Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-03-17
,.rennison, Esq.

OSSoeiSAAOA
death. His body has now returned to the dust and
his spirit to God who gave it. Seldom is public
loss so sincerely mourned.
When such a man-alas how few such there are
when such a man goes hence, to come back no
more forever it is the part of wisdom to treasure up
the memory of his life, to spread its influence beyond
the limits of present knowledge, and, as far as may
be- to perpetuate its salutary power. In SO doing
iustice is done the dead and kindness TO the living
Nv his decease Mr.. Jennson has left void which
none but himself could fill. His presence in our
civ where he has dwe so long, and been SO widely
Known. will be missed by very many, though with
those various thoughts and emotions which spring
from diversified tastes and pursuits, or from nearer
or remoter acquaintance with the aiiuence OF his
mind and the virtues of his life.
The more recent conner, whose fresh and wakeful
enterprise gives new stir to restless streets,
will only miss slightly STOPPING modest, and ven
cradle gentleman of common height, whose quiet
look and thoughtful gait, whose prudent, comely
dress. never in or out of fashion, and whose thin
white locks bespoke the lingering, yet surely reced
ing relic of generation unlike his own.
The men of business, from whatever part of our
broad and noble country, who have been foremost
in its trade, its manufactures, and its numer-
Gus moneyed concerns and who, urged by I'M
forsaken business, drawn by long habit and cher
isbed associations shall revisit city, will be STIR
red BY thoughts and memories all their own. They
will miss the face and form, the honest words and
simple manners of one whom they have long looked
upon as the representative of honor and fidelity in
trusts and transactions which require the most
sured confidence as the life of skilful enterprise
and the strength of patient toll.
The friends and neghbors who for many rapid years
have been accustomed to meet and greet him on the
highway of life, TO confer confidentiay with him
matters personal public interest," to tread with
him the retired walks of elegant and useful learning
and discourse, or to exchange the courtesies and
amenities of social life in each others dwellings-
these select and intimate friends will grieve to miss
him only less than those who have lived nearest to
his bosom, and dwelt longest at his side.
The outline of Mr.. Jennison's life may be quickly
sketched 1t is only too difficult task to fill it up
with its more delicate and elaborate details. Much
of this always passes away with those who most
worthy to have it faithfully delineated None will
expect from this passing tribute. If done at ALL it
must be done by some more competent and more ap-
propriate hand.
Mr.. Jennison was born at Brookfeld, Feb. a.
17SS He the eldest son of Samuel Jennson,
Esq, who graduated at Harvard University in
IVA and afterwards practiced law in Oxford and
elsewhere His mother daughter of the Rev.
Nathan Fiske, d. D., of Brookfeld. Their
living with his maternal grandfather at the time of
his DEATH Nov a. 1893. Early in 1900, at the age of
twelve years. he came to Worcester to live with his
uncle, the Hon Oliver Fiske, a reputable physi-
cian in whose family he resided till his marriage in
1915 to Mary g. Ellery of Newport, r. l., grand
daughter of William Ellery, who in 1776, in behalf
of that colony and of mankind, ''wrote his name
where all nations should read it, and all time should
not eface it," The residue of Mr.. Jennison's life
was spent in the town and city where it was termna
ted March H. 1860 the age OFF, years. The brebut
comprehensive annals of his residence here, willsug
gest most thoughts to the most reflective and consd
crate minds. Soon after he to Worcester his
cle who not only practiced physc for which he had
NO passion, but engaged in various enterprises
placed his nephew in his store, of English and
West India goods" hard by his dwelling to do
what was then called tending shop" duty which
did not much hinder him from various employments
In doors and out, such steady and discreet boy
can do somewhat better than full grown man.
For one or two winters he attended a town school,
in the then village, in which taught only read
ing, spelling, writing, some arithmetic, and less
grammar
Mr.. Jennison remained in his unce's shop various
y occupied with its and many other duties till April
1910, when he appointed the accountant of
the Worcester Bank, then the only institution of the
kind between Boston and Pittsfeld. In this occu-
patton he remained till August, 1872, when he was
chosen cashier of the same bank, an office which he
held till his resignation in September, 1886 having
been connected with the bank more than thirty -four
years. In April, 1928, while yet performing. with
his own mind and hands, the chief ofice-busness of
the Worcester Bank and over eight years before
hnguishing those duties, he was the organization
of the Worcester County Institution for Savings,
chosen its treasurer, the duties of which office he
discharged till he resigned it, in October 1853, at
which time its deposits hand amounted to 81 473,-
3l2.
Mr. Jennison of the early members of
the American Antiquarian Society," and was its first
librarian, holding that Office from 1914 to 1926 He
was its corresponding secretary from 1928 to 1926
Its treasurer from 1929 to 1s43 again from lS4e
till his DEATH He also of its publishing com
mittee from 1920 to 1881 and of its councillor
from 1910 to his decease-a period of forty years
He likewise served the town of Worcester at differ
ent times, as its clerk, its treasurer and of it
school committee at the transition period 1928 tn,
era of reform whose benefits many have enjoyed
without knowing their benefactors In February
1847, he succeeded the late Hon. Alfred D. Foster
as treasurer of the State Lunatic Hospital, which
Office he held till his resignation of it, in June, 1857
In 1929, he treasurer of the First Parish in or
cester but at the expiration of the year declined
reelection.
Such trusts and duties Mr.. Jennson had to care
for and perform, to all which he was found compe
tent and faithful. Many Others, of different magni
tudes, in the line of what is more commonly called
business, might exc out the sketch but the free out
line already drawn will seem to persons enough
for the filling up of life with duty, honor and use
fulness. And yet what appears or might appear in
ngures, falls far short of the whole truth. Much
OF the residue lies where most persons would least
suspecth His iavorite recreations would have been
other mems reluctant toll, and his dainties their
starvation.
In a true sense of the word, Mr. Jennison was a
man of letters-of refined and solid learning By
this it is not meant that he was an adept in dead
classic lore-an acquisition which he would bav,
been the last TO think lightly of; for much of wba
he could not reach in the languages of Greece ant
Rome, he was glad to approach near enough to sc,
darkly in the pages of Dryden, Pope, and others
though not to exclsim, with ecstasy,
g. Homer, Homer is our own,
And Grecian heroes flame in British lines!"
His learning was chiefly in his mother tongue. Non
among us was SO familiar with the genius, the inyen
ton, the wit the wisdom, the keen philosophy, tn,
many shapes of human nature, the beauty and yigo
Of thought and expression, which are di1used owe
the broad range of the British classics both in pros
and verse, from Chaucer down to his own last days
In regard to choice English literature the question
was rather, what he had not read than what he had
Nor was his knowledge careful and exact as II was
confined to what was written. His reading had 4
richer zest. He knew the writers themselves. who
tney We're, what they did, when, where with whom
ana now they lived and thus he read their writing,
'nr AUTHORS themselves were about him. TO tel