Cordle/Jennings GA, TN, MO
Seeking information on Elnathan Cordle/Caudle, etc. and Sarah Jennings.
Their daughter Malinda was my great great great grandmother.The information I have on this couple deals mainly with Sarah and is as follows:
Sarah Jennings’ mother was said to have been the last of her family, and eloped with a sailor.This couple had only one child or one daughter, named Sarah.Sarah would later marry Elnathan Caudle.Following is an excerpt from a letter written by Emily Sparks Baker, granddaughter of Sarah and Elnathan.Sarah lived with Emily’s parents, and Emily was recalling this information as it was told to her by Sarah herself.
“Now about our ancestors, I am afraid I can’t tell you very much.To begin with, my grandmother Caudle’s mother was English.I have heard the folks say that my grandfather stole her.I think she was an only daughter, or maybe an only child.I don’t know which.My grandmother’s maiden name was Jennings.When grandmother was married I think she lived in Georgia.At that time she and her husband went to Kentucky and they moved on horse-back; carried their things on the backs of horses and it was a wild, wild country.I don’t remember how long they stayed there, but they finally went back to Georgia.They had seven children.The older ones names were; Leannah, Lucinda, Melinda.This latter was my mother.Next were; Matilda, Pheribia.There were two boys Madison and William.My grandfather’s name was Elnathan Caudle.”
Following is an excerpt from a family history written by Loyd Baker, grandson of the above Emily, to whom the preceding letter was written.
“Grandma said, of her Grandmother’s mother (her Grandmother being Sarah Jennings), that “she was stolen” by a suitor, who was a sailor, and that she was English (most likely lived in merry old England) and belonged to a well-to-
do family.I think our word would be “elopement” since it would be hard to
“steal” a fidgety girl as we understand the word.The stolen Jennings girl
(her name after marriage and that of her husband I think) had a daughter whom she named Sarah and possibly others we don’t know.Please remem-
ber that the folk pronounced the name Caudle “Cordle” as it sounded to me.
Elnathan Caudle married the daughter of the “stolen” girl who was Sarah Jennings.They lived in old Georgia.They decided to move to Kentucky and had little to move with only horses to do the moving.Grandmother said,
“they moved on horseback” and lived a short while in the Bluegrass state.They didn’t like it and moved back to Georgia again.”
If anyone has any additional information on the Jennings connection I would certainly appreciate any information.To add to the pot of information, Emily recalled a lawyer visiting her grandmother Sarah Jennings in connection to the old “Jennings Fortune” story to gather information on the family.It was presumed this lawyer represented clients “back East” anxious to establish some sort of claim.
In addition, I have a photo of the children of William Cordle and Louisa Brummett which I would be happy to share with descendants of that couple.
More Replies:
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Re: Cordle/Jennings GA, TN, MO
Judy Mahoney 7/31/07
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Re: Cordle/Jennings GA, TN, MO
Judy Mahoney 5/27/07
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Re: Cordle/Jennings GA, TN, MO
James Pederson 10/28/01