Posting of harleyclan@coastalnet.com. My Jennings are connected to Donelson about the time of your 1845 marriage of Sarah to Williwm J. Jennings. This in the area around Nashville,TN Davidson County. Do you have a Donelson genealogy that might show OUR connection? We may be connected through Severn Donelson. Early in the spring of 1779 preparations were made at Watauga to plant a permanent settlement on the Cumberland. The place selected was the bluff near the French Lick (now Nashville). Before reaching their destination the party was split into two companies. Capt. James Robertson taking command of one group while Colonel John Donelson became the leader of the other group. Colonel Donelson gave a list of Severn's father could have been John Donelson Jr and his grandfather Capt JohnSR below. those in his company; a list considered most valuable to historians and genealogists. -- from Pioneers of Davidson County, Tennessee, compiled by Edythe Rucker Whitley The names of the persons who came in this company are given by Col. Donelson as follows: John Donelson, Sr. Benjamin Porter Thomas Hutchings Mrs. Henry (widow) John Caffrey John Cotton John Donelson, Jr. Thomas Henry James Robertson's lady and children Mr. Cockrell Mrs. Purnell Frank Armstrong M. Rounsifer Hugh Rogan James Cain Daniel Chambers Isaac Neely Robert Cartwright John Montgomery ________ Stewart Jonathan Jennings David Gwinn Benjamin Belew John Boyd Peter Looney Reuben Harrison Capt. John Blackemore Frank Haney Moses Renfroe _________ Maxwell William Crutchfield John White Mr. _________ Johns Solomon White Hugh Henry, Sr. __________ Payne (killed) This is entered FTM incorrect.:see para 2 para 1 Severn died before the June term of Davidson Co. Court 1838 when the inventory of his plantation was presented. At the July 1838 Davidson Co Court Marie Donelson widow of Severn was given her widow's support out of the decendent's estate. 25 barrels of corn, 600 lbs of bacon etc,. on October 3l 1839 she sold for $2000 her life estate of Severn's land 570 acres in the fork of the Stones and Cumberland Rivers known as the tract of land on which Serern died, in District #3 of Davidson Co.m, Maria signed the deed with an X She had not learned to write. Para 2 Severn Donelson He was a nephew of Andrew Jackson's wife Rachael Donelson. See Doughtie's "Jennings and Allied Families p386 Nathan Rives...lst Lt.CSA. 1st Tenn.Cav. Genl. Joe Wheeler. Was a builder and contractor in Nashville Tenn(James Rives Childs: The Reliques of the Rives, P.676 which states Wm. Jennings and his brother, Robert, 1805-1881, were the great-grandsons of Col. Wm. Jennings of Nottoway Co., Va. Who was his father? Check for Humphrey Donelson 8/17/1808 marriage to Salley Kelly. Donelson being a collederal line I have not researched it. My William Henry Jennings married Severn"s widdow, Marie Starkey. Her1st marriage to Severn Donelson 1/5/1837. by Burrell Perry, Justice of the Peace. He died in Oct. 1838.(THEY HAD ONE DAUGHTER LUCY ANN DONELSON.) He was a nephew of the wife of Andrew Jackson. 2nd MARRIAGE to William Jennings. Thus the connection made with Bess's letter. and raised a step daughter of the marriage. Maybe your Donelson was fathered by Humphrey Donelson and Salley Kelly. Let me know if any of this helps. Joyce Bodley BodleyMJB@aol.com

Hi Joyce, We do not have a connection here. My Donaldsons were originally from England. The first in SC was a Col John Donaldson, born 1745 in Newcastle on Tyne, Northumbria, died in Richmond Co.,NC 1781. He was too busy serving in the Rev. War in SC to get very far away. His exploits are in numerous history books of the area. His son, John Donaldson, Jr. with wife, Jincy Fields and her brother James Fields (and his wife and family) all migrated from Marlboro Co.,SC to Gibson Co.,TN ca. 1830. James Fields is written up in a book, "GIBSON COUNTY, PAST & PRESENT". Most of this family is buried at Springhill Baptist Church cemetery in Gibson county. John Donaldson, Jr. and wife Jincy had several daughters. All of their marriages are on record, and they and their husbands are all mentioned in John DONALDSON'S will. I am now trying to locate the children of William J. and wife Sarah Donaldson Jennings. They may have moved from Gibson Co., but I do not know. There were several Donelson/Donalson/Donaldson families in TN in the early days of its creation. I have been working on this for over twenty years, and I did run across the Rachel Donelson/Andrew Jackson history a while back. It is good to know these things when we are tying to sort it all out. Otherwise, there could be a lot of confusion. Thank you for your input. Joanne H. NC