Oliver Jennings

Background

Jennings was born in 1825 in Fairfield, Connecticut, to Abraham Gold Jennings and Anna Burr.

Career

At a young age he came to New York to learn the dry goods business. In 1849 he headed West to seek his fortune in the California Gold Rush. He set up a general mercantile store in San Francisco with Benjamin Brewster and amassed a considerable fortune by outfitting prospecting camps along the coast and around Sacramento.

They had five children:

Annie Burr Jennings

Walter Jennings (director of Company of New Jersey.

President of the Jekyll Island Club, 1927–1933)

Helen Goodsell Jennings (married Doctor Walter James, president of the Jekyll Island Club, 1919–1927)

Emma Brewster Jennings (married Hugh Dudley Auchincloss, Senior Mother of stockbroker Hugh Dudley Auchincloss, Junior)

Oliver Gould Jennings (married Mary Dows Brewster, daughter of Benjamin Brewster and Elmina Hersey Dows.

Father of businessman Benjamin Brewster Jennings)

In 1862 he returned to New York with the intention of retiring from all business activities. However, as a consequence of his relation by marriage to William Avery Rockefeller, Junior. he became interested in the affairs of the Company.

In 1871, when was incorporated in Ohio, Jennings was one of the original stockholders.

Of the initial 10,000 shares, John Doctorate. Rockefeller received 2,667. William Rockefeller, Henry Flagler, and Samuel Andrews received 1,333 each. Stephen V. Harkness received 1,334.

Jennings received 1,000.

And the firm of Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler received 1,000. Jennings served as a director of of Ohio and then as a trustee of the Trust that resulted from the company"s reorganization in 1882.

Jennings died in 1893 at his residence in New York City. His estate amounted to $10 million, which he left entirely to his family.

Achievements

• Her sister Almira Geraldine Goodsell (1844–1920) was the wife of co-founder William Avery Rockefeller, Junior. (1841–1922).