Jennings, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Jennings is a small city
in and the parish seat of Jefferson Davis Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
, near Lake Charles
. The population was 10,986 at the 2000 census.
Jennings is the principal city of the Jennings Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Jefferson Davis Parish. It is also part of the larger Lake Charles-Jennings Combined Statistical Area
.
. He built the Jennings depot on a divide peculiar to southwest Louisiana
.
The first settler was A. D. McFarlain, who came from St. Mary Parish
, in 1881. This energetic young man was the community’s first rice grower, first merchant, first postmaster, first brick maker, and first builder. McFarlain prospered with Jennings’ growth and later became one of the town’s most prominent business men and civic leaders. He opened a store in Jennings in 1881.
The Jennings area was settled by Anglo
wheat farmers of Iowa
, Kansas
, Nebraska
and other Midwestern states. The new settlers of southwest Louisiana
were referred to as "Yankees" by the natives. The Cajuns proved to be good and helpful neighbors and gave appreciable aid to the settlers in homesteading and homemaking. The people grew rice
, cotton
, sweet potatoes and corn
.
Sylvester L. Cary, who arrived on February 7, 1883 from Iowa and known as the town's "father", stated he was "seeking a home where there was neither winter or mortgages." So impressed was "Father" Cary by the attractiveness of the country around Jennings that he felt impelled to share his findings with others. The conviction resulted in his entering upon the second phase of his great adventure, that of bringing fellow Midwesterners to southwest Louisiana. He began to write letters to his friends in Iowa, extolling the advantages of the countryside surrounding Jennings. When he returned to Iowa to remove his family to their newly acquired home, he successfully persuaded several neighbors, preparing to migrate west, to take advantage of the opportunities he had discovered in Jennings and southwest Louisiana.
Much of southwest Louisiana was developed by the North American Land and Timber Co. Seaman A. Knapp, president of the Iowa State College of Agriculture, was engaged in 1885 to demonstrate the suitability of the region for rice production. Knapp attracted a number of Iowans to settle the area. The settlers were lured to this area by advertisements published in newspapers in the midwestern states.
By 1900, Jennings was incorporated as a municipality. In 1901, a fire destroyed a large portion of Jennings. However, that same year, Jennings was the location of the first oil well and oil field in the state of Louisiana. Oil brought a boom to the town but this was only a peak in its continuous growth. When oil production declined, the basic agricultural economy kept the town prosperous.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 10.3 square miles (26.7 km²), of which 10.2 square miles (26.4 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) (0.19%) is water.
of 2000, there were 10,986 people, 4,090 households, and 2,875 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,072.6 people per square mile (414.2/km²). There were 4,541 housing units at an average density of 443.4 per square mile (171.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.42% White, 28.00% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.92% of the population.
There were 4,090 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples
living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.8% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,410, and the median income for a family was $30,783. Males had a median income of $26,630 versus $19,010 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $12,357. About 22.4% of families and 26.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.3% of those under the age of 18 and 18.1% of those ages 65 or older.
operates public schools serving Jennings. The schools serving Jennings, all within the city, include Ward Elementary School (PK-2), Jennings Elementary School (3-6), and Jennings High School (7-12) http://jenningshighschool.org/.
Jefferson Davis Parish Library operates the Headquarters Branch at 118 West Plaquemine Street in Jennings. In addition the City of Jennings operates the Jennings Carnegie Public Library
at 303 North Cary Avenue.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in and the parish seat of Jefferson Davis Parish
Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Davis Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Jennings. As of 2000, its population was 31,435. Jefferson Davis Parish is named after the president of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, Jefferson Davis. It is located in southwestern...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, near Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
. The population was 10,986 at the 2000 census.
Jennings is the principal city of the Jennings Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Jefferson Davis Parish. It is also part of the larger Lake Charles-Jennings Combined Statistical Area
Lake Charles-Jennings combined statistical area
The Lake Charles-Jennings Combined Statistical Area is made up of three parishes in southwestern Louisiana. The statistical area consists of the Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Jennings Micropolitan Statistical Area. The largest principal city is Lake Charles, and the smaller...
.
History
Jennings McComb, for whom the town was named, was a contractor of the Southern Pacific RailroadSouthern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
. He built the Jennings depot on a divide peculiar to southwest Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
The first settler was A. D. McFarlain, who came from St. Mary Parish
St. Mary Parish, Louisiana
St. Mary Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Franklin. As of 2000, the population was 53,500.The Morgan City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of St. Mary Parish.-Geography:...
, in 1881. This energetic young man was the community’s first rice grower, first merchant, first postmaster, first brick maker, and first builder. McFarlain prospered with Jennings’ growth and later became one of the town’s most prominent business men and civic leaders. He opened a store in Jennings in 1881.
The Jennings area was settled by Anglo
Anglo
Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to the Angles, England or the English people, as in the terms Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-American, Anglo-Celtic, Anglo-African and Anglo-Indian. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of British Isles descent in The Americas, Australia and...
wheat farmers of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
and other Midwestern states. The new settlers of southwest Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
were referred to as "Yankees" by the natives. The Cajuns proved to be good and helpful neighbors and gave appreciable aid to the settlers in homesteading and homemaking. The people grew rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, sweet potatoes and corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
.
Sylvester L. Cary, who arrived on February 7, 1883 from Iowa and known as the town's "father", stated he was "seeking a home where there was neither winter or mortgages." So impressed was "Father" Cary by the attractiveness of the country around Jennings that he felt impelled to share his findings with others. The conviction resulted in his entering upon the second phase of his great adventure, that of bringing fellow Midwesterners to southwest Louisiana. He began to write letters to his friends in Iowa, extolling the advantages of the countryside surrounding Jennings. When he returned to Iowa to remove his family to their newly acquired home, he successfully persuaded several neighbors, preparing to migrate west, to take advantage of the opportunities he had discovered in Jennings and southwest Louisiana.
Much of southwest Louisiana was developed by the North American Land and Timber Co. Seaman A. Knapp, president of the Iowa State College of Agriculture, was engaged in 1885 to demonstrate the suitability of the region for rice production. Knapp attracted a number of Iowans to settle the area. The settlers were lured to this area by advertisements published in newspapers in the midwestern states.
By 1900, Jennings was incorporated as a municipality. In 1901, a fire destroyed a large portion of Jennings. However, that same year, Jennings was the location of the first oil well and oil field in the state of Louisiana. Oil brought a boom to the town but this was only a peak in its continuous growth. When oil production declined, the basic agricultural economy kept the town prosperous.
Geography
Jennings is located at 30°13′20"N 92°39′25"W (30.222207, -92.656880) and has an elevation of 26 feet (7.9 m).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 10.3 square miles (26.7 km²), of which 10.2 square miles (26.4 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) (0.19%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 10,986 people, 4,090 households, and 2,875 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,072.6 people per square mile (414.2/km²). There were 4,541 housing units at an average density of 443.4 per square mile (171.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.42% White, 28.00% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.92% of the population.
There were 4,090 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.8% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,410, and the median income for a family was $30,783. Males had a median income of $26,630 versus $19,010 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $12,357. About 22.4% of families and 26.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.3% of those under the age of 18 and 18.1% of those ages 65 or older.
Notable persons
- A.C. Clemons (1921–1992), first RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
in the 20th century to serve in the Louisiana State SenateLouisiana State LegislatureThe Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
- Chancy Croft (born 1937) Born in Jennings. Moved to Odessa, TexasOdessa, TexasOdessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small portion of the city extends into Midland County. Odessa's population was 99,940 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Odessa, Texas Metropolitan...
, then Anchorage, AlaskaAnchorage, AlaskaAnchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
. President of the Alaska SenateAlaska SenateThe Alaska Senate is the upper house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The Senate consists of twenty members, each of whom represents an equal amount of districts with populations of about 31,347 people . Senators serve four-year terms, without term...
(1975–1977), Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominee for Alaska governor (1978), President of the University of Alaska Board of Regents (2001–2002). - John E. GuinnJohn E. GuinnJohn Eddie Guinn, Sr., also known as Johnny Guinn , is a businessman from Jennings, Louisiana, who is a Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 37 in Jefferson Davis and Calcasieu parishes in the southwestern portion of his state...
, current member of the Louisiana House of RepresentativesLouisiana State LegislatureThe Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from Jennings - Eugene John HebertEugene John HebertFather Eugene John Hebert was an American born Jesuit missionary in Sri Lanka. He along with his Tamil driver Betram Francis disappeared on August 15, 1990 as part of the ongoing Sri Lankan civil war. He went missing on his way to the eastern city of Batticaloa from a nearby town of Valaichchenai....
(1923–1990), Society of JesusSociety of JesusThe Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
Roman Catholic priest who disappeared in Sri LankaSri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the... - W. Scott HeywoodW. Scott HeywoodWalter Scott Heywood, known as W. Scott Heywood , was a member of the Louisiana State Senate who earlier headed a family-owned company which struck the first oil well in Louisiana on September 21, 1901 near Jennings in Jeff Davis Parish.Heywood was born in Cleveland, Ohio. As a young man, he...
(1872–1950), member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1932–1936, author of homestead exemptionHomestead exemptionHomestead exemption is a legal regime designed to protect the value of the homes of residents from property taxes, creditors, and circumstances arising from the death of the homeowner spouse...
; discovered oil in Jeff Davis Parish in 1901 - Charles Franklin HildebrandCharles Franklin HildebrandCharles Franklin Hildebrand, usually known as Franklin Hildebrand , was an American journalist who from 1930 to 1957 published the Jeff Davis Parish News, subsequently renamed the Jennings Daily News and located in Jennings, the seat of Jeff Davis Parish in southwestern Louisiana.Hildebrand was...
(1893-1966), publisher of the Jeff Davis Parish News (1930-1948) and the Jennings Daily News (1948-1957) - Claude KirkpatrickClaude KirkpatrickClaude Kirkpatrick was a diversified businessman who served two terms in the Louisiana House of Representatives , worked to establish Toledo Bend Reservoir through his directorship of the state Department of Public Works , and was the administrator and then president of Baton Rouge General Medical...
(1917–1997), member of the Louisiana House of Representatives (1952-1960] from Jefferson Davis Parish, director of Louisiana Department of Public Works (1960–1964), candidate for governorGovernorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
in 1963, instigator of Toledo Bend ReservoirToledo Bend ReservoirToledo Bend Reservoir is a reservoir on the Sabine River between Texas and Louisiana. The lake has an area of 185,000 acres , the largest man-made body of water in Texas, the largest in the South, and the fifth largest in the United States. The dam is capable of generating 92 megawatts of...
, president of Baton Rouge General Hospital, and builder of three shopping centers in Baton Rouge - Edith Killgore KirkpatrickEdith Killgore KirkpatrickEdith Aurelia Killgore Kirkpatrick is a retired music educator from Baton Rouge who served on the Louisiana Board of Regents for Higher Education from 1977—1989, the superboard which must approve education budgets presented to the state legislature. She is also a former member of the...
(born 1918), member of Louisiana Board of RegentsLouisiana Board of RegentsThe Louisiana Board of Regents is a government agency in the U.S. state of Louisiana that is responsible for coordination of all public higher education in the state...
, 1978–1990; music educator; BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
state official - Dan MorrishDan MorrishDan Wesley Morrish, sometimes known as Blade Morrish , is a Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate from Jennings, the seat of Jefferson Davis Parish in southwestern Louisiana....
, Jennings businessman, former state representative, current state senator - Gerald TheunissenGerald TheunissenGerald Joseph Theunissen, or Jerry Theunissen , is the vice president of Jeff Davis Bank in Jennings, Louisiana, USA, and served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 37 and as the state senator from District 25...
, Jennings banker and former member of both houses of the state legislature
Education
Jefferson Davis Parish Public SchoolsJefferson Davis Parish Public Schools
Jefferson Davis Parish Public Schools is a school district headquartered in Jennings, Louisiana, United States.The district covers Jefferson Davis Parish.-K-12 schools:* Hathaway High School...
operates public schools serving Jennings. The schools serving Jennings, all within the city, include Ward Elementary School (PK-2), Jennings Elementary School (3-6), and Jennings High School (7-12) http://jenningshighschool.org/.
Jefferson Davis Parish Library operates the Headquarters Branch at 118 West Plaquemine Street in Jennings. In addition the City of Jennings operates the Jennings Carnegie Public Library
Jennings Carnegie Public Library
The Jennings Carnegie Public Library in Jennings, Louisiana was built in 1908. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.It is operated by the City of Jennings....
at 303 North Cary Avenue.