Commemorative Biographical Record of Northeastern Pennsylvania (2 volumes),
Beers, 1900


Thomas H. JENNINGS. The Jennings family has been prominently identified with
the agricultural and lumbering interests of this section from an early day,
and the subject of this sketch, a leading citizen of Harniony township,
Susquehanna county, fully maintains the reputation for enter prise and
thrift which was gained by his pioneer ancestors. The family originated in
England, but Stephen Jennings, our subject's great-grandfather, was born
and reared in Connecticut, and made his home at an early date on an island
in the Delaware river, near Equinunk, Wayne county.

George Jennings, our subject's grandfather, was born at the old homestead
on the island, and as a young man settled near Equinuuk. He died iir 1819,
"and is buried at Hale Eddy, Delaware Co., N. Y. His wife, whose maiden name
was lietsey Dickinson, was born at Hale Eddy. After his death she married
Thomas Wright, a farmer in llarmony township, Susquehanna county. He had
three children, of whom Stephen, our subject's father. was the eldest. (2)
George, Jr., born Auggust 9, 1816, at Hale Eddy. married Miss Myra Pickering,
sister of Jotham Pickering, of Jack son, Susquehanna county. For some years
they resided in Ilarmony township, but later they settled at North Sanford,
Broome Co., N. Y. He died there in 1879. and his widow has since lived with
her daughter, Betsy Clark. Of the seven children of George Jennings, Jr.,
the eldest, Lawton, enlisted in the Union army. and died during the Civil
war; Stephen, who served throughout the war in a cav alry regiment. is
now a resident of Chenango coun ty. N. Y.; Horace is a farmer in Broome
county, N. Y.: Augustus resides in the same county; Betsy A. is the wife
of Barney Clark. of Broome county, N. Y.: Nancy (deceased) married William
Falkner. of Warren county, Penn.; Sophia married Lee Beachley, who now
resides in Binghamton, N. Y.  (3) Lorena, the only daughter of George
Jennings, Sn. and born at Hale Eddy, December 17, 1812, married Thomas
McClure, and settled in the Mc Clure settlement in Broome county, N. Y.,
where she died leaving one son, Silas. a resident of Brooklyn. N. Y.,
who is a conductor on one of the Long Island railroads.

Stephen Jennings. the father of our subject. was born June 5. 1804. at
llale liddy, N. Y., and was fourteen years old when his father died. He
was reared upon his stepfather's farm in Harmony town ship, receiving only
a limited education, and in early manhood he bought our subject's present
farm, which was then in a primitive condition. His in dustry brought the
place under cultivation, and he erected the present residence, also barns
and other outbuildings, making an attractive and valuable homestead, where
he resided many years, his death occurring September 8, 1880. In politics
he was a Democrat, and he held a number pf local offices, in cluding those
of school director, collector and super visor. Early in life he united
with the M. E.  Church, to which he gave liberally of his time and means,
he and his estimable wife being leading members of the Church at Stevens
Point. In No vember, 1846, he married Mrs. Althea (Parsons) Smith, widow of
Henry Smith, of Broome county, N. Y., who is still living at the homestead at
the advanced age of eighty-five years. Our subject was the eldest of three
children, the others being: George, born May 30, 1854, who died in Conneaut
ville, Crawford Co., Penn. in 1875, aged twenty-one years; and Mary, born
September 15, 1856, who died July 21, 1872. Both were bright and prom ising,
and their early death caused sincere grief among a large circle of friends.

Mrs. Althea Jennings was born September 24, 1815, at Gallatin, Columbia Co.,
N. Y., a daughter of Joshua and Maria (Miller) Parsons. She has one brother
living, Henry Parsons, a prominent resident of Westfield, Tioga Co., Penn.,
who has a large family. Her only living sister, Mrs. Catherine Houghtaling,
resides in Albany, N. Y., and also has a numerous family.

Our subject was born at the present homestead September 24, 1847,
and after completing a course in the local schools attended a school
in Iiingston. Penn., for one term. He has always made his home at.the
farm. the management of the place naturally falling into his hands as
his parents advanced in years, and he is well known as a lum berman and
agriculturist. Politically he has always affiliated with the Democratic
party, and he has served as supervisor. school director and township
assessor. Socially his family is much esteemed, and he and his wife are
active in religious work as members of the Methodist Church at Stevens Point.
In March, 1877, he married Miss Amy Woodard, and two children have blessed
the union: (1) Miss Sarah Althea. born January 1. 1878, graduated from
the high school at Lanesboro in 1896. and from the East Stroudsburg Normal
School in 1897, and has since taught successfully in the schools of Wayne
and Susquehanna counties. (2) Stephen W., born March 11, 1888. is attending
the local schools.  Mrs. Amy (Woodard) Jennings is a member of a well
known family. and her father. Willian Woodard, a native of Oneida county,
N. Y. is a highly respected agriculturist of Ilarniony township, Susquehanna
county, where he settled in 1851. Her mother, Sarah Smith, who died in
1894. was born in Gibson township, Susquehanna county, a daughter of Jonathan
and Clarissa Smith, pioneer settlers in that locality. Mrs. Jennings is
the eldest in a family of five children; Clarissa married Jacob Kishpaugh,
of Susquehanna; William Jesse, who was born in Harmony township, married
Miss Etta Hendrick son, and now resides in Buffalo, N. Y.; Jonathan resides
with our subject; and Sarah is the wife of G. N. Guire, of Harmony township.