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Joshua JENNINGS

Male Abt 1620 - 1674  (~ 54 years)


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  • Name Joshua JENNINGS 
    Birth Abt 1620  England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death 1674  Fairfield CT Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • Much of the data listed about the Jennings family came from the book, "History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield", Vol. I and Vol. II, by Donald Lines Jacobus, MA. ***
      An early settler of Hartford; fined for a trivial offense, he left Hartford in 1650 and settled in Fairfield. (From the book History and Genealogy of the Families of Old Fairfield).
      Moved to Fairfield CT in 1656
      Joshua, a carpenter, was in Wethersfield, CO, 1646, where he was employed in the bldg. of the meeting ho. - and perhaps earlier. In Jan., 1648/49 was paid 20s for "setting up the minister's desk" and 6 pound for other. His wife Mary (perhaps a dau. of Mathew) --- ("History of Ancient Wethersfield" - Vol 1, Conn. State Library - Hartford)
      This is a letter that was copied from the Jenning's file at the Hartford Historical Society on 3/3/95.
      "I. JOSHUA JENNINGS. An early settler of Hartford; fined for a trivial offense, he left Hartford in 1650 and settled in Fairfield. Married at Hartford 22 Dec. 1647 Mary Williams. She m. (2) at Fairfield, 16 Dec. 1680, George Slawson of Stamford; with whom she made a marriage covenant dated 18 Nov. 1680. Will 25 Feb. 1674/5; to son Joshua, my carpenter, joiner, wheelwright and turning tools; to rest of my sons, JOSEPH, MICHAEL, JOHN, SAMUEL, MATTHEW and ISAAC," etc. (Jecobus.) Will of Mary Slawson 27 Mar. 1697; sons Matthew, Isaac ...dau.-in-law Hannah Jennings; son Joseph Jennings," etc. Ibid. 1943 Correction by Jacobus, p. 20 states: Joshua m. 23 (not 22) Dec. 1647, and gives line of Nehemiah Jennings of Weston.
      A General History of the Jennings Family, by W.H. Jennings, Columbus, O. 1899, says: Joshua was b. about 1620 in England, d. 1675 Fairfield, Conn. He was found in Hartford eleven years after its founding, and left in 1650 by ship with his wife, going to Fairfield to Barlow's Plain, where he owned the Jennings Farm or Woods in West Parish, Fairfield, later called Greenfield Farms, a place composed largely of Jennings descendants.
      The History of Fairfield, E.H. Schenck, 1889, p. 383, says: "Joshua Jenning's name appears at Hartford in 1648. 'At a particular Court held at Hartford 6 Sept. 1649, 'Joshua Jennings for not watching one night & other ill carriage to the Constable, is to pay to the watchman in his room, & is fined 2s 6d.' On the 3d of Nov. 1650 he again fell under the displeasure of the Court. It appears that he fled on board a ship lying in the Connecticut river from the fine imposed upon him, for which the Court fined Greenfell Lerreby 5L and Stephen Daniels for conveying him from the power of authority..He settled at Fairfield before 1656, where he always maintained an excellent reputat6ion. He lived at Barlow's Plain, and died leaving a good estate. ' His son Joshua settled at Green's Farms." Above shows that Joshua was a stiff-necked Puritan who could not be coerced and would rather leave his home than submit to a fine he objected to. See also Jennings Genealogy by Francis A. White, and American Family Antiquity by A.B. Jennings, from which W.H. Jennings took some material.
      Schenck continues: "The heirs of Joshua Jennings for many years made fruitless efforts to establish a lawful claim to the vast estate of William Jennings of Action Plact, born in 1701, who d. 29 June 1798, leaving estates in eleven counties in England and millions in pounds sterling in nearly all the banks of London...The property of this rich William Jennings was claimed in part by the Baroness Howe, a daughter of the celebrated Admiral Howe, through a claim of intermarriage with the Jennings family with that of Curzens. The Earl Beuchamp or Becham also claimed heirship. Some clue in this way may be given to Robert Beacham or Beauchamp of early Greens Farms. This William Jennings was the only child of Robert Jennens and Ann...He was also a nephew of Sarah Jennings, a maid of honor and the favorite of Queen Ann, who married the great Duke of Marlborough."
      On this subject, there is a printed "Report to the Jennings Association, U.S.A." by C. Smith and C.M. Fisher, in 1863 on the litigation involved. The reprot said the ancestry of Joshua could not be traced to England. It shows the Jennings coat of arms and has much genealogy and history on the Jennings of England, all important and wealthy people. (P. 18.) E.C. Hoagland, 1955, did "Some P rief Notes on the Jennings Family, " stating the name Jennings is the same as Jenkins and comes from Jenks. This refers to Joshua and the claim to the English estate of William J. of Acton Place. It says the parents of Mary Williams is unknown.
      I looked up Stiles' Genealogy and Biographies of Ancient Wethersfield, VII, section on Williams. It says the first in Wehtersfield was Matthew and later Tomas came, the relation between them being unknown. P. 823 says Mathew Williams b. ca. 1605 in Wales, was supposed the eldest son of Richard Williams, who came from Glamorgan, Wales, with family 1620-21, claiming to be kin of Oliver Cromwell, which Richard also claimed, of Taunton, Mass. Richard Williams of Tauntonwas supposed to be father of Mathew and must be the one who m. Katherine Dighton, 2d wife of Gov. Thomas Dudley of Massachusetts. Mathew seems to have been at Watertown and came to Wethersfield, perhaps one of the 7 founders of Wethersfield before 1645. He had m. Susanna ______ previous to 1644, perhaps sister of James Cole. Children: only boys listed, Amos b. 1645-6 etc. There may be daughters. Thomas may be a brother of Mathew, who was in the Rocky Hill dist. 1661 and had grant on the river; also settled Branford. Children include MARY b. 1671 etc. (This could not be the wife of Joshua Jennings.)
      Stiles' says Richard of Taunton perhaps had seven sons, though the records shows only four and 2 daus. Elizabeth and Hannah. P.460 says: "Jennings, Joshua, a joiner WT V1, 25, 20 Apl. 1647, his wife was Mary (perhaps a daughter of MATTHEW WILLIAMS) m. 23 Dec. 1647, removed to Fairfield. See Chapt. VII, also p.220, V.1, P.220. Joshua built the seats in the meeting house in Wethersfield and there is much information on this contract. Thomas Williams p. 314 was believed one of the earliest settlers at Rocky Hill with Joseph Smith as neighbor.
      Jacobus p. 694, V.1. had: "Williams, Richard. One of the first settlers of Branford, 1645. He purchased land at Fairfield before 11 Aug. 1656...In 1677 he was living in New London County." He gives another p. 695: "WILLIAMS, THOMAS. Of Fairfield 1678, when with Thomas Jones he was fined for selling liquor to the Indians. He m. Ruth Bradley, dau. of Francis, "desc. given p. 1044.
      * * * * * * * * *
      The fact that Joshua Jennings and Mary Williams named a son Mathew may indicate a grandfather named Mathew Williams. Other children were Joseph, Mary m. Curtis, Samuel, John, Isaac b. abt. 1673, Elizabeth m. John Smith.
      "HENDRICK, HENRY. A Dutchman, also called Hendrick Hendrickson, entered land at Fairfield, 31 Jan. 1655/6, previously purchased of William Hill. His wife Hannica also called Hannah m. (2) Daniel Silliman. Will 11 Mar. 1683/4 pr. 18 June 1684; wife Hannica alias Hannah, house for life...son Henrick, the home lot etc. Inv. 31 May 1684. "Henry was only son listed. (Jacobus p. 270.)
      There is tradition in all the branches of the (Johsua) family that he, Joshua Jennings, came from England, Norfolk, Eng., with two brothers whose names they do not know.
      That Joshua was a Saybrook at the mouth of the Conn river, before he came to Fairfield, and that his son, Joseph, was born at Saybrook, bet 1650-1660. Also the tradition is that one brother settled in Fairfield, Conn and on other in some part of the new England States, one in New Jersey or Long Island.
      Extract of a letter dated Dec. 30, 1835 from the town clerk at Saytbrook, Conn. "it appears that Nicholas Jennings conveyed three or four pieces of land to John Say, and a dwelling house, Oct 28, 1661. It appears that Nicholas Jennings in the same (1661) year, at Saybrook, conveyed land, and that Joshua Jennings had land conveyed to him in the town of Fairfield.
      As to the ages of the three brothers, Nicholas, John & Joshua.
      Nicholas, born abt 1612 (22 in 1634); died 1673 at Saybrook, Conn.
      John, born abt 1617 (18 in 1635); died 1675, Southampton, L.I., NY
      Johsua, born abt 1620 (15 in 1635); died 1675, at Fairfield, Conn.
      We do not know the name of the boat in which Joshua or John came over in, nor the father, John, but he would indicate that they could have been brothers, and that prob. Joshua and prob John came over with the father, John, while Nicholas, the eldest, came over in 1634, before the others, in 1635.
      They all four, were in Hartford between 1630-49, as Joshua's family say, and in 1639 as John and Nicholas's record say, as they came over in 1635 & 1634 respectfully.
      The record that there was a father, we have the following (where John sold upland over the long hill which he bought of Peter Boniface and he bought it of Nicholas Ginnings and was his father's, John Genning, his land contain by estimate five acres be it more or less".
      Another tradition in the Johsua Jenning family:
      That Joshua was a son of John Jennings, one of the proprietors of Hartford, Conn, "whose home lot in 1639, was on the brow of the hill, now Asylum Hill". It is thought that this, John, died not long after 1640.
      From the Memorial History of Hartford, Conn, Vol.1 page 2301 we have:
      Joshua Jennings, bought land in Hartford of Thomas Olcott, which was the west protion of Olcott's home lot, He was also owner of another piece of land with a house part of which he bought of Olcott, "abitting on the meeting house lot on the eastside of the highway on the south; and on Thomas Olcott's land on the west and north".
      The brother, Nicholas who came over in 1634, in the "Francis of Ipswich", was 22 yrs of age, and removed to Saybrook, Conn. where in Oct. 1673, administration on his estate was given to son, John., we find "Jennings, Nicholas, Hartford, 1639, and Jennings, John, Hartforde, 1639. They were both in 1639, who were all prob. settlers in the town at that time.
      We also find that John's gr. grandson was named Nicholas, Prob. after his brother Nicholas.
      From "Original List of Passingers", 1600 to 1700, edited by Hotten, 1874, p. 141, we find:
      "John Jennings, age 18, 1635. Passage
      "Nicholas Jennings, age 22, 1634, Passage Francis of Ipswich.
      American Family Antiquity by Albert Welles does not exactly correspond with the other authorities. II. Joseph Jennings. He does not have Ann bapt 12 Mar. 1703/4 m. 4 Nov. 1734, Joseph Hollingsworth (p. 160, see p. 334 Jocobus.)
      JOSEPH JENNINGS, son of Joseph, d. 1768. Welles gives 7 children. He leaves out Benjamin who d. y and Abigail who d.y. and Abigail who d. y but adds a youngest child Sarah b. Fairfield ca. 1720 or later. He says Gershom was b. ca. 1707.
      GERSHOM JENNINGS, of Fairfield, Conn., son of Joseph of same place, b there 1707 m. ca. 1730 to R. Sanford and had 7 children Ch. Daniel b. Fairfield ca. 1732, Gershom b. F. ca 1734; ?? b. f. ca 1738; Ruth b. F. ca. 1738; Eunice b. F. ca. 1740; Abigail b. F. ca 1742; Hanah b. Fairfield ca 1744. P. 566 of Jacobus Lists these same children but different dates as ch. of Gershom son of Daniel. Gershom bp. 1738 at Greenfield. d. 1809, m. (1) 1762 Rhoda Sanford, d. of Zechariah b. 1742/3 d. 1802. Welkes has this generation confused. It was Daniel b. abt. 1770; Greenfield d. 1845 who m. Phebe Gregory d. of Enoch who d. 1856 ae. 79.
      DANIEL JENNINGS p. 181 Welles, "first child of Gershom, of Fiarfield, ch. of Joseph, of same place, ch. of Joseph, ch. of Joshua,"
      was born Fairfield 1732 and had ten children, these are listed above, incl. Rhoda b. ca. 1767. p. 192. Welles had pix on p. 184 of the old Jennings house in Fairfield.
      WILLIAM JENNINGS of Hebden Bridge, bapt. Kilnwick Parish in E. Riding Yorkshire 23 May 1577, by wife Agnes ____ had three sons, 2 daus. John was bapt at Kilnwick 28 Oct. 1602; Robert bp. K. 13 Dec. 1607; Ambrose b.k. ca. 1610, d. London 1667, bur. St. Martin's 17 Feb. 1667; Mary b. at K ca. 1615 d. London bur. St. Martin's 28 Dec. 1670; Agnes Jennings ca. 1618 buried St. Martin's 4 Mar. 1668.
      JOHN JENNINGS, p. 146 of Kilnwick Parish, Yorks. bapt. 28 Oct 1602, rem. Birmingham where he d. May 31, 1662, and was buried at St. Martin's, will rp. 10 Mar. 1663. John in 1651 gave L 2 10s for poor of Birmingham and L20 on St. Thomas' Day; wife gave L 10 per annum to support a lecture. The warehouse of Jennings was formerly 26 High St. St. Bartholomew Chapel, Birmingham, built 1749, Had it's land given by John Jennings Esq. of Gopsall, Leicestershire.
      This information came from the book, " Jennings, Davidson and Allied Families", By Lillie Pauline White, Pg. 9.
      "Jennings, Joshua. An early settler of Hartford; fined for a trivial offense, he left Hartford in 1650 and settled in Fairfield. Married at Hartford, Dec. 22, 1647, Mary Williams.
      From correspondenc with some members of the Jennings families of Fairfield, Conn., giving incormation furnished by George P. Jennings and others, we find that they have the following tradition in all branches of their family: That their ancestor, Joshua Jennings, was born in England about 1620; came to America before 1640; that on Dec 22, 1647, in Hartford; that he came from England with two brothers, whose names they do not know; that one brother settled in some part of New England states, another in Va., N. J., or Long Island, while Joshua finally settled in Fairfield, Conn. We are also told that Joshua lived for sometime at Saybrook, Conn., (where Nicholas also lived and died) and that his son Joseph was born there between 1650 and 1660.
      It would appear, then, that the senior JOHN JENNINGS of Hartford is the one who is first mention as being there in 1639; that he was doubtless "One of the Proprietors of Hartford, Conn."- whose home was on the brow of the hill, now Asylum Hill"... "contained by estimate 2 acres be it more or less." That he had sons Nicholas (eldest) of Saybrook, Conn., John of Southampton (having embarked from Lynn, Mass.), and Joshua of Fairfield, Conn., and that these were the three brothers of the traditions held by the Joshua Jennings families.
      Further corroboration of these assumptions was furnished in THE TRAVELER, of April 12, 1912, L. I., Note 1060. M.H.C., (Metta Horton Cook); "John Jennings came from Suffolk Co9., Eng., in 1639 and settled in Lee, Mass. He resided in Hartford, Conn., in 1657 and was on the list of inhabitants at Southampton, L.I., the same year." And we find in the HISTORY OF LONG ISLAND by Benj. Thompson, in 1843, p 328: "Town of Southampton: Then names of the settlers who had arrived during the first twelve months. March 10, 1640. They embarked from Lynn, Mass., John Jennings, Benj. Haines," and others. (The name "Lee" of the "M.H.C." note above might have been misprinted for "Lynn, as Lee, Mass., is far away in the western part of the state among the Berkshire Hills while Lynn is on the coast--L.P.W.)
      We may be in error in these assumptions and conclusions, altho they seem reasonable in the light of available records. We make no claim of absolute proof but give them for what they are worth. The reader is welcome to his own opinion on the subject.
      This information comes from the research of Donna Jennings, 192 Lowell Avenue, Floral Park, New York 11001 phone # (516)-354-8218 *
      Joshua Jennings (Josua Ginings or Gennings) was born in 1620, England and came to America between 1630-1640. No record of his birth or of his parentage has ever been found. Joshua merried Mary Williams in Hartford, Connecticut December 22, 1647. After Joshua was fined for a trivial offense, he left Hartford by ship in 1650 and settled in Fairfield Connecticut. He died there in 1675. He was a landowner and carpenter. It was noted that he was intelligent, industrious and maintained an excellent reputation.
      *note: In 1798, a William Jennings of Arton Place, England died without a signed will. His estate amounted to an estimated 100 millian of dollars in pounds sterling. The many member Jennings family of Fairfield, CT formed an association that tried deligently to prove their first of line Joshua Jennings relationship to William. However, no record of Joshua's birth or of his parentage has ever been found. (same source as above)
      Children of JOSHUA JENNINGS and MARY WILLIAMS are:
      i. ELIZABETH3 JENNINGS, m. JOHN SMITH.
      ii. JOHN JENNINGS, d. Bef 1697.
      iii. MARY JENNINGS, m. DANIEL CURTIS.
      iv. MICHAEL JENNINGS.
      9. v. SAMUEL JENNINGS, d. 1734.
      10. vi. JOSHUA JENNINGS, b. ABT 1648; d. 1716.
      11. vii. JOSEPH JENNINGS, b. ABT 1650, Fairfield CT; d. 1727, Fairfield CT.
      12. viii. MATTHEW JENNINGS, b. 1658, Fairfield CT; d. 1738.
      13. ix. ISAAC JENNINGS, b. ABT 1673; d. July 10, 1746, Fairfield CT.
    Person ID I671953347  Johnson & Hanson
    Last Modified 18 Jul 2012 

    Father John JENNINGS,   b. 1590, Coventry, Warwickshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Dec 1664, Connecticut Colony Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 74 years) 
    Mother Rose LISLE,   b. 1593, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1668 (Age 75 years) 
    Family ID F565968017  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Mary (Maria) WILLIAMS 
    Marriage 23 Dec 1647  Hartford CT Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Elizabeth JENNINGS
     2. John JENNINGS   d. Bef 1697
     3. Mary JENNINGS
     4. Michael JENNINGS
     5. Samuel JENNINGS   d. 1734
     6. Joshua JENNINGS,   b. Abt 1648   d. 1716 (Age ~ 68 years)
     7. Joseph JENNINGS,   b. Abt 1650, Fairfield CT Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1727, Fairfield CT Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 77 years)
     8. Mathew JENNINGS,   b. 1658, Fairfield CT Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1738 (Age 80 years)
     9. Isaac JENNINGS,   b. Abt 1673   d. 10 Jul 1746, Fairfield CT Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 73 years)
    Family ID F565968018  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 18 Jul 2012