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Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Daniel Oscar Jennings, Are You Related to Benjamin?

One of the Jennings researchers who corresponded with my father about the descendants of Benjamin Jennings (c1740-1815) of Powhatan County, Virginia thought Daniel Oscar Jennings was the son of Daniel Jennings and Martha Watkins. Daniel (Daniel-Dad) was a son of Benjamin Jennings, my four times great grandfather. I had a large print-out of that research and entered Daniel Oscar in my tree. I meant to go back and look for documents which supported the previous research, but suffer from Genealogical Attention Deficit Disorder (GADD) so I never did.

Snippet of page from another Jennings researcher's large print out, which Dad
kept in a big notebook; personal collection

Daniel (Daniel-Son) was born on 10 September 1806 in either Fluvanna or Goochland County, Virginia. (The records provide conflicting information.) He married Susan A. Bowles on 27 July 1837 in Powhatan County, Virginia. Daniel and his family were enumerated in the 1850 and 1860 census as residents of Powhatan County and he died there on 17 March 1861.

Several years ago I was contacted by a descendant of Daniel-Son's and she did not believe his was a son of Daniel-Dad Jennings. And if I would have been researching as I was entering the information from the notebook into my tree, I would have known that. Both his marriage record and his death and burial record indicated his parents were John and Lucy (maiden name unknown) Jennings.

So I unattached Daniel Oscar Jennings from Daniel-Dad Jennings and Martha Watkins and added his correct parents. My questions now:
  • Are John Jennings and Benjamin Jennings related?
  • Why did Daniel Oscar Jennings migrate to Powhatan County where Benjamin Jennings first appeared in the documents in 1783 and remained until his death in 1815? Random coincidence or familial connection?
Benjamin Jennings was my four times great grandfather and my brick wall. Perhaps, being able to determine who his brothers were could help break through it. So I am off to research John and Lucy Jennings.

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