William M. Jennings
& Martha Joines

William M. Jennings, son of Ludewick "Luke" JENNINGS & Letes TOWNSEN, was born abt. 1782 in Virginia and died May 1856 in Ashe (Alleghany) Co., NC. He married Martha "Patsy" Joines, daughter of Thomas JOINES & Mary CAUDILL. She was born abt. 1782 in Wilkes Co., NC, and died bet. 1860-1870, probably in Alleghany Co., NC.

Children of William M. Jennings & Martha Joines:

1. +Thornton Jennings, b. May 16, 1809, Wilkes Co., NC; d. 1866, Grayson Co., VA; m. Charity FENDER, daughter of John FENDER & Martha TOLIVER, Dec. 7, 1830 (b. Dec. 8, 1813; d. July 25, 1907).
2. Unidentified daughter, probably born between 1810-1815.
3. Luke Jennings, b. abt. 1816, Wilkes Co., NC; d. 1869, Cherokee Co., KS; m. Cassa BAUGUS, abt. 1840 (b. abt. 1816; d. 1877). Living in Owen Co., IN, in 1850. Luke died in 1869 according to the 1870 mortality schedule of Cherokee Co., KS. Children: Lydia Jennings (c.1841), William Jennings (c.1844), Henry Jennings (c.1848), Bryant Jennings (1850).
4. +Solomon Jennings, b. abt. 1817, Wilkes Co., NC; d. Jan. 17, 1895, Grayson Co., VA; m. (1) Sarah FENDER, daughter of John FENDER & Martha TOLIVER, abt. 1834 (b. Dec. 8, 1818; d. June 10, 1860); m. (2) Elizabeth, last name unk. (b. abt. 1825; d. aft. 1880).
5. Celia Jennings, b. abt. 1820, Wilkes Co., NC; d. aft. 1850; m. John CARSON, son of John CARSON, Sr., & Ann MCILRATH, abt. 1839 (b. Feb. 27, 1818, in Ireland; d. Jan. 29, 1852, Ashe Co., NC). John Carson is buried at the Carson Cemetery, Rd. 1426, Alleghany Co., NC. Children: Martha A. Carson (1840) m. Vincent EDWARDS, Jane Carson (c.1842), Mary Carson (c.1845), Margaret "Peggy" Carson (c.1847), Susan Carson (c.1851).
6. Susan Jennings, b. Apr. 14, 1822, Wilkes Co., NC; d. Oct. 1, 1892, Grayson Co., VA; m. Newel B. POOLE, son of David POOLE & Levina HAMPTON, bet.1857-1860 (b. Dec. 26, 1815; d. Feb. 6, 1900); bur. Warrick Cemetery, Grayson Co., VA. Her gravestone states that her parents were William and Martha Jennings. No children, but Newel B. POOLE had 5 children from his first marriage to Sarah A. COX (1827-1857), daughter of Samuel COX & Susan FENDER.
7. +William Jennings, Jr., b. abt. 1825, Wilkes Co., NC; d. bet. 1860-1870; m. Cynthia, last name unk., abt. 1847 (b. May 1821; d. 1900-1910, probably in Grayson Co., VA).
8. +Martin Jennings, b. Apr. 4, 1829, Wilkes Co., NC; d. June 2, 1915, Surry Co., NC; m. Frances TOLIVER, daughter of Starling TOLIVER & Millie Ann SPURLIN, abt. 1852 (b. Mar. 18, 1834; d. Jan. 25, 1892); bur. Gum Orchard Baptist Church, Surry Co., NC.

Notes

William M. Jennings and his wife Martha Joines lived in the Traphill district of the Blue Ridge Mountains between Wilkes and Ashe Counties, North Carolina.  They are found in the records of both counties, which was not uncommon for residents of this remote area, due to uncertainty over the location of the county line.  By the time of William's death in 1856, however, it appears that he and his family had moved across the crest of the Blue Ridge into Ashe (later Alleghany) County.  William's will was probated in Ashe County, and the land which was sold after his death was located on the Little River, which is on the Alleghany side of the Blue Ridge (Alleghany DB 1, pp.38-39).

William Jennings and Martha Joines were probably married roughly 1805.  Martha's father, Thomas Joines (also spelled Goins in some records) was one of the early early settlers in Wilkes County.  The Joines family lived on the upper reaches of Big Elkin Creek and the Roaring River in the area around Traphill.

William Jennings' will, dated Oct. 30, 1851, proved in 1856, refers to wife Patsy and eight children.  None of the children are identified by name except for Thornton Jennings and son-in-law John Carson.  The will was witnessed by Samuel Edwards, Martin Jennings, and William Jennings (Ashe Co., NC, Will Book D, p.33).  Martin and William Jennings, Jr., are also believed to be sons of William Jennings, although technically, the beneficiaries of a will were not supposed to serve as witnesses.  However, many people were ignorant of these legal requirements.  William's land on the Little River in Ashe County was purchased by William Jennings, Jr., at auction on Apr. 7, 1857.  (Alleghany DB A-1, pp.38-39.)

Martha appears in the census in 1860 at the age of 70, living with her son William Jr. and his family.  She is not listed in any further census records, so she presumably died sometime between 1860-1870.  She and her husband were probably buried in a family cemetery that has been lost.  Their gravestones have not been located, to the best of my knowledge.

Records

May 5, 1807. Wilkes Co., NC. Deed from Matthew CAUDILL to William JINNINGS, 51 acres on the north fork of Mulberry Creek on the north side of a mountain, including the plantation, for $36. Signed: Matthew CAUDILL. Wits: Robert MARTIN, John KENEDAY. (Wilkes DB F-1, p.472.)

1810 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, p.267: WILLIAM JINNINGS (next to Luke Jinnings and John Jinnings)

1 w/m under 10	1 w/f under 10
1 w/m 26-45	1 w/f 26-45
No slaves

1815 Tax List, Ashe Co., NC, Capt. Williams' Dist:
WILLIAM JENNINGS, 100 acres, value $120, 1 poll.

1820 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, p.539: WILLIAM JENNINGS

3 w/m under 10	2 w/f under 10
1 w/m 10-15	1 w/f 10-15
1 w/m 26-45	1 w/f 26-45
2 slaves

1830 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, p.343: WILLIAM JENNINGS

1 w/m under 5	2 w/f 10-14
1 w/m 5-9	2 w/f 15-19
2 w/m 15-19	1 w/f 40-49
1 w/m 20-29
1 w/m 40-49

1840 Census, Wilkes Co., NC, Spicer's Dist., Trap Hill, p.82: WILLIAM JENNINGS

1 w/m 10-14	1 w/f 15-19
1 w/m 15-19	1 w/f 20-29
1 w/m 20-29	1 w/f 50-59
1 w/m 50-59

1850 Census, Ashe Co. NC, p.242 (HH#69):
WM. JENNINGS, 68, farmer, value $500, born NC

-- Martha, 68, NC

-- Martin, 21, laborer, NC

-- Solomon, 16, laborer, NC <<probably William's grandson, son of Thornton Jennings

Apr. 25, 1859. George BOWER, Clerk & Master of Equity of Ashe Co., NC, to William JENNINGS, Jr., for $870, a tract of land formerly belonging to William JENNINGS, Sr., dec'd, on a branch of Little River [no acreage stated] adj. Richard WILLIAMS, Martin JENNINGS, Thornton JENNINGS, Starling TOLIVER, & Levi FENDER. Sold at public auction on Apr. 7, 1857, by court order for division of the estate. Signed: George BOWER, C.M.E. Wit: Quincey F. NEAL. (Alleghany DB 1:38.)

1860 Census, Alleghany Co., NC, Gap Civil P.O., p.438 (HH#693):
JENNINGS, Wm. 34, farmer, $600, $400, NC

-- Cynthia, 38, NC

-- Mary, 13, NC

-- Johnson, 11, NC

-- Martin, 9, NC

-- Martha, 70, NC