Bill Jennings

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Biography

Born in Tennessee. Engineering School at Georgia Tech. Lived in Tennessee, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and California. From all my travels I have learned there is no place like home; and no better way to spend time than with family.

Actively leading an engineering team in San Jose, California at Prysm. My team does stuff much more complex than I understand, so I would be embarrassed trying to design the products myself that my team is responsible for...

Recently restored a historic home: built by Paul Shoup. Decided it was too much work to maintain (after completing the task of restoration) : so moved to a simpler house to live in and enjoy.

Widowed (twice), Five Kids, Two Rabbits, and Three Chickens. Busy life as a Single Dad.

When there is some free time my hobbies include researching family history, cooking, swimming, and photography.

Special Genealogy Projects

• Scanned, then cleaned up a >800 page microfiche scan of the Lampton Book that has descendents from Cullen Conerly. If this can help in your research, please ask for a link to this book (I don't have general publishing rights: author has died and copyrights hold for ~72 years post mortem).

• Working with my wife on translating a book from Spanish to English that documents Volga Germans in Argentina. Her Mom is descended from a town founded in Argentina by Volga Germans. Never completed prior to her death.

Some interesting relatives

• Charlemagne King of the Franks from 768, the King of Italy from 774, and from 800 the first emperor in western Europe since the collapse of the Western Roman Empire three centuries earlier. 40th Great Grandfather.

• Meriwether Lewis: American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his co-leadership of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. A 3rd cousin, 6x removed.

• Lt. Cmdr. Victor Alonzo Prather: High Altitude balloonist that helped qualify America's Space Suits, and died in active duty while doing so in 1961. A recipient of the Harmon Trophy. A 7th cousin, 1x removed.

• Charlie Conerly, Jr.: was an American football quarterback in the National Football League for the New York Giants from 1948 through 1961. Conerly was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1966. The Conerly Trophy for Mississippi College Football Players is named in his honor. A 4th cousin, 1x removed.

• Rear Admiral Cornelius Stribling: The "Stribling Walk" at the US Naval Academy is named for him (the central brick walkway of the Naval Academy). According to USNA legend: the central walkway has 11880 bricks in it to honor his date of death in January 1880. Two ships have been named USS Stribling in his honor. A 1st cousin, 6x removed.

• General Robert Edward Lee: An American career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War. A 4th cousin, 7th removed.

• General George Marshall, Jr.: An American soldier and statesman during World War II, and after. The Marshall plan is named after him. Received Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. A 6th cousin, 3x removed.

Other possible relatives

• James Madison: Confirming the relationship to our fourth President of the United States. A potential 2nd cousin, 7x removed. Research Notes.

• Lyndon Baines Johnson: 36th President of the United States (POTUS). A potential 8th cousin, 3x removed.

• Millard Fillmore: 13th President of the United States (POTUS). Made president after the sudden death of President Taylor, Vice-President Millard Fillmore made his mark on the country by signing the Compromise of 1850 in an effort to avoid Civil War. A potential 7th cousin, 5x removed.

• Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt: 26th President of the United States (POTUS). A potential 8th cousin, 3x removed.

• Eleanor Rosalynn Smith: Wife of President James Carter. First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS). Rosalynn Smith Carter was named "The Steel Magnolia" by the White House press corp. for her Southern sweetness and tenacity. A potential 8th Cousin.

• Stephen Hopkins: Pilgrim. Primary proof for lineage through Constance Snow née Hopkins's daughter Constance Doane née Snow has been disputed for years by genealogists and is not recognized by the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. Stephen is a potential 11th Great-Grandfather.

• William Randolph Hearst : newspaper and magazine tycoon. 6th cousin, 3x removed.

• James Byron Dean : actor and "Rebel without a Cause". 7th cousin, 1x removed.

• Judge Richard Henderson was an American pioneer and merchant who attempted to create a colony called Transylvania just as the American Revolutionary War was starting that included much of Kentucky and some of Tennessee. Hired Daniel Boone to establish the Wilderness Road through the territory. My 7th great grand uncle.

Really speculative relative

It has been believed by some in my Mom's family that they are descended from King George III of England. He had married his first wife Hannah Lightfoot, and had an alleged son known in history as Buxton Lawn. Probably will never be conclusively proven, as this would disrupt the current royal line of succession for England. Crazy King George may be my 6th great grandfather.

The reason I think it may indeed be true: the King's craziness may be linked to a rare blood disease that runs in my Mom's family: so their is some credibility to this story.

Some novels about relatives

• Colonial Spy by Mickey Beckham has John "Jack" Beckham as the protaganist of the book. This excellent and well written Revolutionary War novel, compared by one university professor to Cold Mountain and The Civil War for its quality and detail, is an engrossing story of a frontier settler, farmer and horse trainer turned scout and spy for the Americans. John "Jack" Beckham is a 6th Great Grandfather.

• Orphan's Gift by M.M. Knowles is about Jonathan Prather's Dad Thomas Prater: Who knew a meager journey begun in 1622 by a young English gentleman in search of lands and fortune would end in humility and thankfulness? This journey of lifetimes is filled with adventure, intrigue, love and hate. The gentleman was Thomas Prater, young and without property. Thomas Prater is a 9th Great Grandfather.

• A Girl from Texas by S.E. Wolf is the riveting story of a small town Texas girl (Ruth Conerly). She comes from poverty to become one of America's most successful commercial artists. Illustrated with a treasure house of Conerly art: high fashion, magical Christmas illustrations, WWII battle scenes, the iconic Death of Alamo Commander William B. Travis, it traces epic moments of history, interwoven with Conerly's tormentous love life and struggle up to the top echelons of commercial art. Ruth Conerly is a 2nd cousin, 2x removed.

Societies

• Order of the Second World War through William Columbus Jennings, Jr. and Robert James Prather
• Sons of the American Revolution through Cullen Conerly, about ten supplementals currently, slowly increasing this count
• General Society of the War of 1812 through James Barfield
• General Society of Colonial Wars through Henry Prather
• The Registry of Infamous and Famous Relatives in American Families (Rifraf) through Charlie Conerly, Jr. for Sports
• Order of the First Families of Maryland through Thomas Clagett
• The Flagon and Trencher Society through Joseph Williams
• First Settlers of the Shenandoah Valley through John Wilkinson
• The Order of the Founders and Patriots of America through Thomas Prather (Patriot) and Jonathan Prather (Founder)
• The Military Order of the Stars and Bars through Suprey Anderson (Lt in CSA, killed in service 1864 in Georgia)
• The Jamestowne Society through Sir William Lovelace, I
• National Society of Saints and Sinners through St. Clothilde of Burgundy
• Presidential Families of America through POTUS McKinley

Relatives with DAR Patriot numbers

• Frederick Barfield. Patriot A005997. Soldier. 4th Great Grandfather.

• Jesse Barfield. Patriot A006000. Patriotic Service. Rec'd cert for services rendered. 5th Great Grandfather.

• Cullen Conerly. Patriot A025045. Private. 5th Great Grandfather. Confirmed with children's Children of the American Revolution application.

• John Davis. Patriot A030436. Patriotic Service. Services Rendered. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Nehemiah Franks. Patriot A041867. Civil Service, Patriotic Service. Petit Juror, Furnished Supplies. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Henry Gaines. Patriot A043030. Provided son as substitute. 5th Great Grandfather.

• James Gaines. Patriot A043058. Patriotic Service. Furnished Supplies. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Thomas Gibson. Patriot A044891. Patriotic Service, Lieutenant. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Jesse Greer. Patriot A0480047. Soldier, Militia. 5th Great Grandfather.

• John Greer. Patriot A207815. Civil Service, Patriotic Service. Justice of Peace, Oath of Allegiance. 6th Great Grandfather.

• William Ham. Patriot A131637. Patriotic Service. Received money for corn & sundries. 7th Great Grandfather.

• Jacob Hampton. Patriot A205874. Civil Service, Patriotic Service. Juror, Furnished Supplies. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Anthony Hancock. Patriot A050828. Civil Service. Patriotic Service. Surveyor. Provisions. 5th Great Grandfather.

• Stephen Herring. Patriot A054421. Patriotic Service. Furnished Supplies. 7th Great Grandfather.

• John Hinnant. Patriot A133686. Civil Service. Justice of the Peace. 6th Great Grandfather.

• William Henry Jennings. Patriot A062452. Patriotic Service. Furnished Supplies. 7th Great Grandfather.

• Thomas Joplin. Patriot A062832. Patriotic Service. Furnished Supplies. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Jesse Woodard Lee. Patriot A068605. Patriotic Service. Oath. 6th Great Grandfather. More info on Jesse Lee.

• John Long. Patriot A071277. Private. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Peter Lyon. Patriot A072809. Private, Patriotic Service. 5th Great Grandfather.

• Jacob Magee. Patriot A073078. Patriotic Service. Furnished Supplies. 5th Great Grandfather.

• John Magee. Patriot A073084. Patriotic Service. Provided Material Aid. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Daniel Nantz. Patriot A081454. Private. 6th Great Grandfather.

• James Norvell. Patriot A131360. Patriotic Service. Furnished Supplies. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Thomas Sprigg Prather. Patriot A924430. Patriotic Service. Swore Oath. Furnished Supplies. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Nehemiah Scott. A134145. Patriotic Service. Furnished Supplies. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Joseph Scott. A134144. Patriotic Service. Furnished Supplies. 7th Great Grandfather.

• Isaac Watt Smith. Patriot A105612. Private. Prisoner. 4th Great Grandfather.

• James Clayton Stribling. A111279. Private. 5th Great Grandfather.

• Thomas Stribling. A111332. Private. 6th Great Grandfather.

• John Stovall. A110786. Patriotic Service. Oath, Furnished Supplies. 7th Great Grandfather.

• Josiah Stovall. A110795. Patriotic Service. Oath. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Thomas Sumrall. Patriot A110877. Patriotic Service. Oath. 6th Great Grandfather.

• Thomas Warren. Patriot A121683. Captain in the Virginian Infantry.

• James Watson. Patriot A122496. Colonel, Patriotic Service. 5th Great Grandfather.

• William Wilkerson. Patriot A125677. Soldier (Militia). 5th Great Grandfather.

• Joseph Williams. Patriot A047262. Patriotic Service. Signed Petition. Reimbursed for Pork. 5th Great Grandfather.

• Jacob Wise. Patriot A126813. Private, Patriotic Service. Capts Hammond, Bacon.

Sources

• First-hand information.
• Birth Certificate (Self, kids).
• Marriage Certificates.
• Webb, James (1981). A Sense of Honor. Annapolis, Maryland: Bluejacket Books. pp. 166–170. ISBN 1-55750-917-4