BIBB COUNTY, GA - OBITS Ira Jennings Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Judy Johnson" Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/bibb.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Obituary from the Macon News, Macon, Georgia Saturday, March 28, 1903 Front Page UNCLE IRA JENNINGS DIES Oldest Stage Driver in America Lived in the Warrior "Uncle Ira's Mail Bag" For Years Furnished Good Stories for Readers of the News --An interesting Character Has Passed Away Uncle Ira Jennings is said to have carried the first United States mail that was ever delivered in Georgia. He was the oldest living stage driver in America. He died at the home of his sister in the Warrior District last night. a large number of his friends will go out from Macon tomorrow morning to attend the funeral at Peron Church on the line of Bibb and Crawford Counties. Mr. Jennings was 88 years old. He came to Macon about seventy years ago as a stage driver, which business he followed until railroads took the place of the stage coaches. He married Miss Elizabeth Newsom, daughter of Mr. Henry Newsom of the Warrior District. Mrs. Jennings died about ten years ago. They reared a family of six children as follows: Messers W. H., B. F., and Theo Jennings and Mrs. R. E. Jones, Mrs. Elizabeth Hollomon and Miss Martha Ellen Jennings. Mr. Jennings was one of the most interesting characters in this section of the country. He was born in Ithaca, New York and in his boyhood days he became a stage driver, and followed the advance of the stage coach into the West and Southern countries until he reached Georgia. Here he drove from Augusta to Macon and from Macon to Columbus and sometimes went as far as Montgomery. On some of his long journeys he has had as passengers the country's most distinguished men. The history of the United States would not be entirely complete without mention of the parts his stage coaches played in some of the thrilling events of earlier times. Among the old citizens who delight to relate antecdotes of Mr. Jennings in his early youth is Mr. Henry Westcott, father of Sheriff Westcott. Mr. Westcott says "when I first knew Uncle Ira he was a stage coach driver and he could crack a whip after a fashion that captured a boys heart. I was learning the harness trade in Macon at the time and he used to give me lessons in how to plait a whip so as to make it crack loud". "Uncle ira's Mail Bag" was the heading that the News ran for a long time over the contributions of the veteran stage driver and mail carrier from the Warrior. He had a keen sense of news and never missed an opportunity to give information for the benefit of the public when a news item came his way. He was the carrier of the mail on the Star Route through the Warrior for years. --------Note: Two items mentioned in this article I have found are in error. (1) he was born in Danby, Tompkins County, New York. (2) He died at the home of his daughter, not his sister. 1860 Bibb County, Georgia Census pg. 201 Warrior Dist. Sept. 1, 1860 Ira Jennings 41 M Farmer 3500/7500 NY Elizabeth Jennings 41 F Ga Madison P. Jennings 18 M Ga William H. 16 M. Ga. Benjamin F. 14. M. Ga. Esprey R. S. Jennings 12 F Ga Elizabeth E. Jennings 9 F Ga. Theodore Jennings 6 M Ga. Martha E. 4 F. Ga.