no image
Privacy Level: Open (White)

Edmund Jennings Esq. (1659 - 1727)

Col. Edmund Jennings Esq. aka Jenings
Born in Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of and
Brother of , , , and
Husband of — married about 1688 in Virginiamap
Husband of — married after 1713 in Virginiamap [uncertain]
Descendants descendants
Father of , , , and
Died at about age 68 in Virginiamap
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Magna Carta Project WikiTree private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 25 Mar 2011
This page has been accessed 10,614 times.
Magna Carta Project logo
Magna Carta Gateway Ancestor
Descendant of Surety Barons John de Lacy, Gilbert de Clare, and possibly others (see text).
Join: Magna Carta Project
Discuss: magna_carta

Contents

Biography

flag of the Jamestowne Society
Edmund Jennings Esq. is a Qualifying Ancestor of the Jamestowne Society
U.S. Southern Colonies Project logo
Edmund Jennings Esq. was a Virginia colonist.

Origins

Col. Edmund Jennings, Esq.,[1] son of Edmund Jennings, Knt., of Ripon, Yorkshire and Margaret Barkham,[2] was born about 1659 (aged six in Dugdale's 1665 Visitation of Yorkshire).[3][4][5][6][7] A baptism record was found at All Hallows, Tottenham, Middlesex that could be for this Edmund Jennings: "Edmond Jenings the son of Edmond Jenings Esq. and Margrett his wife was born the 12th of [April? June?] and baptized the 21st 1658."[8] Edmund's paternal grandfather held lands in Tottenham: Edmund's parents may have resided there while his father attended the 1659 Parliament.

Edmund matriculated at the Middle Temple of the Inns of Court in London in April 1674 and was undersheriff of Yorkshire in October 1676.[9]

Life in Virginia

Edmund immigrated to Virginia in 1680,[3][5] sometime between May and July,[9] eventually settling at Ripon Hall in York County. Edmund named his home after his family's lands in England.[10] Ripon Hall was located on the York River, about 6 or 7 miles from Williamsburg.[11]

Edmund came to Virginia with introductions from his father and James, Duke of York (the future King James II), along with a royal appointment to the post of Attorney General.[9] In August 1680, he was appointed sheriff of James City County and was appointed clerk of York County on 24 February 1681, serving as clerk there until 1692.[9] It is commonly believed that Edmund served as Attorney General from 1680-1691,[1][3][6][9] however, records on when he actually served in this post are lacking and confusing. He was first recorded as Attorney General in 1684, when his salary was voted on by the Council. To add confusion, in 1687, George Brent was reported to be acting as Attorney General. Additionally, on 28 April 1692, the Council voted that Edmund should leave the office, yet Edmund still prosecuted cases as late as 1700. It is possible that during his estimated +/-20 year tenure as Attorney General, he may have served as deputy during some (or all) of those years.[11]

During his early years in the Colony, Edmund also practiced as an attorney and became involved in the county militia.[9] He was Colonel of a troop of horse and commander of the York County, Virginia, militia in 1698.[3][6] Edmund served as Indian agent,[11] travelling twice to Albany, New York, to meet in an assembly with leaders of the Five Nations and the Governor and Council of New York in July 1684 and September 1685.[9]

Edmund served as a longtime member of the Governor's Council[5] being appointed 21 April 1691 by Governor Francis Nicholson.[9][11] He served on the Council from 1691-1726.[1][3][6] During his tenure on the Council, he served as deputy secretary under Ralph Wormley beginning in 1696. After Wormeley died, Edmund became secretary of state, taking the oath of office on 23 June 1702.[9][11] He served as Secretary of the Colony[5] from 1702-1712 and 1720-1722.[1][3][6][11]

Edmund held an important position on the committee to review the laws. He was appointed to the committee on 26 December 1700 and served until the committee's work was complete, on 9 April 1703. At that time, Edmund was directed to "prepare a Transcript of all the Laws now in force". Edmund returned to England in October 1703 to deliver the transcript to the House of Lords.[11] While he was away, six members of the Governor's Council petitioned the Queen for the removal of Virginia's governor, Francis Nicholson. In December, Edmund defended the governor and presented a letter from Governor Nicholson in which the governor defended himself against the efforts to remove him from office. Edmund's efforts, however, were unsuccessful.[9]

Edmund remained in England until 1705, traveling back to Virginia at the same time the new governor, Edward Nott, arrived,[9] probably aboard The Kingston.[11] Edmund became a senior member (president) of the Governor's Council until Nott died in August 1706. Nott's successor had been captured by the French, so Edmund, as president/senior member of the Council, became acting governor. He was not well-liked in this position and had many political enemies.[9] Edmund served as acting governor from 1706 until 1710,[3][5][6][11] when his replacement, lieutenant governor Alexander Spotswood, arrived in Virginia. Edmund retained his senior spot on the Governor's Council.[9]

Edmund was granted leave to return to England again in December 1711 to settle the estate of his brother and William Cocke replaced him as secretary of state.[9] In/about 1713, Lady Catherine Fairfax appointed Edmund as land agent for the Northern Neck Proprietary[9][11] at the urging of Edmund's brother-in-law, Thomas Corbin.[12] About that same time, Edmund's wife, Frances, died in London on 22 November 1713[6] and was buried at St. Clement's London.[3][5] Edmund ended up staying in England for another two years after his wife's death. During this time, his associate, Thomas Lee was in control of the Northern Neck Proprietary.[12]

Edmund returned to Virginia in the spring of 1715 to find that his political enemies had been trying to remove him from the Council due to his lengthy absence in England.[9] More problems surfaced when it was discovered that during Edmund's time serving as agent of the Northern Neck, there "was a degree of mismanagement and possible appropriation of funds belonging to the proprietor in England".[11] When Lady Catherine Fairfax died in 1719, Edmund lost his post as land agent.[9][11] In October 1720, Governor Spotswood appointed Edmund to serve again as secretary of state, an office that he held until 1722.[9] By 1722, Edmund had lost control of his finances. He was held responsible for the delinquent/missing Northern Neck payments to the Fairfaxes. Edmund also had substantial personal debts, particularly to Robert "King" Carter, his successor as agent to the Northern Neck Proprietary.[12] Edmund was financially ruined, mortgaging "every negro and acre of land" that belonged to him in order to pay Lord Fairfax and his other debtors.[11] Lord Fairfax was paid in full by 1725, but Edmund still held debts to others.[12]

In 1724, Edmund attended his last Council meeting as his physical and mental health had begun to fail. In June 1726 the Council launched an inquiry and found Edmund to be incompetent to serve as the senior Council member: "by reason of the insanity of his mind and memory a person altogether incapable of administering the Government."[9] The governor suspended him as president of the Council on 25 June 1726.[11] The inquiry and resulting suspension were likely done to prevent Edmund from being reappointed as acting governor once again (the colony's governor, Hugh Drysdale, was "mortally ill" at that time).[9]

Lands

In 1704, Edmund held 850 acres in York County and 200 acres in James City County.[6]

NOTE: The following land records were found on FamilySearch and have not yet been verified. The last two transactions were probably made on behalf of the Northern Neck Proprietary:

  • 29 October 1697: Bruton parish, York County, Virginia, patented 694 acres on the south side of the York River[13]
  • 20 October 1698: St Peters Parish, New Kent County, Virginia, patented 681 acres on the south side of Mattaponi Creek[14]
  • 5 June 1699: King and Queen County, Virginia, patented 200 acres in Pamunkey Neck for the transportation of 14[15]
  • 6 June 1699: King and Queen County, Virginia, patented 570 acres on the south side of the Mattaponi River, Pamunkey Neck[16]
  • 2 May 1705: New Kent County, Virginia, patented 350 acres of escheated land[17]
  • 28 April 1711: St John Parish, King William County, Virginia, granted 671 acres on the north side of Great Beaver Dam, Upper Herring Creek[18]
  • 19 December 1711: St John Parish, King William County, Virginia, granted 300 acres of new land adjoining his own in St. John's Parish[19]
  • 13 November 1713: St John Parish, King William County, Virginia, granted 3,300 acres new land on southwest side of the Mattipony River[20]
  • 14 July 1718: King William County, Virginia, granted 1,150 acres of new land on the south side of the Mattaponi River[21]

Marriages and Children

Edmund married Frances Corbin,[6] daughter of Henry Corbin,[5] Gent., and Alice Eltonhead,[3] about 1688.[9] They had two sons and at least three daughters:

Edmund married second to Sarah ______,[3][6] who survived him.[7] Little is known about Edmund's second marriage. They married sometime after the death of Edmund's first wife in 1713, either in England or Virginia.

Death

Edmund's date of death of 5 July 1727[7] is established in a letter from Robert Carter to the Council of Trade and Plantations.[11][12] A marble slab erected at Bruton Parish Episcopal Church in 1907 is inscribed: "E.J. Ju-- 1727 Edmund Jenings Esq."[26] Edmund had served as a vestryman at the church when it was erected and, in 1710, helped obtain the funds to build pews for the Governor, Council and the House of Burgesses.[11] He is memorialized on the council and governor pews as well.[26] Edmund's widow, Sarah, died 27 March 1728[6] and was also buried at Bruton Parish.[3]

No will, administration or estate division has been found for Edmund, most likely because there was nothing to divide among his heirs.[7] After Edmund's death, Robert Carter foreclosed on the mortgage and claimed the rights to Edmund's home, Ripon Hall, as payment for the debts Edmund owed him.[9][10] Other properties had been mortgaged to Edmund's brother-in-law, Thomas Corbin, as well.[7]

Research Notes

Relationship to Peter Jenings

Peter Jenings of Silsden, Yorkshire arrived in Virginia by 1658 and died in Gloucester County about 1672. Peter and Edmund are most likely second cousins once removed.[7] Peter Jennings also held the position of Attorney General while Governor Berkeley was in office.[12]

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jamestowne Society Qualifying Ancestor: Jenings, Edmund - A4301. Online at jamestowne.org.
  2. ↑ LeNeve's Pedigrees of the Knights. London, 1873, page 325. Archive.org.
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, Vol. III. Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2013, pp. 407-408, JENNINGS 23.i.
  4. ↑ Douglas Richardson. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 2nd ed., Vol. II. Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2011, p. 465, JENNINGS 18.i. Google Books
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 J.W. Clay, ed. Dugdale's Visitation of Yorkshire, with Additions, Vol. 2, pp. 201-202 (Jennings). Archive.org.
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 John Frederick Dorman, ed. "Barkham-Jenings" in Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia, 1607-1624/5. 4th ed., vol. 1: Families A-F. Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004, p. 200. Online at Gale Genealogy Connect: #24.
  7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 Thomas Daniel Knight. "The Yorkshire Family of Edmund Jenings and Peter Jenings of Virginia" in The American Genealogist, Vol. 87, No. 3, Jan/Apr 2015, pp. 161-170, 308-314. AmericanAncestors.org[$]
  8. ↑ "London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812", London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Ref: DRO/015/A/01/002, Ancestry Sharing Link (free access); Ancestry Record 1624 #1833564 ($), Edmond Jenings baptism on 21 Apr 1658, son of Edmond Jenings & Margertt Jenings, in All Hallows, Tottenham, Haringey, Middlesex.
  9. ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 9.16 9.17 9.18 9.19 9.20 9.21 9.22 9.23 9.24 Thomas Knight. "Edmund Jenings (1659–1727)" in Encyclopedia Virginia. 2021.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Encyclopedia Virginia: Ripon Hall
  11. ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 Maurer Maurer. "Notes on the Honorable Edmund Jenings (1659-1727)" in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 52, no. 4, 1944, pp. 249–261. JSTOR.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Maurer Maurer. "Edmund Jenings and Robert Carter" in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 55, no. 1, 1947, pp. 20–30. JSTOR.
  13. ↑ FamilySearch Patent Book 9, p. 130, Film #008570202, image 155: "Comonly called Poplar Neck", branch of St Andrews creek, to the creek, to York river, to Croshaws creek, Ralph Graves, Joseph White. Conveyed by deed to Jennings 24 Nov 1687. Jennings was appointed Deputy Secretary the previous year; as such, he signs the document in his official capacity
  14. ↑ FamilySearch Patent Book 9, pp. 178-9, Film #008570202, image 203-4: On the creek, bounding Charles Fleming, George? Green
  15. ↑ FamilySearch Patent Book 9, p. 204, Film #008570202, image 229: South side of Mattaponi River, beginning at Deep Bottom run. The 14 persons are not enumerated, and Jennings countersigns as Depty Sec, his official title
  16. ↑ FamilySearch Patent Book 9, p. 205, Film #8570202, image 230: Richard Yarbroughs line. Granted to Jennings by patent 9 Oct 1695 who surrendered it for the Royal College of William and Mary in Virginia in a 10,000 acre Major grant; satisfied. Transported 12 persons.
  17. ↑ FamilySearch Patent Book 9, p. 669, Film #008570202, image 695: No description of John Smith's decd land which was escheated to her majesty
  18. ↑ FamilySearch Patent Book 10, pp. 7-8, Film #008140673, image 24-5: Unto Hon'ble Edmund Jennings Esq of York County. Corner of Jenning's 1000 acre patent, Job Howses
  19. ↑ FamilySearch Patent Book 10, p. 42, Film #008140673, image 59: 36 shillings; on the back of Jennings 670 acre tract
  20. ↑ FamilySearch Patent Book 10, p. 92, Film #008140673, image 109: By the riverside, Whiteheads, south side Reedy Swamp, to the river, down river to beginning
  21. ↑ FamilySearch Patent Book 10, pp. 393-4, Film #8140673, image 410-1: Edmund of York, paid £5.5. Between upper Herring Creek and Reedy Swamp, Edward Arnold, Wm Grill, Jennings' 300A tract, John Hampton, Whitehead, Samuel Jaques, Michael Mixon, Caleb Sanders, Vance Hendricks.
  22. ↑ Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al. A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789, Vol. 426, p. 487. Archives of Maryland Online
  23. ↑ "Irwin of North Carolina" in Southside Virginia Families Vol I, page 282. Ancestry Sharing Link (free access); Image ($).
  24. ↑ "Burke's American Families with British Ancestry". Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1975, p. 2740. Ancestry.com: Hill.
  25. ↑ Stella Hardy. "Colonial Families of the Southern States". New York: Tobias Wright, 1911, p. 301. FamilySearch.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 05 October 2022), memorial page for Edmund Jennings (1659–5 Dec 1727), Find A Grave: Memorial #35710621, Bruton Parish Episcopal Church Cemetery, Williamsburg, Williamsburg City, Virginia, USA; Maintained by CMWJR (contributor 50059520): images of gravestone and plaques
See also:
  • Wikipedia: Edmund Jenings (governor)
  • McKinney, Jane Dillon. "Marston Parish 1654-1674: A Community Study". 1996. William and Mary ScholarWorks.
  • Faris, David. Plantagenet Ancestry of Seventeenth-Century Colonists. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1996, pp. 147-148. Ancestry Sharing Link (free access); Image ($).
  • Virginia Land Records from the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the William and Mary College Quarterly, and Tyler's Quarterly. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1982, p. 308: "Extracts from King William County Records" (not available online).

Acknowledgements

Magna Carta Project

This profile was re-reviewed and rewritten for the Magna Carta Project in October 2022 by Thiessen-117.
Edmund Jennings Esq. is listed in Magna Carta Ancestry as a Gateway Ancestor (vol. I, pages xxiii-xxix). He is a descendant of Magna Carta Surety Barons Saher de Quincy, John de Lacy, Gilbert de Clare and Richard de Clare in trails that were project approved/badged in May 2015 by the Magna Carta Project. Badged trails to William d'Aubigny and Robert de Ros were connected later. Edmund Jennings is also the Gateway in a Richardson-documented trail to surety barons Hugh le Bigod and Roger le Bigod (vol. II, pages 462-466 JENNINGS) that has not yet been developed on WikiTree. Trails to the aforementioned surety barons are outlined in the Magna Carta Trails section, below.
See Base Camp for more information about Magna Carta trails. See the project's glossary for project-specific terms, such as a "badged trail".

Magna Carta Trails

Badged trail to Quincy, Lacy, the Clares (2015):
Gateway Ancestor Edmund Jennings (badged/100% 5-star/re-reviewed 6 Oct 2022)
1. Edmund is the son of Margaret Barkham (badged/100% 5-star/re-reviewed 3 Oct 2022)
2. Margaret is the daughter of Frances Berney (badged/re-reviewed 12 Oct 2022)
3. Frances is the daughter of Thomas Berney (badged/re-reviewed 12 Oct 2022)
4. Thomas is the son of Henry Berney (badged/re-reviewed 12 Oct 2022)
5. Henry is the son of John Berney (badged/re-reviewed 13 Oct 2022)
6. John is the son of Margaret Wentworth (badged/re-reviewed 17 Oct 2022)
7. Margaret is the daughter of Roger Wentworth (badged/100% 5-star)
8. Roger is the son of Henry Wentworth (badged/100% 5-star)
9. Henry is the son of Margery Despenser (badged/100% 5-star)
10. Margery is the daughter of Elizabeth de Tiptoft (badged/100% 5-star)
11. Elizabeth is the daughter of Robert de Tibetot (badged/100% 5-star)
12. Robert is the son of Margaret de Badlesmere (badged/100% 5-star)
13. Margaret is the daughter of Margaret de Clare (badged/100% 5-star)
14. Margaret is the daughter of Thomas de Clare (badged/100% 5-star)
15. Thomas is the son of Maud de Lacy (badged/100% 5-star)
16. Maud is the daughter of Margaret de Quincy (badged/100% 5-star)
17. Margaret is the daughter of Robert de Quincy (badged/100% 5-star)
18. Robert is the son of Magna Carta Surety Saher de Quincy
16. Maud de Lacy is the daughter of Magna Carta Surety John de Lacy
15. Thomas de Clare is the son of Richard de Clare (badged/100% 5-star)
16. Richard is the son of Magna Carta Surety Gilbert de Clare
17. Gilbert is the son of Magna Carta Surety Richard de Clare
Badged trails to Albini and Ros (connected after 2015):
12. Robert de Tibetot is the son of John de Tibetot (badged/100% 5-star)
13. John is the son of Agnes de Ros (badged/100% 5-star)
14. Agnes is the daughter of William de Ros (badged/100% 5-star)
15. William is the son of Isabel Albini (badged/100% 5-star)
16. Isabel is the daughter of William d'Aubigny (badged/100% 5-star)
17. William is the son of Magna Carta Surety William d'Aubigny
15. William de Ros is the son of Robert de Ros (badged/100% 5-star)
16. Robert is the son of William de Ros (badged/100% 5-star)
17. William is the son of Magna Carta Surety Robert de Ros
Badged trail to the Bigods (MCA II:462-466 JENNINGS):
10. Margery Despenser is the dau. of Philip le Despenser (badged/R&A 9 Nov 2022)
11. Philip is the son of Philip le Despenser (badged/R&A 10 Nov 2022)
12. Philip is the son of Philip le Despenser (badged/R&A 11 Nov 2022)
13. Philip is the son of Philip le Despenser (badged/R&A 11 Nov 2022)
14. Philip is the son of Isabel de Beauchamp (badged/100% 5-star)
15. Isabel is the daughter of Maud FitzJohn (badged/100% 5-star)
16. Maud is the daughter of Isabel Bigod (badged/100% 5-star)
17. Isabel is the daughter of Magna Carta Surety Hugh le Bigod
18. Hugh is the son of Magna Carta Surety Roger le Bigod
See also Beckwith trails




Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA
No known carriers of Edmund's DNA have taken a DNA test.

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.



Comments: 13

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.
[Living Ogle]
Mauer (1944), states that an excavation at Brunton church, revealed that Jenning's grave was marked with the inscription: "Ju... 1727," (p. 260).[1]
posted by [Living Ogle]

Rejected matches › Edward Jennings (abt.1660-)

Featured Female Poet connections: Edmund is 11 degrees from Anne Bradstreet, 19 degrees from Ruth Niland, 26 degrees from Karin Boye, 24 degrees from 照 松平, 10 degrees from Anne Barnard, 29 degrees from Lola Rodríguez de Tió, 20 degrees from Christina Rossetti, 12 degrees from Emily Dickinson, 24 degrees from Nikki Giovanni, 18 degrees from Isabella Crawford, 18 degrees from Mary Gilmore and 14 degrees from Elizabeth MacDonald on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.

J  >  Jennings  >  Edmund Jennings Esq.

Categories: Governor's Council, Virginia Colony | Colonial Governors of Virginia | Albini-39 Descendants | Bigod-1 Descendants | Bigod-2 Descendants | Clare-673 Descendants | Clare-651 Descendants | Lacy-284 Descendants | Quincy-226 Descendants | Ros-149 Descendants | York County, Virginia, Slave Owners | Magna Carta | Gateway Ancestors | Jamestowne Society Qualifying Ancestors | Virginia Colonists