Several of this name came to this country at an early date. Edward of Scituate, Massachusetts, is the probable ancestor of the branch of the family that settled in Hudson, New York. A branch is of Welsh descent and was founded in this country by David Jenkins about the year 1700. This is the Chester county, Pennsylvania, family. John Jenkins, of Barnstable, Massachusetts, came over in the "Defence" and settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and is the founder of many of the Jenkins families. Edward Jenkins came from England as an employee of Nathaniel Tilden in or prior to 1643, in which year his name first appears in the town records of Scituate, Massachusetts. He was one of the Conihassett partners in 1646; in 1647 was made a freeman. He kept an ordinary for several years, and was representative to the general court in 1657. He died at Scituate in 1699, and his will discloses the fact that he was one of the liberal Puritans then residing there, for in that document he says: "It is my will, that bread and beer be served at my funeral. Also that a sermon be preached." At that time among the more rigid Nonconformists, funeral sermons, or even prayers, were forbidden because the established church observed these practices. The maiden name of his first wife is unknown. In 1684 he married (second) Mary Ripley, widow, of Hingham. His children of record were Thomas, Edward and Mary. The line of descent from Thomas cannot clearly be traced. A descendant of his settled on Martha's Vineyard and reared a family.
(I) Joseph Jenkins, of Martha's Vineyard, died May 8, 1763. He was the father of seven children, of whom Lemuel (second) and Marshall (fourth) located in Hudson, Columbia county, New York, then called Claverack Landing. They were among the original proprietors of that city, which was founded in 1785 by a few enterprising merchants from Providence, Rhode Island, Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts. Besides Lemuel and Marshall Jenkins, who were from Edgartown, there were Thomas, Seth, Charles and Deborah Jenkins, all but Thomas from Providence. Thomas was a very prominent, wealthy man and with his gold headed cane made a very imposing figure. They were all possessed of means which they employed in such ways as would most encourage the business interests of the place. it is said of the Jenkins family that they brought with them to Hudson more than a quarter million of dollars. When the town became a city in 1785, Seth Jenkins was appointed by the governor the first mayor, and for the next thirty years a Jenkins was mayor of the city. Numerous and influential as they were, however, at that time, there is now scarcely one of their descendants residents of the city to whose early prosperity their forbears so largely contributed, and with whose early history the name is so inseparably connected. Thomas Jenkins died in 1808, while in New York City temporarily. His remains were brought to Hudson and buried according to the rites of the Society of Friends, to which he belonged. No stone was erected over him; and the spot cannot be identified. The relationship between Thomas, Seth and Marshall, was very close — probably uncle, nephew and cousin. They were closely related also in business and city affairs.
(II) Marshall, son of Joseph Jenkins, was born at Martha's Vineyard, July 22, 1744, died in Hudson, New York, 1811. He removed to Hudson, New York, where he is shown by the records to have been a member of the common council in 1787. The Jenkins family was very prominent in all branches of the city government. The first three mayors of the city were Seth, Thomas, and Robert Jenkins, for the years 1785-1813, appointed by the governor, and the name appears frequently in various offices down to 1850. Marshall Jenkins by his first wife was the grandfather of General William Jenkins Worth, famous in American history as the hero of two wars, 1812 and the Mexican. His statue stands in New York at the intersection of Broadway and Fifth Avenue (Madison Square). His second wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Governor Thomas Mayhew, of Martha's Vineyard.
(III) Marshall (2), son of Marshall (1) and Elizabeth (Mayhew) Jenkins, was born at Hudson, New York, and died there. He married Sarah, a daughter of Thomas Jenkins, and had issue. In 1812 he was a member of the common council of Hudson, having previously served as assistant.
(IV) Edgar, son of Marshall (2) and Sarah (Jenkins) Jenkins, was born in Hudson, Columbia county, New York, February 25, 1805, died in New York City, November 9, 1846. He was a merchant, and soon after his marriage settled in New Orleans, Louisiana. Returning north he became an auctioneer of New York City. In 1837 he moved to Fort Gratiot, Michigan, where he was lessee of the fishery, and kept a store for supplying the soldiers at the fort. In 1843 he returned to New York City and resumed his business of auctioneer, remaining there until his death three years later. He was a member of the Presbyterian church and a Democrat. He married, October 20, 1831, at Albany, New York, Mary Elizabeth, born at Plattsburgh, New York, December 19, 1812, died at Schenectady, December 10, 1875, daughter of Reuben H. Walworth, chancellor of New York, and his wife, Maria Ketchum Averill. (See Walworth.) She survived him and resided at Saratoga Springs and Schenectady until her death. Her grave, with that of her husband, is in Greenridge cemetery, Saratoga Springs. Children:
- Walworth, born November 8, 1832; entered United States Military Academy, West Point, graduating 1853; served in regular army through the entire civil war, attaining rank of captain and brevet major; was in first battle of Bull Run; later in command at Louisville, Kentucky; at close of war resigned from the army.
- James Graham, July 18, 1834; lawyer; during President Cleveland's first term was appointed assistant judge eastern district of Wisconsin. During President Cleveland's second term he appointed him circuit judge of the same district; judge Jenkins is now (1909) living a retired life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
- Edgar Marshall, see forward.
- Clarence Trumbull, May 25, 1838; a merchant.
- Frances Walworth, married Frederick B. Hawley, of Albany, New York.
(V) Edgar Marshall, son of Edgar and Mary Elizabeth (Walworth) Jenkins, was born in New York City, September 12, 1836. He was educated in the Columbia grammar school of New York, Troy (Vermont) Conference Academy, Kingston Academy, Ulster county, New York, and Poughkeepsie Collegiate School, where he was graduated, class of 1852. He made a specialty of mathematics, and so far distanced the other students in that branch that he was in a class alone. Leaving school, he at once entered the service of the state of New York, as civil engineer for the constructive work on the Erie canal, which position he held until 1860. For a short time he was with the Pennsylvania railroad in New Jersey, as assistant engineer. In 1861 he entered the employ of the Pacific Steamship Company and went to California as purser. He remained with them until 1865, when he returned to Schenectady. For the next three years he was treasurer of the Watervliet Turnpike and Railroad Company, resigning in 1869. In that year he became registrar of Union College, so continuing for fourteen years, resigning in 1883. In 1885 he was appointed chief examiner of the civil service commission of New York state, resigning in 1886 on account of poor health. In 1904 H. S. Barney, founder and head of the large department store bearing his name in Schenectady, died, and Mr. Jenkins was appointed one of three trustees of the Barney estate, and the manager. When the H. S. Barney Company was formed he was elected president of the company, the largest concern of its kind in the city. During his many years of residence in Schenectady, Mr. Jenkins has been intimately connected with the public and official life of that city. Politically he is a Democrat, and as the representative of that party was elected and served two years as city surveyor; as city recorder four and one half years; president of the board of water commissioners three and one-half years. He was a competent and faithful city official and served his city well. Many of the city's substantial improvements were constructed during his official life, and his practical engineering knowledge and skill was of the greatest benefit to the city. Advancing years has compelled his partial retirement from active life, although his interest in all that concerns the public good is unabated. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa, Union College, and past master of St. George's Lodge, No. 6, Free and Accepted Masons, the charter of which was granted in 1774. He is also past high priest of St. George's Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, both of Schenectady. He is a member of the Mohawk Club, of which he was president for several years and trustee for eight. He is the oldest elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Schenectady, of which he was trustee for many years. In all these he has always been an active working member and unfailing friend.
While in the Pacific mail service he married, at Panama, Central America, October 27, 1861, Fannie Myers, born July 14, 1838, in Kinderhook, New York, died September 10, 1879. They have no issue. She was a daughter of Major Mordecai Myers, born in 1776, died in 1871, a veteran of the war of 1812, in which he was wounded. He was past grand master of the Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of New York, a member of the state legislature, and several times mayor of the city of Schenectady. Major Myers married Charlotte Bailey, sister of Admiral Theororus Bailey, second in command under Farragut, and one of the small force of men landed from the warships who marched through the streets of hostile, defiant New Orleans, to the City Hall and demanded the surrender of the city. Major Myers and wife were the parents of ten children, of which Fannie (Mrs. Edgar M. Jenkins) was the youngest. Another child was Colonel Theororus Bailey Myers, who was prominent socially in New York and Washington, D. C., and married a daughter of Sidney Mason, of New York City. He was a well known writer on historical subjects, his best known work being: Letters and Manuscripts of all the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, The Tories or Loyalists in America, and One Hundred Years Ago.