Gordon C. Jennings was born in May 1782 in Windham, Connecticut, the eldest son of Joseph and Ruth (Cartwright) Jennings. Joseph had served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and traced his line to the Joshua Jennings' family, which first settled in Hartford in the 1630s. A farmer, Gordon was among the first pioneers to settle in Troy, Missouri (outside St. Louis) in the early 1820s. In 1833, he and a brother moved with their families to Bastrop, Texas (near present-day Austin). Later, encouraged by the promise of land grant compensation, Gordon enlisted in the Texas militia on July 25, 1835 under Capt. R.M. Williamson in the command of Col. John H. Moore. On December 13, 1835, Gordon re-enlisted, this time under Col. William B. Travis. He took part in the siege of Bexar as a Corporal in Captain William R. Carey's artillery company, later served in the Alamo garrison and died in the battle of the Alamo as the Alamo's oldest defender at age fifty-six.
In a cruel irony, Charles B. Jennings, Gordon's brother (or cousin) was killed at the Goliad massacre later that month. Alamo and Goliad became rallying cries for Texas freedom, and years later the Jennings family heirs received 1,280 acres for each hero – reflecting their service and ultimate sacrifice. Gordon's son, Samuel Jennings (1828-1881), became a prosperous stockman in the cattle business – and Gordon's daughter, Catherine (1826-1911), became a legend in her own right. As a ten-year-old, Catherine had ridden bareback many miles to warn her neighbors of the advancing Mexican army – and thus, "the Ride of Katy Jennings" became regarded for Texas as a kind of Paul Revere's ride.
In a cruel irony, Charles B. Jennings, Gordon's brother (or cousin) was killed at the Goliad massacre later that month. Alamo and Goliad became rallying cries for Texas freedom, and years later the Jennings family heirs received 1,280 acres for each hero – reflecting their service and ultimate sacrifice. Gordon's son, Samuel Jennings (1828-1881), became a prosperous stockman in the cattle business – and Gordon's daughter, Catherine (1826-1911), became a legend in her own right. As a ten-year-old, Catherine had ridden bareback many miles to warn her neighbors of the advancing Mexican army – and thus, "the Ride of Katy Jennings" became regarded for Texas as a kind of Paul Revere's ride.
Gordon C. Jennings was born in May 1782 in Windham, Connecticut, the eldest son of Joseph and Ruth (Cartwright) Jennings. Joseph had served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and traced his line to the Joshua Jennings' family, which first settled in Hartford in the 1630s. A farmer, Gordon was among the first pioneers to settle in Troy, Missouri (outside St. Louis) in the early 1820s. In 1833, he and a brother moved with their families to Bastrop, Texas (near present-day Austin). Later, encouraged by the promise of land grant compensation, Gordon enlisted in the Texas militia on July 25, 1835 under Capt. R.M. Williamson in the command of Col. John H. Moore. On December 13, 1835, Gordon re-enlisted, this time under Col. William B. Travis. He took part in the siege of Bexar as a Corporal in Captain William R. Carey's artillery company, later served in the Alamo garrison and died in the battle of the Alamo as the Alamo's oldest defender at age fifty-six.
In a cruel irony, Charles B. Jennings, Gordon's brother (or cousin) was killed at the Goliad massacre later that month. Alamo and Goliad became rallying cries for Texas freedom, and years later the Jennings family heirs received 1,280 acres for each hero – reflecting their service and ultimate sacrifice. Gordon's son, Samuel Jennings (1828-1881), became a prosperous stockman in the cattle business – and Gordon's daughter, Catherine (1826-1911), became a legend in her own right. As a ten-year-old, Catherine had ridden bareback many miles to warn her neighbors of the advancing Mexican army – and thus, "the Ride of Katy Jennings" became regarded for Texas as a kind of Paul Revere's ride.
In a cruel irony, Charles B. Jennings, Gordon's brother (or cousin) was killed at the Goliad massacre later that month. Alamo and Goliad became rallying cries for Texas freedom, and years later the Jennings family heirs received 1,280 acres for each hero – reflecting their service and ultimate sacrifice. Gordon's son, Samuel Jennings (1828-1881), became a prosperous stockman in the cattle business – and Gordon's daughter, Catherine (1826-1911), became a legend in her own right. As a ten-year-old, Catherine had ridden bareback many miles to warn her neighbors of the advancing Mexican army – and thus, "the Ride of Katy Jennings" became regarded for Texas as a kind of Paul Revere's ride.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
