Jesse James JENNINGS
Gertrude Alma STEWART

Husband:  Jesse James JENNINGS
Birth: 1 Jun 1886, Ardeola, Stoddard Co., Missouri
Death: 28 Jun 1961, Bloomfield, Stoddard Co., Missouri
Cause of Death:  Heart Attack
Burial:  30 Jun 1961,
(unmarked) Gravel Hill Cemetery, Stoddard Co., Missouri
Father:  Augustus Jonas "A. J." JENNINGS
Mother: 
Izora BORLAND

Marriage:   30 Dec 1908, Bloomfield, Stoddard Co., Missouri

Wife: Gertrude Alma STEWART
Birth:  17 Oct 1894, Castor Twp., Stoddard Co., Missouri
Death:  25 Sep 1962, Dexter, Stoddard Co., Missouri
Cause of Death:  Old Age
Burial:  Sep 1962, Bloomfield Cemetery, Bloomfield, Stoddard Co., Missouri
Father:  Sam L. STEWART
Mother:  Sarah FORTNER

Children:
None
__________
Notes:

1910 Federal Census Data (T624_0825, Page 35B), Castor Township, Stoddard Co., Missouri
                                                                                     Enumeration District: 176, Enumeration Date: 11-May-1916, Family #282

 NAME

Relation

Sex

Col.

Age

M/S
W/D

# Yr
Mar

# C
B.

# C
L.

POB

Fa.
POB

Mo.
POB

Occupation
  or Trade

In
Sch.

 JENNINGS, Jesse

 Head

M

W

23

M

1y6m

 

 

UN

UN

UN

 Farmer

 

                    Gertie

 Wife

F

W

15

M

1y6m

 

 

MO

PA

IL

 None

 

 1920 Federal Census Data (T625_0964, Page 18A), Castor Township, Stoddard Co., Missouri,
                                                                                      Enumeration District #202, Enumeration Date: 17-Jan-1920, Family #149

 NAME

Relation

Sex

Col.

Age

M/S
W/D

In
Sch

POB

Fa.
POB

Mo.
POB

Occupation

 JENNINGS, Jess

 Head

M

W

34

M

 

MO

US

US

 Farm Laborer

                  Grace

 Wife

F

W

24

M

 

MO

US

US

 None

                  Curtis

 Nephew

M

W

7

M

X

MO

US

US

 None

 1930 Federal Census Data (T626_1248, Page 38B), Castor Township, Stoddard Co., Missouri,
                                                                                     Enumeration District: 4, Enumeration Date: 25-Apr-1930, Family #180

 NAME

Relation

Sex

Col.

Age

M/S W/D

Mar. Age

In Sch

POB

Fa. POB

Mo. POB

Occupation

 JENNINGS, Jess

 Head

M

W

42

M

24

 

MO

MO

MO

 Farmer

                   Gertie

 Wife

F

W

32

M

 14 

 

MO

PA

IL

 

                   Curtiss

 Nephew

M

W

17

S

 

MO

MO

MO

 

1940 Federal Census Data (T627_2159-0105, Page 49B), Castor Twp., Stoddard Co., Missouri,
                                                                          Enumeration District: 104-3, Enumeration Date: 24-Apr-1940, Family #265

 NAME

Relation

Sex

Age

M/S W/D

In
Sch

Gr.
Cmp.

POB

Occupation / Industry

 JENNINGS, Jesse J

 Head

M

54

M

 

2

MO

 Farmer

                 Gertie

 Wife

F

45

M

 

6

MO

 Housewife

Jesse was a farmer most of his life but, for a time, a Deputy City Marshal for Bloomfield, Missouri.  From the Dexter Statesman, Dexter, Missouri, Friday, March 29, 1946:

BLOOMFIELD POLICEMAN KILLS WAR VETERAN

  "Alvin Ellsworth, about 30, a war veteran, was shot to death on the street in front of the bank building at Bloomfield about 9 last night and Deputy City Marshall Jesse Jennings was placed in jail pending further investigation into the shooting.
  A coroner's jury, assembled by Coroner Cicero Crane of Dexter, returned an open verdict but named Jennings, who is about 50, as the man who killed Ellsworth.  About ten persons testified before the Coroner's Jury, presided over by Justice of the Peace Pres Hearne.
  Some of the witnesses told of Ellsworth and Jennings meeting in Ed Sifford's restaurant, where they had some words.  Cause of their trouble was not clear. When Jennings drew his revolver threateningly, Sifford, also a former City Marshall, stopped him and told him to get out of his place of business.  He then walked outside and down the street.  He and Ellsworth met again, however, near the bank where the shooting occurred.
  The Coroner's Jury was composed of Paul Bennett, Kermit Bess, Rube Phelan, Charles Kelley, C. H. Taylor, and Fred Brown.  The verdict was that Ellsworth "came to his death from gunshot wounds fired at the hands of Jesse Jennings, Night Marshall".  The testimony indicated that Jennings may have been drinking and that when Sifford ordered them out of his restaurant, Ellsworth commented that he would make Jennings "eat his gun".

  Ellsworth was discharged from the Army last December.  He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Ellsworth of Idalia, about four miles southeast of Bloomfield.
  Sheriff Randall Evans arrested Jennings immediately after the shooting and placed him in jail pending completion of investigation by R. Kip Briney, Prosecuting Attorney.  Briney said he would file charges against Jennings.  Jennings is married.
  Funeral services for Ellsworth were held Thursday afternoon in Idalia with burial in Old Bethel Cemetery.  The Hale-Swinger post of the VFW conducted the military funeral."

Follow-up: Dexter Statesman, Dexter Missouri, Friday August 16, 1946:

FORMER BLOOMFIELD POLICEMAN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN THE PEN FOR KILLING ALVIN ELLSWORTH

  "Jesse Jennings, former night marshal at Bloomfield faced a 20 year prison sentence following his trial in circuit court in Kennet Monday for the slaying last March 25 of Alvin Ellsworth, a World War II veteran.
  Ellsworth, 30, was shot to death on the street at Bloomfield in front of the Bloomfield Bank a short time after the two men argued in Ed Sifford's restaurant and had been ordered out.  Jennings was arrested immediately by Sheriff Randall Evans and held under bond for trial.  A coroner's jury, summoned by Coroner Cicero Crane, placed blame for Ellsworth's death on Jennings and recommended he be held.
  Ellsworth, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Ellsworth, farmer near Idalia, was discharged from the Army in December.
  The case came to Dunklin county on a change of venue."

NOTE: Julia Moore, a family member, related that the change of venue was caused, in part, because some people in Bloomfield that had gathered a lynch mob to hang Jesse.  Her father and a couple of other neighbors went into town that night and witnessed the crowd trying to get him out of jail.

Jesse was one of the heirs of his aunt, Elizabeth Jennings.  Upon her death, his share of the estate was $139.24 and was assigned to his attorneys K. W. Blomeyer and Joe Welborn to help defray his legal fees. 
__________
Sources:
1) Marriage:  Stoddard County, Missouri Vital Statistics - Marriages, Vol. 10, Page 171
2) Death - Husband:  Stoddard County Missouri Vital Statistics - Deaths, Cert, #61-023716
3) Death - Wife:  Stoddard County Missouri Vital Statistics - Deaths, Cert, #62-037366 (shows DOB 17 Oct 1889)
4) Husband - Inheritance: Wills of Stoddard County, Bond of Surviving Partner, Book B, Page 220-221