Zachariah Bradford Jennings, Jr.

as told by my aunt, Mary R. (Suggs) Harris

Submitted by Wendy Maxey

Zachariah Bradford Jennings, Jr. was born at Farmington, St. Francis County, Missouri on August 27, 1826. He died at Choctaw, Van Buren County, Arkansas.

About 1846, he moved to Arkansas and engaged in teaching in the schools of Van Buren County.

It has been handed down that he rode in on a horse along with his brother and when they stopped at Choctaw, Arkansas, he saw Ann Frances Hunter and told his brother that was the girl he would marry. They needed a school teacher in Choctaw and so he took the job.

One of Choctaw's greatest assests was its school. The first school was built in 1877. Prior to that, school was kept in the blacksmith shop and in private dwellings. Z. B. Jennings was one of the earliest teachers.

About 1848 or 1849, he was married to Ann Frances Hunter, who had moved to this county from Shelby County, Tennessee in 1836.

After his marriage, Z.B. Jennings, Jr. continued in his profession of teaching and engaged in farming.

At the out-break of the Civil War, he helped in raising the "Choctaw Riflemen", Company C, 10th Arkansas Infantry, Regiment in Van Buren County and was made Captain. He served part of the war with his company in a cave in Texas, making gun powder from bat droppings.

At the close of the war, he again angaged in farming and teaching. He always took an active part in the affairs of his county and was elected to represent his people in the state legislature.

Zachariah Bradford Jennings was known as one of the "Bold Ones" senators and a modest, unassuming, hardworking members of the general assembly. He had an attractive home in the beautiful valley of Choctaw, in Van Buren County. He had considerable legislative experience, occupying a seat in the House for two terms and also serving as a senator. He was also the chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings and a member of the Committee on Education, Agriculture. By occupation, Senator Jennings was a farmer and also a successful one.

To the union of Zachariah B. and Ann Frances (Hunter) Jennings, nine children were born. All were born in Choctaw, Van Buren County, Arkansas.

After the deather of his first wife, Ann Frances and having been left several small children to take care of, his mother-in-law told hime to go pick out a wife from her sister's daughters and to pick Elizabeth, since she would be the best worker. Three months (approximately May 1880) he married Elizabeth . This is union three children were born.

Zachariah Bradford Jennings, Jr. was buried at Choctaw Cemetery, later moved because of lake water backing up to Hunter-Huie Cemetery from the Greers Ferry Dam, built below Choctaw.