The Genealogy God Smiles on Me Again!

Arriving at my house today via UPS was my eBay grab: literally hundreds of newspaper clippings and documents, mostly pertaining to other families from Mehoopany -- not my family. Clipping after clipping contained names that are familiar to me from my research. Every once in a while, a JENNINGS popped out, most from the "other" Jennings family (in other words, not William's descendants).

I was about halfway through the newspaper clippings, when I unfolded a clipping that was about two inches wide and about a foot long. The headline at the top caught my eye:

FIRE AT MEHOOPANY

Could it be? I unfolded it and, once again, couldn't believe my luck:

Hotel, Store and Several

Dwellings Went Up in Smoke

Yes, you guessed it! My own, actual newspaper account of the fire that destroyed Grandpa Will's hotel! What's more, this account differs from the first, giving just a few more details about the fire than I had already known. More details to follow!

One (of Three) That Got Away

Over the past couple days, I've successfully lost an auction featuring a couple photos of old Mehoopany. I know there's someone who is trying to organize a site featuring the history of Mehoopany, and I'm thinking that's who I lost to. Anyhow, I managed to get a couple screenshots of the cards that got away. This one features a little glimpse of the hotel: if you follow the bridge across the creek, then follow the road up the hill and hang a right, the large building facing the road (with the star over it) is the hotel...probably, at this time, the Gaylord Hotel (as opposed to the Jennings House). This would also date the photo as pre-1910.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

Well, at least I know it was a cold night -- the night the Gaylord Hotel, formerly The Jennings House -- burnt to the ground. More precisely, it was February 8, 1910. I have a reprint of the newspaer account from the era, but here's a brief account taken from the same article, I presume, from "Wyoming County, 1842-1992", compiled by the Wyoming County Sesquicentenial Committee, copyright 1992:

"The third tavern was part of the Jennings House (Hotel) which was located in the Mehoopany end of town across the big Mehoopany Creek. A part of the front of this building was put up by Daniel Hicks in 1838 and in 1850 John Maynard built the addition.This was known as the Jennings House or Gaylord House. In 1910 on a bitter night, there was a disaterous fire which burned the hotel, the John Gaylord residence, Charles Jennings' store over which the Odd Fellows Hall was located, two dwelling houses owned by Frank Jennings and occupied by Frank Hobbs and Henry June, a house owned by F. C. Dennison estate and occupied by Grant Krewson who was a liveryman, a two-story wash shed, the hotel barn and a barn beloging to Frank Jennings in which a horse perished."

If You Ever Wamted to Visit the (Old) Family...

Here's all I know about the single largest collection of dead Jennings from my line. It's Vaughn Cemetery in Mehoopany, Pennsylvania.

I have two early memories of Vaughn Cemetery. Actually, the first memory is a family legend: that I played dice I brought along with me to Grandma Emma's funeral. I think I was seven years old, so that should excuse that behavior. I believe my father may have officiated. Emma was his mother, and she was the only grandparent I knew. She also lived with my family for a short time. As far as I can figure it, she was the last of the Jennings line to be buried there.

The second early memory is visiting Vaughn's with my parents and Aunt Emma Anderson when I was a little older. She lived in Trucksville, PA at the time, which is about an hour's ride away. We made a day of it, picking up some KFC along the way, or maybe the way back. There's more to that story...ask me about it sometime; it's pretty neat.

Fast forward to the most recent past, when my Cousin Sandy hooked me on this family history thing (thank you, Sandy). She had described the cemetery to me, yet I -- at that time -- had only vague impressions of it, which I shared above. Then, Tom Currier, another cousin (from the Grist line) was kind enough to go there and take pictures, even before we had ever met!

Since then, I have been there twice, in the Summers of '08 and '09. I can't name a more peaceful place on earth. There are people who claim there are nothing but Jennings there, but just a visit there will quickly dispel that belief. However, for those who are familiar with family history, the names read as a "who's who" of the world my ancestors knew. Furthermore, I could safely say that most of my Jennings-side family from my Grandfather Corey's generation and earlier are there. In any case, all my grandparents on my father's side are there.

On the morose side, it's probably not realistic that I should end up there as well, but -- if I had my choice -- I can't think of any place better.