Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-01-15
DEATH OF WILLIAM JENNINGS.
of Utah,s Prominent Set
tiers Passes TO the Great beyond.

tiers Passes 10 the Great BeyOnd.
For several days the Devereux House
has worn mantle OF sorrow and gloom
that portended some dreadful event, from
the contemplation of which its occupants
have continued to shrink day by day, as
the condition Of its hospitable and now
lamented host grew more and more dan
gerous. During the past few days and
nights the family and one or two lifetime
friends of Mr.. Jennings have kept close
vigil at his bedside, where also DIR. Ben
edict, the attending physician, remained
almost uninterruptedly. At few
minutes past six o'clock last evening he
became quite unconscious, and the
gravest fears which had been forcing
themselves ominously upon the minds OF
those present for days, gave place to ter
rible alarm, and the devoted watch dur
ing the silent hours OF the night was
characterized by the utmost solicitude on
the part OF the family. The doctor had
already made the announcement that
any hour might witness the demise of the
| distinguished patient, and during this
forenoon it was frequently rumored that
| William Jennings had passed to
the great hereafter. 1t was not till
| IL AS this afternoon, however, that
he breathed his last, and the quiet,
peaceful dissolution of spirit and
body took place, in the presence
of most of his family. When it was
really known that death had come the
members OF the family, those few
trusted and tried friends present relieved
their pent-up feelings in unsurpassed
grief. DR.. Benedict pronounced the
disease Dialects Mellitus, and regarded it
as very similar to the form with which
the late Capt. Hooper had suffered. The
body was at once taken care of by under
taker j. w. Taylor, and some prelimin-
airy arrangements effected look
ing to the funeral, no date Of
| which has as yet been fixed.
Mr.. Jennings had been confined to his
had then enjoyed but brief rest from his
autumn illness, which lasted some time.
1t has been during the last week, how
| ever, that he developed very dangerous
| symptoms, but not earlier than last Sun
day was his condition considered hope
less. At intervals he was quite bright,
and even during yesterday morning trans
| acted some matters OF business. He
evidently realized his true state, however,
and attached his signature to his will
several days ago.
In the death of William Jennings, the
community loses one of the ablest, and
truest of its comparatively few extraordi-
nary men. He was prominent mem
Der of that little group Of men of charac-
ter whose worth and integrity are blended
in all the notable works of enterprise and
progress in Utah. His was not nature
that could become easily blended in with
the generality of men, because he had
character, and that character and accom-
panying independence are recorded side
by side with most of his achievements,
which are many. His wonderful execu-
tive and financial ability was scarcely
more prominent than his uniform hospi-
tality, which has undoubtedly made for
Mr.. Jennings more friends amongst all
classes OF the community, we believe,
than those OF any other Of our citizens.
The spacious rooms and well-dressed ta-
| bles of his elegant residence were always
open to friends, and there are very few
places were more thoroughly enjoyable
and hospitable entertainments have been
| given than at the Devereux house.
| William Jennings was the son OF Isaac
Jennings and Jane Thornton, and was
born at Yardley, near Birmingham, Eng
land, September 10, 1928, making him a
little more than 81 years of age at the
| time Of his death. He belonged to q
large family, consisting OF five
sons and five daughters, and while
he did not suffer the disadvant-
ages Of poverty, his father being a
wealthy butcher OF the town, his youth
| was associated with other difficulties
which prevented his securing the educa-
ton which he has frequently wished for
since. He left school at the early age OF
IL, and although in delicate health-the
I result of an accident-he developed a
great love for business, and while still
little more than fourteen years OF age was
intrusted with responsible matters per-
tanning to his fathers business. At the
age OF "a he emigrated to America, in
spired by the spirit and influence which
brought so many men OF character to this
free land; but it was not until some years
later that he became identified with
the .Mormon church. Finding himself
possessed of much less money than am
bition, the first year Of his residence in
America involved many and dis
couraging difficulties, all of which
were overcome without the surrender
OF that priceless integrity and
probty which have beautfied his subse-
quent career in Utah; and he continued
to push out in quest Of better opportuni-
ties. The year following his arrival in
New York found him in Ohio, and in
something like II similar period
he had pushed his way to st.
Joseph, Mo-, and it was h ere that his
association with the Latter-day Saints be-
gan. In the year 1851 he married Miss
Jane Walker, II Mormon emigrant, and
the following year went with his wife
to Utah, not, however, joining
the Mormon church until some time after
his arrival in Salt Lake City. His career
in Utah has been that of a wise and hon
orable leader in the progress OF business,
and his name will long be remembered
throughout the entire community, where
the monuments to his greatness and
goodness will last forever.