Biography of Jacob W. Jennings, page 64.  History of Northeast Indiana; 
LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, and DeKalb Counties, Vol. II, under the editorial 
supervision of Ira Ford, Orville Stevens, William H. McEwen, and William H. 
McIntosh.  The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago and New York, 1920.

   Jacob W. Jennings.  When the people of Troy Township, DeKalb County, 
chose Jacob W. Jennings as trustee in 1918 it was as a tribute of 
appreciation of his good business qualities and the energy he has displayed 
as a farmer, and was also an honor bestowed upon a family of long and 
prominent standing in that part of DeKalb County.
   His grandfather was Peter Jennings, who settled in Troy Township in 
1843.  Peter Jennings was born in New Jersey September 13, 1802, a son of 
Peter, a native of the same county and of English descent.  In 1821 Peter 
Jennings moved with his parents to Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and from there 
came to DeKalb County in 1843.  He settled in section 29, and had to clear 
away some of the heavy timber before he could build his log cabin.  
Eventually he acquired a good farm of over 200 acres.  In 1829 he married 
Catherine Rainsberger, a daughter of John Rainsberger.  She died in 1881 
and he lived to be past fourscore.  His children were Elizabeth, John, 
Isaac, William, George, Phoebe and Abraham.
   William Jennings, father of Jacob W., was born in Carroll County, Ohio, 
October 14, 1835, and was eight years old when the family drove their ox 
and horse teams across the country to DeKalb County.  He had a useful part 
in clearing up the old homestead, and in 1860 he settled on a farm of his 
own in section 21 and for many years was a general farmer, and he 
specialized in Merino sheep for wool purpose. In 1859 he married Anna 
McCord, daughter of David McCord, who settled in Steuben County, Indiana, 
in 1840.  Mrs. Anna Jennings died in 1918.  She was the mother of five 
children, four of whom are still living: H.S. Jennings, of Corning, Iowa; 
Olive, unmarried and at home; Eldora, wife of D.E. McClellan, of Williams 
County, Ohio, and Jacob W.
   Jacob W. Jennings was born in Troy Township January 12, 1875, grew up 
on the home farm and attended district school No. 4.  On March 7, 1897, he 
married Ruby Skelton, who was born in Troy Township.  After their marriage 
they lived in Williams County, Ohio, four years, lived for eighteen months 
on his father’s homestead, and since then have occupied their present farm, 
comprising eighty acres with good improvements.  Mr. and Mrs. Jennings have 
had two children, Glenn B., born June 16, 1905, a student in the public 
schools, and Chester H., who died aged fifteen years.
   Mr. Jennings is affiliated with Butler Lodge No. 158, Knights of 
Pythias.  He is a republican in politics and served four years as a member 
of the Township Advisory Board before his election to the office of 
township trustee November 5, 1918. He is a stockholder in the Cooperative 
Association.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com