Source: The Manchester Republican, May 29, 1873

J.M. JENNINGS, DEALER IN ALL KINDS OF Produce & Family Groceries, FLOUR, MEAL, BEANS, HAMS, &c.
All kinds of Country Produce taken in exchange for Goods at cash prices. HE SELLS FOR CASH.
South side Main street, fourth door east of Post-office.

Source: The Manchester Republican, February 19, 1874

J.M. JENNINGS. Dealer in groceries and provisions, flour, feed, fruit, and produce. Mr. J. established his present enterprise less than a year ago, and today he commands a flourishing trade. His stock is new and fresh and complete: canned fruits, confectionery &c., are largely represented, and in fact everything pertaining to a first-class grocery and provision store. The sale of flour and feed of all kinds forms an important feature of the establishment, and commends to the patronage of the public.

Source: North Manchester Journal, August 31, 1893

Never go hungry when J.M. Jennings will sell you the largest loaf of bread in the city for five cents.
...Ice cream five cents a dish or twenty cents per quart at J.M. Jennings.

Source: North Manchester Journal, November 9, 1893

To My Friends.
I desire to return my thanks to my old customers and friends in North Manchester and vicinity for the many and great kindnesses I have received at their hands all through the twenty years that I have done business in their midst. Hoping that the proposed change I have undertaken will not in any way disturb the good feeling heretofore existing. In order that I may carry out my proposed plans I shall have to call on those indebted to me for an immediate settlement of accounts. Trusting none will ignore this call for settlement but come at once that I may avoid putting accounts in the hands of a collector thereby adding costs. Call at my old stand. In closing I desire to recommend my successors to the trade as gentlemen worthy of entire confidence and to urge all my old customers and friends to extend them their trade as far as possible. Thanking you I am
Yours respectfully
J.M. JENNINGS.

Source: North Manchester Journal, November 30, 1893

Gone to Chicago.

J.M. Jennings left Monday for Chicago to make the final arrangements for the opening, on Saturday of this week, of his grocery and market business at 396, Forty-third street, a half a block from where he was in the restaurant business the past summer. The title of the firm will be Jennings & Co. and the members are W.M. Jennings, his son, and L.F. Bonewitz, who has been his confidential clerk for years, but Mr. Jennings, senior, will have charge of the affairs for a time at least. They are all most estimable people and while we are sorry to se them leave this place we wish them all the success they have dreamed of, and more. They consider the opening a good one and with Mr. Jennings' acquaintance made the past summer and their natural hustling ability, success seems theirs beyond a doubt. They will move their families to Chicago in a short time.

Twenty years ago on December 5, J.M. Jennings began his business career here in a modest way in an old frame building where Eichholtz & Son's shoe store now stands, and he bears the honor of being the first groceryman to start a delivery wagon in the town. By thrift, economy and enterprise his business grew rapidly and in a few years he built the brick room now occupied by Byrer & Howard, which he afterward sold. He could not keep out of business and soon bought of Mrs. Kittie Ford the little frame room on the site of his recent place of business, and built a brick front onto it. This building was consumed in the big fire of October, 1885. With characteristic enterprise he rebuilt at once and continued his prosperous business until he recently sold out to Messrs. Smith & Douglass. Mr. Jennings has been recognized as one of our most public-spirited and enterprising business men. He still retains his real estate interests here and will not altogether cut loose from North Manchester which has been his pleasant home for so many years. He expresses much regret at leaving but hopes to do even better for himself in the city.

Source: North Manchester Journal, December 7, 1893

Jennings & Co. opened their Chicago grocery Tuesday. Both the families of Mr. Jennings and Frank Bonewitz have shipped their goods to the city and go there this week to take up their residence.

Source: North Manchester Journal, September 9, 1897

New Grocery in Town

J.M. Jennings desires us to announce that he will open his new grocery sometime the latter part of next week and will have it in full bloom by Saturday. Mr. Jennings is an old citizen here and is too well known to need any introduction at our hands. His friends are legion in the community and he is therefore assumed a good trade from the start.

His place of business will be in the room next door to Eichholtz's shoe store, south side of Main street, in which he did business twenty years ago. The room has been especially fitted up for him and he will open with an entirely new and fresh stock of goods comprising everything known to the grocery line. Mr. Jennings desires to see all of his friends and former customers at his store and the farmers are especially invited to give him a call and bring in their produce in any quantity. He will pay the highest market price for it. Remember the place and do not forget to give the new store a call.

Source: Aurora (1910) Ad:

J.M. Jennings & Son
GROCERS
BOTH PHONES NO. 68
NORTH MANCHESTER - INDIANA

Source: North Manchester Journal, May 14, 1914

JENNINGS & SON SUED FOR $10,000 DAMAGES
ADMINISTRATRIX OF R.B. FELTER ESTATE FILES SUIT SATURDAY 

The firm of J.M. Jennings & Son of this city was made defendant in a suit filed Saturday by Mrs. Belle Felter, administratrix of the estate of R.B. Felter, asking for $10,000 damages on account of the death of Mr. Felter last September.

It will be remembered that at some time on the evening of September 3, Mr. Felter fell down the elevator shaft at the new building which was then under construction. He was found in the cellar the following morning in an unconscious condition and died the same day. Mr. Felter had been employed as plasterer at the building and it was thought he had entered the building after dark to attend to some duties in connection with his work. The complaint stated that the elevator shaft had not been properly safeguarded and that the accident was due to the negligence on the part of the owners of the building.

The guarantee company in which Ezra Frantz, the contractor, held a policy protecting him in case of injury of his men, declared that as Mr. Felter was in the building after working hours he was a trespasser and the company would not be liable for damages. However, the suit was not brought against Mr. Frantz but against Messrs. Jennings as owners of the  building.

Source: Aurora (1925) Ad:

J.M. JENNINGS & SON'S GROCERY
North Manchester's Store of Quality Foods
Delivery 9 A.M. - 2 P.M.
Both Phones No. 68

Source: Notarized Certificate of Ownership of Business, Wabash Co. Partnership & Firm Record Book 1, p. 86, November 23, 1926:

William M. Jennings, being duly sworn upon his oath, says:
That he is the sole proprietor and owner of a retail business operated under the name and style of J.M. Jennings and Son and situated at the corner of Main and Market Streets in the town of North Manchester, Wabash County, State of Indiana, and that his post office address is North Manchester, Indiana. That the business in which he is engaged is a retail grocery business.

Source: News-Journal, April 13, 1936

KROGER LEASES JENNINGS STORE

The Kroger Grocery & Baking company has leased the Jennings store room, the lease being signed Friday morning. The company had an option on the room for several weeks, but the deal was not concluded until last week. Complete new fixtures will be installed in the building, and it is the hope to have a formal opening on Saturday, May 9. The store will be modern in every detail, and with a larger room and storage, more stock will be carried. The move is being made partly because of a larger room, and also to get away from congested traffic conditions on Walnut street. The Jennings building is on the corner of Market and Main, and thus there are two wide streets adjacent to the store. The store in the present location will be open until the new place is ready.

The Jennings building was constructed for grocery purposes by the late J.M. Jennings and his son, William Jennings. It was operated continuously as a grocery until the death of Mr. Jennings a few months ago. Since then Mrs. Jennings has disposed of most of the stock, but the store has not been open all of the time.