Revision as of 06:37, 13 May 2023

Billie Jennings was born in 1926 at St. Louis, Missouri, a daughter of Ward Detrich Beaver (b. 1903 Cobden, Union, IL - d. 1988 St. Louis, MO) & Ruth Evelyn Baldwin Beaver (b. 1908 Pleasant Mound, Bond, IL - d. 1955 Buena Vista, Fayette, OH). She was raised in an unsaved home, but after she was saved at the age of 17, she was instrumental in leading her parents, siblings (and their children) to Christ. After declining health, Billie was promoted to Glory on May 11, 2023. She was in fellowship for many years with the meeting room in Fenton, originally in St. Louis, that was founded prior to 1878.

Parents

• Ward Detrich Beaver (b. 1903 Cobden, Union, IL - d. 1988 St. Louis, MO), son of William Howard Beaver (1857-1927 PA; m. 1897 Union Co., IL;) & Delia E. Sifford Beaver (b. 1871 South Pass, Union, IL - d. 1955 St. Louis, MO).
• Ruth Evelyn Baldwin Beaver (b. 1908 Pleasant Mound, Bond, IL - d. 1955 Buena Vista, Fayette, OH), daughter of John Edward "Ed" Baldwin (b. 1876 Seminary Twp., Fayette, IL - d. 1958 East St. Louis, MO) & Effie Lucy Smith Baldwin (b. 1883 Fairview, Bond, IL - d. 1960 St. Louis, MO). 1860-1870, the Baldwin family lived in Bond Co., in 1860 at Mulberry Grove, and 1870 at Pleasant Mound.
  • Effie was a daughter of Aaron Smith (b. 1839 - d. 1899) & Lydia Hale/Hehl Smith-Baldwin (b. 1842 Guilford, Franklin, PA or Adams Co., PA - d. 1928 Pleasant Mound Twp., Bond, IL).
    • Aaron was a son of Elisha Milton Smith (b. 1781 N.C. - d. 1851 Pleasant Mound, IL) & Phoebe Loftice Smith (b. 1801 S.C. - d. 1878 Pleasant Mound, IL). Elisha resided in St. Clair Co., IL as early as 1820, and in Bond Co. by 1830.

Siblings

• Joan Rachel Beaver Mathews (b. 1927 St. Louis, MO - d. 2014 Glen Allen, Henrico, VA). Husband (1952 @ Galveston, TX: James Robert Mathews (1925-2000 St. Louis, MO), son of George John Mathews (b. 1899 St. Louis, MO - d. 1976 Affton, St. Louis, MO) & Helen Lorretta Barry Mathews (b. 1899 St. Louis, MO - d. 1981 Affton, MO). In 1930, George Mathews owned a fruit and vegetable shop. The Mathews line, starting with James Mathews (1810-1857) & Catherine Fay Mathews (1810-1852), emigrated from Ireland to St. Louis in the 1840's, both succumbing to the cholera epidemic that swept thru St. Louis in the 1850's.

• Ward Edward Beaver (b. 1932 St. Louis, MO - d. 1997 Fort Myers, Lee, FL). He served 1953-1955 with the military. Wife (1953 @ St. Louis, MO): Virginia Carolyn Wilson Beaver (1933-2015 St. Louis, MO), daughter of John Christopher Wilson (1894-1954 St. Louis, MO) & Virginia Hard Wilson (b. 1902 Centreville, St. Clair, IL - d. 1988 Florissant, St. Louis, MO).

Marriage

Billie married David Getson Jennings (b. 1923 Coleman, TX - d. 2012 Lemay, St. Louis, MO), son of Dr. William Leonard Jennings (b. 1885 Kirk, Limestone, TX - d. 1971 Coleman, TX) & Mattie Asenath Horne Jennings (b. 1888 Coleman, TX - d. 1979 Lubbock, TX). She was his second wife. They had no children together, but David had five children from his first marriage. See FindAGrave.

David's first wife was Jane Finlay Van Hook Jennings (b. 1922 Webster Groves, MO - d. 1978 Kirkwood, MO), daughter of Lawrence Newell Van Hook, Jr. (b. 1888 Ferguson, St. Louis, MO - d. 1973 St. Louis Co., MO) & Olive Andrews Van Hook (b. 1892 St. Louis, MO - d. 1978 St. Louis, MO). See Who's Who at Bermuda Bible Chapel, MO for more on the Van Hook lineage.

Sources

• Ancestry.com
• uncredited family sources