Jennings Gang

Among whom was Frank Jennings, son of old John Jennings, Wetzel county's notorious marauder. Frank Jennings was the leading spirit in all the mutinies and insubordinations of the prison, and one night during a terrible storm, in which the fence blew down, he led twenty-six prisoners in a dash for liberty. They were fired upon and pursued and all captured except Jennings himself, who escaped to the old haunts of the gang in Wetzel county, on Coal run, but a few miles back of New Martinsville. The house of old John Jennings was always an objective point to escaped prisoners, and it was so carefully guarded, and having secret means of egress and entrance, that very few were ever captured. The crimes of this gang, John Jennings, his four boys, William, Thomas, Frank and Jack, Godard, Barcus, Cannon, Parker, Willard, the Van Horn woman and others, are still fresh in the minds of the older residents of Wetzel, Tyler, Marshall, Pleasants and other counties. The pursuit of the gang, capture of several of them, and finally the descent of the "Red Men," after a series of horrible murders committed by the gang, upon the lair of the leader, old John, and his death after a terrible struggle, their descent upon Lynn Camp, the burning of the houses inhabited by the gang, and the exodus of outlaws and criminal refugees by the light of the torch and flame of burning houses is matter well known to many.