was of a fine grade of leather. On the ends were brass plates with the name James Jennings engraved. The front lock was likewise of brass and engraved. On the ends were gummed shipping labels of the day, indicating that it had been on a number of journeys by rail, and under some circumstances of affluence. Mr. Scherwood stated that he had married into the Jennings family and that this luggage had come down through the family in the course of time.
He also stated that James Jennings had built the first sawmill and the first brick yard in Waynesville in the early 1800’s. This is in contradiction with Beer’s History of Warren County published in 1883.
James Riley Jennings 1967
When James Jennings, son of Jacob, left Haddonfield for Ohio, he was looking for land and a place to settle. He found it in Waynesville.
The previous year a settler had staked out a claim, cut the timber in preparation for burning and clearing. Before the next season the settler moved on west looking for greener fields. Residents of Waynesville suggested to James that he take over where the other had left off. This was done and James soon had a farm and was in business.
Lawrence E. Brown now (1966) owns the old Jennings farm. He has owned it since 1930. The log cabin, original, that stood by the modern home for so long, was torn down in 1943. The compiler has a picture of it taken in 1923.
Harry Scherwood, Waynesville, with whom the compiler visited in 1923, and who gave him the old James Jennings chest as a souvenir, is now deceased. The chest, languishing in the barn, had, at one time been ornate and expensive. The covering and interior was of a fine grade of leather. On the ends were brass plates with the name James Jennings engraved. The front lock was likewise of brass and engraved. On the ends were gummed shipping labels of the day, indicating that it had been on a number of journeys by rail, and under some circumstances of affluence. Mr. Scherwood stated that he had married into the Jennings family and that this luggage had come down through the family in the course of time.
He also stated that James Jennings had built the first sawmill and the first brick yard in Waynesville in the early 1800’s. This is in contradiction with Beer’s History of Warren County published in 1883.
Beer’s History of Warren County 1883 (John W. Keys)
The history of Wayne township, as it appears in this book, was written by John W. Keys, a prominent citizen of his day, and we quote: “About the year 1806, John Haines, from Virginia, built a mill at Waynesville on the power now owned by Wright. (1882). It was framed timber and stood about where the sawmill now is. (1882). The dam was above the mill and abutted the land owned by Abel Satterthwaite which has since, by a channel on the east side, become an island. Haines failed to secure an abutment on the east side of the river, and the dam causing frequent overflow of the land became obnoxious to the owner . He cut around the dam and destroyed the power, about the year 1809. A 1ong litigation ensued and the case was finally decided by the Supreme Court against Haines.
John Jennings, elder brother of James, came to the township in 1810, bought the mill and secured an abutment on the east side against the rugged bank for $200. He contracted with David Brown to extend the race for $300. Brown lost heavily on the contract. The mill was idle about six years during which time the principal milling was done at Newman’s mill on the Run, and Highway’s mill on the Miami. A sawmill and fulling mill were there at an early date, and carding and fulling there until about 1850.
The brick mill was built in 1825 by John Jennings, and about 1832, was sold by him to St Cook and Jason Evans. 11 Perhaps the above still does not rule the possibility that James Jennings built the first mill and brick yard in the township. It appears that he came to Waynesville several years ahead of his brother John. In the History of Warren County, by Beers, we find the following :
“About the year 1800 James Corey put up a log building in Waynesville for ‘public entertainment’. Previous to 1806, James Jennings, from New Jersey, purchased the premises, erected a frame building and continued the business. It was located on Wabash Square on Main Street. No absolute title could be given for the lots until David Faulkner got a patent for the land in 1807. Faulkner deeded to Jennings in that square, Lots 7, 8,4 and the north half of 6, for $350. (Long since known as Hammel House Stand.) It was probably the first house of public entertainment. It is not known how long Jennings continued the business, but he was succeeded by Samuel Beck, Robert Way, and Richard Cunningham. In 1817 Jennings deeded the stand to John Warrell for $600. The deed included the above mentioned lots. Israel Hopkins Harris, Waynesville banker, was married to Rebecca Clarke Jennings, who was born in New Jersey, and was the daughter of John and Sarah Jennings, two of the pioneers of Waynesville, she being a sister of Samuel Highway’s wife.”
James Riley Jennings 1967
Henry Jennings, son of James, taught school in Waynesville. The teachers certificate is dated Oct. 12, 1839. When he applied for the job School Board reminded him of his small stature, and that there were some big and tough boys in the school that he might not be able to handle. Henry replied that he would handle them all right. When the school opened the first day, assignments were given. Henry picked up a small bundle of willows he had obtained from the side of the brook and from which he had stripped the leaves. He walked up and down the center, holding the willows in both hands and cutting the air with a stinging sound. After a few moments he placed the bundle of willows on two pegs above his desk.
There was never any trouble with the “bad boys”. James and his family visited with his son Henry and his family the night before Henry was to start the trek by wagon train to the far west. The next morning the family of James went over for a final farewell. James did not go. He could not bear to tell his son goodbye for what he feared would be the last time. James had given each grandchild a bright new half dollar. Finally, hard times in the frontier made spending the last half dollar necessary. The whole family wept.
When word reached Henry of his father’s death arrangements were made with a friend in Ohio to settle the estate, buy provisions with the proceed sand ship them west by wagon train and to be used by Henry in establishing a general store.