I sat down today to do a biography of the next Jenners family member, David, son of Abiel Jenners and Deborah Young. Reviewing his information led me to pull a source document that I had not read in a long time.
Back in 1996, a cousin of my husband (Thanks, Jim!) sent us a copy of a typed document entitled “History of the Jenners Family.” The originals are long since lost. The cousin got his copy from his grandfather, who got it from HIS father. Anyway, the typed document is clearly transcribed from several different sources, including a section that seems to be from a document written by David Jenners himself. While not everything can be verified, a lot of it can be and it is indeed correct. In keeping with my goal of making my research more widely available, I have decided to transcribe the David Jenners section here. I have transcribed it as presented in the document I have and have not corrected spelling, etc. It is an interesting read. At first, it reads as if David is recording things in the past; then it shifts and reads as if he is recording events throughout the year. It would be wonderful to come across the original of this document, but for now, the transcription will have to suffice.
“David Jenners, born July the 23rd, 1802, near Broadrun, Louden County, Va; lived there until I was three years old. We then moved to Wertly farm and lived there one year then moved to Mr. Fasces farm and lived one year. My father and family lived there for seven years. I went to the Thompson farm in the year of 1817, lived there two years; next year lived at Hamilton farm with father’s blacks. The year following, 1821, my father set up for himself. This year was the first of my bad health. My first move was in company with the Wil. Arnold to W. Handies mill where I stayed with my team until about the first of September. I rented and moved to William Rites farm. I sowed down a crop there and stayed until the spring following, 1822, when I sold my crop to my father then rented the Widow Chilton’s farm. This year father built the house at the Rites’ place and lived there one year. This year I had a considerable portion of sickness, quit farming the spring following, 1823, and sold out my property. This year I lived principally at my father’s, who then lived at the Rite farm. Cut my harvest at the Chilton farm this year, got it out and sold it. Father and family moved to the Rite farm in the spring of 1823. September the 26th, 1824 my father died, aged 49, nine months, and twenty-one days.
I rented the Red Hill Top third of January 1824 and lived there three years, gave it up and sold out first of January 1827. I then went to board with Filman Gore and 1st of April 1825 Mother moved to Waterford. Sister Sally was married in the spring of 1824 at the Rite farm. Stayed at Gore’s about three weeks then went to live with my mother in Waterford about February 1st; taken sometime in October 1826 with the chills and fever and had them pretty regular until about the middle of July 1827. August the 6th went to work of Lige Peacock. This summer the month of June I had to board down among my relations, Uncle Dulings , Uncle M. Youngs, and sister Mary was married in April of this year.
Remained at Peacocks until about the middle of September since which time I have remained at Burr Braden’s and Waterford, principally Doctor Bradfield. Moved to the Western Country in the fall of 1827. The winter of 1828 I had expected to go to Winchester, Farquar County. This January 28, am at present at Mother’s in Waterford but expect to go to Harpers Ferry to live soon. Lately had considerable duck hunting on the Potomac River. Feb. 10, 1828, stayed about Waterford mostly until this time doing nothing much. Have my health well. Leave Waterford 29th of April, 1828, for the Western Country where I expect to stay until fall. We have had more wer weather in this country within the last five months than ever was known in this country, or any other perhaps. I leave our family all tolerably well, go on to Lafayette in Indiana there begin to work at smithing, Jan. 10, 1828, with Jacob, the same lot by his shop and half lot begin work for self. Have been working in the same place ever since this January, 1831. Have had good health mostly since I have been here. Mother and family left Louden County for this place Oct. 10, 1829, got here May 15, 1830, Lafayette.
Maria Simpson born Jan. 27, 1811. County, North Carolina. Married to David Jenners, Jan. 18, 1831 in Lafayette.”
Because this transcription appears to be compiled from several unnamed documents, it is not clear whether the next section is a continuation of the information by David Jenners or whether it comes from another document. It reads:
“Family Record.
1774 Abiel Jenners born in the Town of Concord, Mass. Jan. 5th
1795 June 20th came from thence to Washington City. Deborah Young born April 15th, 1773. They were married April 15th 1795. 1795 Holbrook Martin Jenners
Births of the Jenners’
1773 Deborah Jenners born April 15. Prince George County near Bladensburg Md. Of Wm and Ruth Young.
1802 Abiel Jenners moved from City of Washington to a farm in Louden County, Va. which he named Concord, Jan. 10th.
1797 first of Abiel and Deborah Holbrook, Holbrook Martin Jenners born April 25, Washington City.
1798 William Jenners born Nov. 9th Washington City.
1800 Sarah Jenners born June 3d, died June 27th, 1801.
1802 David Jenners born July 23rd at Broadrun.
1804 Sarah Jenners born March 16th.
1807 Mary Jenners born Feb. 19th, a son born at the same birth who was never named.
1809 Saurin Jenners born June 24th. June 26th another son, same birth, stillborn.
1811 Alba Jenners born Jan. 15.
1813, Nancy Jenners born April 18th. Martin, William and Sarah, who died, were born in Washington city. David and Sarah (the second) were born on Broadrun in Louden county. Mary, Saurin, Alba and Nancy were born at Hamilton farm.”
Reading over this document again, I see things I need to research. I am fairly sure that “William Rite” is actually “William Wright” and David’s father, Abiel, purchased this property from the heirs of William Wright in 1821. This property was near Waterford in Loudoun Co., Virginia. Hamilton Farm is probably the 358 acres north of Paolian Springs that Abiel bought from John Hamilton in 1805. I have not looked for Wertly, Fasces, or Thompson farms in Loudoun. Nor have I checked for the Widow Chilton or Red Hill Top or Filman Gore. “Lige Peacock” is undoubtedly Loudoun’s Elijah Peacock. David’s uncles Duling and M. Young are probably John Dulin who married Mary Young (sister of David’s mother, Deborah) and his mother’s brother, Mauduit Young (wife Elizabeth Beall). Burr Braden is the husband of David’s sister, Mary, and Doctor Bradfield is the husband of his sister, Sally (or Sarah).
I am not sure why Deborah is shown as "Deborah Holbrook" when it is pretty certain her maiden name was "Young." And I have not found son, Martin, listed as Holbrook anywhere except on this document. Since it is a transcription of a lost original, I have not yet sorted out what the truth of this is.
I will do that biography of David Jenners next.
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