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KANAWHA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: JENKINS, Rev. Joseph S.
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@AOL.com
September 26, 1999
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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative
Citizens
W.S. Laidley
Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL.
1911
p. 454-455
REV. JOSEPH S. JENKINS, minister of the Methodist Episcopal chtirch, now
stationed at MaIden, Kanawha County, W. Va., and one of the most highly
esteemed citizens of this sec-tion, resides on a valuable farm of 138 acres,
which lies three miles from Charleston in Kanawha County, W. Va. He was born
May I, 1835, in Appomattox County, Va., on the present site of Pamplin City,
and is a son of Thomas and Martha B. (Fore) Jenkins.
Thomas Jenkins was born in 1797, in Prince Edward County. Va.. aud his death
occurred in 1883. in Kanawha County, W. Va. He was educated in the
subscription schools and was a man of fine natural talent. He learned the
blacksmith's trade, which he followed until 1842, when he moved with his
family to Kana-wha County, where he purchased 330 acres of wooded land. The
remainder of his active life was devoted more or less to the clearing and
cultivating of his land and he became an extensive and successful farmer for
his day and surroundings. He was never a politician in the strict sense of
the term, but cast his vote in early days with the Whig party. He was widely
known for his many sterling qualities. Hospitality to strangers he made a
duty, and many a weary traveler found welcome and refreshment at his
fireside. He married Martha B. Fore, who was born in 1808, also in Prince
Edward County, and died in Kanawha County, W. Va., in 1881. Both she and
husband were laid to rest in a private cemetery on their own land. They were
members of the Methodist Episcopal church and all their lives were
con-sistent Christians. Before coming to Kanawha County they had the
following children born to them: William H.. John R., Martha Susan, Robert
T., Mary A. B., Joseph S., Catherine B., Martha J. and L. R. After settling
in Kana-wha County, three more children were added to the family : America
Virginia, Plina Annettie and G. W.
Joseph S. Jenkins was seven years old when the family moved to West Virginia,
and was mainly educated in the local schools and later at Gallipolis. Ohio,
where he was under the instruction of Professor Siears for three years. In
1859 he became a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church and has been in
active service of the ministry ever since, his labors being mainly confined
to West Virginia, but preached some in Kentucky and Ohio. Few men are better
known in the section where he labored in the ministry, and surely none are
more highly respected, if preaching of funerals and solemnization of
matrimony are an indication of respect and appreciation.
In 1857 Mr. Jenkins was married first to Sarah A. Humphrey, who was horn in
Kana-wha County, a daughter of Samuel H. and Elizabeth Humphrey of Union
District. She died in 1887 and her burial was in the family cemetery.
Three children survived her, namely: Leonidas L., who is a shareholder in
the 20th Street Bank of Huntington, W. Va., and now is a resident and
merchant at Ashland, Ky.; Laura V., who was a much beloved teacher in Union
District, and died at the age of twenty-three years; and Leodora B., who
became the wife of Samuel L. Fariley. They had one child, Anna Laura, who
died when aged seventeen months and Mrs. Farlley died shortly atferward. Mr.
Jenkins was married secondly to Mrs. Mary Morgan, who was born in Kana-wha
County and died in 1906, at Charleston. Mr. Jenkins' third marriage was to
Mrs. Emily C. (Shirkey) Guthrie, who was the widow of John Guthrie. Mr.
Jenkkis is a pronounced Prohibitionist in politics. Owing to a defect in his
hearing he took a Superanuate relation iji the West Virginia Conference of
the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1900, but has filled four pastoral charges
since that relation, and is now pastor at Malden, building a new brick
church. He is active and in the possession of good health, preaches from two
to three sermons per week, and attends to his pastoral labors.
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@AOL.com
State Contact for WV GenExchange
http://www.genexchange.com/wv/index.cfm
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