Miles was born in Goochland County about 1738. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 lists Susannah’s birth date of 1746.

About 1762, he married Susannah Hanby, a daughter of John Hanby and Susannah Thompson. Miles and Hannah probably met and married in Halifax Co because her parents were living there at that time and Miles and John Hanby can be found in the same court records.

The first official record of Miles is his application for letters of administration of the estate of his brother William who died about 1762 in Halifax Co. In May 1762, Miles served as a juror in Halifax Co and George Watkins brought a suit against him which was dismissed. In Feb 1763, the estate of his brother William was appraised by Miles along with John Parr, Hamon Critz, and John Wilbrick Bender, all of whom appear in the 1767 list of tax payers in Pittsylvania Co. In May 1763, William McDaniel won a judgment against Miles for a debt. In June 1764, John Wildrick Bender agreed to dismiss his trespassing suit against Miles. In June 1765, Miles and two other men were directed to lay off a road from Morgan Bryan's Road to Smith River.

Beginning in 1765, Miles accumulated land in Pittsylvania Co. In Nov 1765, he received 188 acres on the north Mayo River. Miles appears in 1767 as a tithable in Pittsylvania Co VA. In August 1766, Speirs and Company brought a suit for debt £16.1.5 against Miles but Miles did not appear. The judgment stated that the suit could be settled for a payment of L8.8.0 1/2 plus interest. It is interesting that the debt had been accumulating interest since Mar 1, 1762.

In Dec 1766, Miles was paid 200 pounds of tobacco for 2 wolves' heads. James Roberts received the payment for him. In July 1767, Miles was a plaintiff against John Hall, but the suit was dismissed.

In Oct 1769, he had 162 acres surveyed on Wart Mt. Creek. In Nov 1769, 120 acres were surveyed for him on both sides of the Mayo River. In Nov 1770, he had 400 acres surveyed on Jennings Creek. This creek is still found in Henry Co. In Jun 1771, Miles bought land from John Rice. During the Revolutionary War, he provided 250 pounds of beef for Col. Lee's Partisan Regiment. After the War, he filed a claim to be reimbursed for this beef.

In Jun 1779, Miles gave his consent for his daughter Hannah to marry George Taylor in Henry Co. In Sep 1780, Miles received a grant of 400 acres in adjoining Pittsylvania Co. In Mar 1781, he received patents for 474 acres on the north side of the Mayo River and 453 acres on the Mayo River. In Henry Co VA in Jul 1781, he sold a total of 400 acres.

Miles was listed in the tax records for Henry Co for the years 1782 and 1783. In 1782, he was taxed on 920 acres, 10 slaves, 6 horses, and 27 head of cattle. In 1783, he had 8 slaves, 2 horses, and 23 head of cattle.

However, land in newly opened GA beckoned to Miles. By Apr 1784, Miles had settled in Wilkes Co GA. In Jul 1786, he was granted 1500 acres in Wilkes Co. Though Miles established himself in GA, he continued to own land in Henry Co VA through 1789. In Jul 1788, Miles appointed his son-in-law George Taylor to "negotiate and transact all my business of whatsoever kind I may have to do in the aforesaid county such as disposing of any lands, collecting debts or rents, paying any just demands against me and making good and lawful title to any person purchasing land." In spite of the distance between Henry Co VA and Wilkes Co GA, Miles and George must have made the trip frequently.

Miles began to dispose of his property in Henry Co VA in 1789. He sold 215 acres to Ballenger Wade and 1112 acres to John Dillard. This second tract required the release of his mother Nancy Thomas who was living in Wilkes Co GA in 1792. Her release implies that Miles inherited the 1112 acres from his father. Miles' son-in-law George Taylor was a witness to both deeds. Susannah Jennings agreed to the sales in a document dated Feb 16 1790.

There is no extant census for 1790 GA. However, the tax list gives a practically complete list for the heads of families. Miles was taxed for 6.5 polls, 11 slaves, and 1000 acres. In 1793, Miles "Jinings" of Capt. Geo. Taylor's district was taxed for 1 white poll, 15 slaves, 200 acres of second quality land, 1300 acres of third quality land, and 1400 acres in Franklin Co GA on Chambers Creek.

In 1793, Wilkes Co was divided and Miles was in the section that was formed into Oglethorpe Co. In the tax list 1793-94, he is enumerated in Capt. Geo. Taylor's district with 1500 acres, 1400 acres in Franklin Co, and 19 slaves. His sons Jonathon, Solomon, and William were living next to him. Miles appears in the Oglethorpe Co tax lists for the years 1795-1798. In 1799, his estate was listed as "Miles Jennings, deceased."

In 1798 about age 60, Miles died in Oglethorpe Co, leaving a widow and 8 living children with 3 of them still under age 21. Miles' sons, Jonathon and Solomon obtained letters of administration in Oct 1798. The inventory of the estate included 24 slaves.

Susannah continued to live in Oglethorpe Co. As a widow, she was entitled to 2 draws in the 1805 GA land lottery, but both of her draws were blanks. In the 1820 lottery, she drew a lot in Irwin Co. Susannah probably died in 1823 because Solomon was granted letters of administration for her estate on Oct 7 1823. It is not known where Miles or Susannah where buried.

Miles Jennings Head Rights