"Uncle Ira" Jennings
Born: July 1815, Danby, Tompkins County, New York
Died: 27 March 1903, Warrior District, Lizella, Bibb County, Georgia
THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION
MAY 3, 1896
IRA JENNINGS - - The oldest stage driver and U. S. mail carrier now alive in the world and in active service is Ira Jennings, of the Warrior district, Bibb County, Georgia. Though he is nearly eighty-two years old, he is hale and hearty and travels in his buggy 150 miles every week carrying the mails. The finger of time has traced many deep lines in his face and exposure to the elements have furrowed his brow and hardened his skin, but his spirit is still young, his step is quick and the fires of democratic ardor burns brightly and unceasingly in his breast. He has faced and braved many storms, atmospherical and political, and has always rode safely into port on the crest of the foaming waves.
He is known as "Uncle Ira" in this neck of the woods. Upon his favor have hung the destinies of many aspiring politicians. He has selected and defeated numerous candidates for office, and for many long years it was the practice of those seeking the suffrages of the people to first communicate with Uncle Ira before announcing their candidacy. For thirty-five years he was manager of the Warrior precinct, and there was an old political saying "as goes the Warrior so goes the country". Many candidates either to their joy or woe, have realized the truth of this. He still takes an active interest in politics and his influence is potent.
"Uncle Ira" has had a remarkable career and his history is full of thrilling incidents and startling episodes. He was born July 15, 1815, in Danby, Tompkins County, New York, six miles from Ithaca, on the Oswega and Ithaca turnpike. His mother was the first white child born in Owego, Tioga County, on the Susquehanna River, New York (A). So delighted were the Indian tribes at her arrival they had a jubilee in celebration of the event. At the age of 13 Ira went on the race track in the capacity of jockey, in which position he remained several years. He was a fast rider and once won a purse of $10,000 for the owner of a half-mile racer, a Pennsylvanian by the name of Correlle.
"Uncle Ira" won this race in a very novel manner. He had trained the Correlle horse with a fleet-footed greyhound. The speed of the two animals was about the same. The greyhound had been taught to race the track with the horse, and the runs between them were neck and neck. The reputation of a fast horse in Virginia reached the ears of Correlle in Pennsylvania and he determined to race his horse with the Virginia horse. So he took Ira, the horse and the greyhound to the Virginia race course, where a great meet was being held. One of the events was a half-mile dash between the famed Virginia horse and another rapid animal. Correlle told Ira that the speed of the Virginia horse must be taken with the greyhound. So when the two horses dashed off, Ira, unobserved by the great crowd which was watching the take-off, turned loose the greyhound who raced down the track and came out twenty feet ahead of the horses, with the Virginia horse winning. Correlle knew then that his horse could defeat the Virginia victor for it was always a nip and tuck race between his horse and the greyhound.
Correlle banted the Virginian for a race between their horses for a $10,000 purse. The banter was accepted and the great audience which had assembled to see the race bet their money on the Virginia horse and many ladies wanted to bet their watches with Correlle that he would lose, but Correlle could not take all the wagers as all his money was in the purse. The race was run with Ira riding Correlle's horse. Ira's horse came out winner by several lengths.
Soon after this Ira left the race court and began driving a canal boat that weighed 290 tons. He drove two huge black horse tandem that weighed 1500 lbs. each. After a certain trip from Ithica to Albany he left the horses at Auburn and the crew took the boat into Ciougin Lake. Ira went down into the hull on a mission and discoverd the boat had sprung a leak. He took off his coat and shoved it into the hole, stopping the leak and saving the boat. This experience satisfied him with boating and he left the water and went to Oswega, N. Y. and commenced stage driving and carrying the U.S. mail from Oswega to Mt. Rose and between various other points in New York and Pennsylvania. He was then about seventeen. A wooden railroad was built between Oswega and Ithica and Ira commenced to drive horses tandem on that. The track, wheels, cars and everything about ths railroad was made of wood. One day on this road he drove Andrew Jackson, President of the U. S., Vice-Pres. Martin Van Buren, Postmaster General Amos Kendall, and Nick Biddell, Cashier of the U.S. Bank. On this occasion President Jackson was making a campaign for re-electon. Ira says he knew Andrew Jackson and Martin van Buren quite well. Ira drove on the wooden railroad six months. He then carried thirty head of horses for John Avery to Petersburg and began driving a stage and carrying the mail from Petersburg to Richmond and City Point. Also he drove from Linchburg, Charlottesville and Staufton. Later he drove from Halifax, N. C. to Tarber, on the Tar River, then from Cheraw, S. C. to Patilla Creek.
President Jackson ordered an express line to run from Washington to New Orleans at the rate of ten miles per hour on horseback. Ira went to Petersburg and got thirty horses and returned to Cheraw to help run the express. He established his horses seven miles apart on the route and he carried the first express into Cheraw that had ever entered the city. Orders from President Jackson came one day for every man along the route to be at his post as he desired to see how rapidly his messages could be carried from Washington to New Orleans. When the trial day came Ira received the message at Cheraw and went in full gallop to the end of his route, a distance of 75 miles, and back again to Cheraw, covering the 150 miles on horseback in one day, stopping only to change horses.
When Ira quit riding the express he returned to Petersburg and met a Mr. Saltmarsh who induced him to come to Macon, Ga. He reached here June 15, 1834, at the age of nineteen. On the 19th day of June 1834, sixty-two years ago, Ira started driving a stage and carrying the U. S. mail from Macon to Knoxville, Crawford County, Ga. and he is carrying the mail between these two points to this day. Stage driving has long since become obsolete in this civilized section and progressive era of railroads, but Ira carries Uncle Sam's mail with horse and buggy. In 1834 his route extended to Crollstand, some distance beyond Knoxville, and four miles beyond the Flint River. In December 1837 there was a very heavy freshet and Ira attempted to cross the river with several others on the flat. Among them was John Toser, stage agent at Columbus, and a young boy named Tom Hicks. Midway of the river the flat broke loose and floated four miles down the river. The waters were high and the river was far beyond its banks. The flat floated under the limbs of a large oak tree, and the stage, one of the horses that had been un-harnessed, and the boy Tom Hicks, were swept into the raging stream. With great difficulty young Hicks was rescued from drowning and the horse was saved, but the coach was lost for four months, but the next April was found in an old field where the waters had carried it. The flat and its occupants drifted some distance down the river to an island where the party remained for hours and were finally rescued by farmers in batteaus. When the coach was swept off the flat an old pouch containing $7000 in bills was lost. In July, seven months after the freshet, it was found by an old man named Patty Carr. The bills were badly water stained and stuck tightly together. They were forwarded to the Treasury at Washington and redeemed. Carr was paid a reward of $100 for finding the money.
Ira was married Dec. 5, 1839. His wife died in Feb. 1891. They had had a happy married life of more than fifty-two years. Seven children blessed their union, six of whom are still living. He has twenty-six grandchildren alive and nine dead. He also has three great grandchildren.
During the late war he helped form the Hugenin Rifles and provided for and took care of 15 families of the members of the company while the Rifles were at the front.
"Uncle Ira" is a man of much wit and geniality, is liked by everybody and is true and humane. During the long years he has been carrying the mails he has served the government faithfully and efficiently.
Obituary
Macon Telegraph & News
Macon, Georgia
Saturday, March 28, 1903
Front Page
UNCLE IRA JENNINGS DIES
Oldest Stage Driver in America Lived in the Warrior,
"Uncle Ira's Mail Bag" For Years Furnished Good Stories for Readers of the News
--An interesting Character Has Passed Away
Uncle Ira Jennings is said to have carried the first United States mail that was ever delivered in Georgia. He was the oldest living stage driver in America. He died at the home of his sister (1) in the Warrior District last night. A large number of his friends will go out from Macon tomorrow morning to attend the funeral at Peron Church on the line of Bibb and Crawford Counties.
Mr. Jennings was 88 years old. He came to Macon about seventy years ago as a stage driver, which business he followed until railroads took the place of the stage coaches. He married Miss Elizabeth Newsom, daughter of Mr. Henry Newsom of the Warrior District. Mrs. Jennings died about ten years ago. They reared a family of six children as follows: Messers W. H., B. F., and Theo Jennings and Mrs. R. E. Jones, Mrs. Elizabeth Hollomon and Miss Martha Ellen Jennings.
Mr. Jennings was one of the most interesting characters in this section of the country. He was born in Ithaca, New York (2) and in his boyhood days he became a stage driver, and followed the advance of the stage coach into the West and Southern countries until he reached Georgia. Here he drove from Augusta to Macon and from Macon to Columbus and sometimes went as far as Montgomery. On some of his long journeys he has had as passengers the country's most distinguished men. The history of the United States would not be entirely complete without mention of the parts his stage coaches played in some of the thrilling events of earlier times.
Among the old citizens who delight to relate antecdotes of Mr. Jennings in his early youth is Mr. Henry Westcott, father of Sheriff Westcott. Mr. Westcott says "when I first knew Uncle Ira he was a stage coach driver and he could crack a whip after a fashion that captured a boys heart. I was learning the harness trade in Macon at the time and he used to give me lessons in how to plait a whip so as to make it crack loud".
"Uncle ira's Mail Bag" was the heading that the News ran for a long time over the contributions of the veteran stage driver and mail carrier from the Warrior. He had a keen sense of news and never missed an opportunity to give information for the benefit of the public when a news item came his way. He was the carrier of the mail on the Star Route through the Warrior for years.
Note Errata:
(1) Ira Jennings was born in Danby, Tompkins County, New York which is immediately adjacent to Ithaca, New York.
(2) He died at the home of his daughter, Espy R (Jennings) Jones, not his sister.
Obituary
Paper (name and date unknown)
Many of Macon's present citizens will remember Uncle Ira Jennings of the Warrior district, a unique character in his way. In his early days he drove the stage from New York to Macon, the first stop in Macon being at the Washington Hall, and the next stop at the Pealiquer where the horses could be given a good feed and rest.
The baggage of the passengers of the stage line was carried in what was called the boot, a compartment covered with leather for protection during rains and sometimes used to bring light freight or valuable packages - it was the rumble-seat of those days, though never used by passengers to ride in because of its cramped quarters.
It was not until the railroads - the Central to Savannah and the Monroe to Atlanta and soon thereafter the Georgia to Augusta, that the stages were taken off the roads and Uncle Ira settled down on a farm in the Warrior district, and began to exercise the knowledge of politics he had acquired in his native state of New York and became a boss.
For many years he reigned, this stately old stage-coach driver, the political boss of Bibb county and no man could be found to run for office, from coroner to governor, without his first having an interview with uncle Ira. Everybody liked and at the same time feared him. In his way he was the last of the Mohicans, the last of the rough and rowdy old-timers and knew Macon and Bibb county as a book.
Many were the good stories told by him of the early days and people of Macon and Bibb County, expecially concerning the elections in which he played an important and generally always a winning part. To the newspaper boys he was a never failing source of good stories and which he delighted to tell
