“The Old Homestead”
Grandma Leona Gladys Zerbe-Jennings—known fondly by Dexter’s kids and grandkids as “Grandma Bake Beans”—was a true kindred spirit and a family historian at heart. Long before genealogy became a popular pursuit, she was carefully preserving the threads of our family story.
She not only knew her family tree—she documented it meticulously, recording births, marriages, and deaths, preserving old newspaper clippings, and safeguarding cherished heirlooms and memories. Because she cared so deeply, generations after her are able to know the people, places, and stories that shaped her life—and ours. We are blessed that she took the time to document and share what mattered to her, ensuring that none of it would be forgotten.
One of those treasured places was the old Jennings Homestead, the birthplace of her beloved husband, Cecil Jennings.
In 1965, nearly 70 years old, she visited her granddaughter, Sherla on Long Island. Sherla had had just given birth to her second child, and grandma came to help her take care of her young son while she was in the hospital and her husband was away on business. During that two-week visit, she learned a new hobby – painting! Not long after, she made a sketch of the cherished homestead, then brought it to life on canvas.
Grandma also poured her love for this special place into words in the following poem she wrote in 1966—a tribute to a home shaped by family, hard work, and love.
The Jennings Homestead was built by Cecil’s father, Gilbert Jennings, in Polk Township, Huntington County, Indiana. Gilbert and his wife, Sara, raised eleven children within its walls.
Through this poem and painting, she gave us more than memories; she gave us a bridge to the past. It reminds us that family history is not just dates and names, but lived experiences—homes built by hand, children raised with care, and stories lovingly preserved.
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