Around The County With Jennison

By: Karen Zach

Albert Cunning Jennison it seems was much like his father. Both saw the need for something and proceeded to git ‘r ’dun! Jennison was born 17 August 1842 in Crawfordsville, the son of Ozra Porter and Margaret McMasters Jennison. The family settled in C’ville in 1838, Ozra having been postmaster at Brookville, Scioto County, Ohio. An engineer, Ozro opened a school in 1859 for students to culture their work in advanced algebra, geometry and trigonometry in order to become surveyors or civil engineers but for only those great and capable. No half students! Also in 1859, Ozro, quite an arborist, owned amazing knowledge of all the varieties of fruits, evergreens and lumber trees (Oak, Cedar …). He was also very against drinking and was on a committee in the late 1850s and early 60s called the C’ville Regulators whose prime goal was to remove all doggeries from the city.

Albert took after his father in many ways. One, he took advanced classes, then graduated from Wabash in 1865 after a liaison for service (Co I, 4th Indiana Cavalry 11 August 1862 – 7 March 1863) in the Civil War. He began his pension 3-30-1868.

The Jennisons had been in America since the mid-1600s when Robert Jennison arrived. Capt. John Jennison of New Hampshire was in the Revolutionary War under Lt. Benjamin Bellows – Cheshire County, New Hampshire and many others of the name fought for our country in various wars.

Upon graduation, AC’s plan was to become a lawyer and that he did but because of health issues he carried for years, he saw a need for an abstract business. He worked very hard building up this livelihood increasing his reference materials having copies of all land sales, mortgages, liens and the like. Along the same line, his interest in real estate and advancing the city was early on and high priority immediately as in as early as Jan 1866 (C’v Review) his list of “lots for sale” including some in the College, Canby, Thompson AND Jennison additions were available. Each ad listed him selling in different additions (Jan ‘71 Connard, Elston, Kennedy, Graham and McClelland for example).

With so much time promoting his business, he was 41 when he married Mary Cumberland, age 34. Mary was loved by EVERYONE. Her father, Jesse came with his mother and two siblings in 1828 after the tragic demise of Jesse’s father, Martin who had come here earlier (from their Ohio home) to ready a place for his family (CWJ 5 Nov 1897). One cold morning he followed the trail of a deer since he was in need of meat in order to start back home to get his family after entering his 160 acres. Sadly, he lost his way back, and while struggling with a flint to start a fire, he froze to death. Jesse’s mother, Ann French was even more determined than her husband, came here and made a good life. Jesse married Margaret Speed born in Edinburgh, Scotland coming to Crawfordsville with her father, our well-known Underground Railroader, John Speed. Four children were born to the Cumberlands, Margaret was sick for a long time but was a gentle, patient, helpful soul to all. Think Mary took after her. Jesse opened the first hardware store in Crawfordsville and introduced the first reaper to Montgomery County. Later, he manufactured tile, was in the Hotel business, served as a Justice of the Peace, and became a real estate magnate. He, his two sons and son-in-law, AC also made a stab at mining in the West but not sure how that panned-out!

AC was much like his father, being anti-drinking. Fairly cool-headed as was Mayor Fred Bandel in mid June 1895, AC got pretty worked up on this hot topic. AC asked Bandel why in the world would he be in favor of the local bar keepers? Evidently AC didn’t like the answer and the Sheriff happening in, stopped the argument that was about to head to fisticuffs!

AC was active in the Center Presbyterian Church; at the time of his death a Deacon and had spent 30 years as secretary of the Oak Hill Cemetery Board.

Mary really had a story all her own, at first studying to become a doctor but found music and the young as her calling. One of the few women here at the time having attended college, she taught music and headed a literary course in CHS always loved by students. Dr. Joseph Tuttle, Wabash president noted of Mary that “from childhood she was gifted with a most gracious and winning manner, united to mental gifts of the highest order” (CWJ 8 April 1898).

Mary and AC produced two wonderful boys: AC Jr and John Butler. In December 1894, just before Christmas John got sick and passed away suddenly at age 5 ½. He and Jr had been so happy helping each other get ready for Christmas. A devastating tragedy for the family, four years later, Mary passed away as well.

While Junior grew-up, active in the community as his parents were, he spent a summer in Europe and attended Wabash. Just one week before he was to graduate, (June 1908), he was called to Madison, WI where his father and his second wife, Anna Pickert had gone to confer with various doctors. His health had been failing for some time, but after an operation at Madison that revealed a serious case of hardening of the liver, there was no hope. His body was returned to Crawfordsville and rests with his John, parents and beloved Mary. Sadly, a bit over three years later, Jr. joined them. He and a friend from Wabash, James Donald Adams were working for Foley-Welch-Stewart Construction Company near Tete Juana Cache, British Columbia, Canada and while on the Peave River, their boat capsized, drowning them both (10 August 1911). His body was not recovered for some time and don’t believe Adams’ ever was as it was a treacherous area.

Such are more Montgomery County lives, filled with joys, sorrows and great folks!

– Karen Zach is the editor of Montgomery Memories, our monthly magazine all about Montgomery County. Her column, Around the County, appears each Thursday in The Paper of Montgomery County. You can reach her at [email protected].