I'm going to try to write more frequently. Actually, right now I have a lot of "irons in the fire" (remember that talk about speaking in 'Idiom'?). I'm going to get some of them out of that fire. They are all collectively keeping me from doing more of what I really want to do. But, enough about me. You can piece me together rather easily so I'm not wasting time.
Ancestor #3 that I'd like to have a sit-down with is my 3rd great-grandfather, James F. Jenkins. I suspect the "F" stands for Francis. So far, I've not been able to find out for sure but that name shows up here and there in the family. If you don't believe me that he is Number Three or you can't find the original post, here it is.
I'll warn you up front, James is a brick wall. I can't find a marriage record for him. In fact, I don't find much about him. Much of what I have depended on is family oral tradition passed down from my great-grandfather, Milton Minturn Jenkins, known as "Minton" and as "M.M.", who was the grandson of James F. Jenkins. Grandpa told the story he remembered to my grandmother, , his daughter, Monta Lee Jenkins Kells. She wrote it in one of those stenographer's notepads. (You'll have to look that occupation up; stenographers have been gone for a long time already.) I have also done a lot of looking here and there for this family. There are apparently some holes in the story, hence the looking around part. The upside is that you won't get very much incorrect information from Ancestry trees (if they still have them) because there isn't much on this line in the family out there and much of what is on Ancestry, came from me. One thing for sure, the Jenkins tribe will get in touch and nobody knows any more than I know. They will gladly share anything they have with you about their particular families. They are "giving" and cooperative folks. I like to think that's a quality that was passed down through James' line.
Know that my grandfather's people were good people. Take that to the bank. Their word was gold. They weren't ones to intentionally tell a lie. They told what they knew and they ALL knew the story I'll relate here. I've talked to some of Grandpa's nieces and nephews and some of their children and grandchildren and even though their parents gave some incorrect information to E.E. Barton, they tell the family tradition EXACTLY the same. So much the same, I can hear Grandpa Minton saying the words. Sometimes, however, I think they left out the unpleasant facts. Actually, I KNOW they did. I think that came from Grandpa Mathew, James' son. I think there were just things he didn't want to talk about concerning the Civil War and the family's role. It was just easier to let that part of our history be unspoken. I hope you will find that story fascinating and not be ashamed of our family's part in this era of history. Contrary, I hope you will be proud of them. We are currently in a social climate that is particularly harsh on the Confederates.
Above all, know that I consider us among the luckiest people in the world to have descended from this group of people. Also, know that I refer to M.M. Jenkins as "Grandpa". I do so because he raised my mother and she, like her mother and her uncles, called him "Pop". Both of my grandfathers (Carr & Kells) were either long dead by the time I was born or died shortly after and Grandpa was the only grandfather I ever knew. The summer that I finished the third grade, he and Grandma Kells came back to the family farm he sold my parents in 1959 to live next door to my parents, my siblings, and me. He was living there at the time of his death. To date, the farm is still in the family. Grandpa bought it in the 1920's so that's closing in on a hundred years.
Reverend Lieutenant James F. Jenkins
(abt. 1815-1898)
Oh, yeah. I bet with that title, I've gotten your attention. Yes, James Jenkins was a preacher. Grandpa Jenkins always said he was a Methodist preacher but his brother, Jim, told E.E. Barton he was a Baptist preacher. I'm betting he was a Baptist because "Uncle" Jim, Grandpa Minton's brother, told Barton he was a preacher at Gum Lick, which is a Baptist Church, still in existence today. Many of the family were members here as well. However, I suppose he could have preached in both churches. I'm sure, given the time frame that he lived in, he was a circuit riding preacher. Here's a picture of that little church at Gum Lick as it looks today. I hope it's still there and it is still as picturesque. Just for the record, Uncle Jim didn't get his grandmother's first name correct when he talked to Barton, so take what I've said here with a 'grain of salt'. Matter of fact, he got a lot of stuff wrong, well not exactly wrong but mixed up.
picture by Ronnie Wolfe
James lived just "up" the road a "little ways". Just drive the way you are facing on this road and it will be up on the right. James rented this property from James Wells when he moved the family to Pendleton County from Campbell County. He must have purchased it because his wife sold it to Dave Sargent just before her death and moved to Williamstown with one of the sons. Dave Sargent had a blacksmith shop at the location of the property years later and as of now, it's remains are along side the road. Sargent's also had a store on that site.
As family tradition goes, James joined the Confederate Army when the "Late Unpleasantness" broke out. That's how he got the Lieutenant part of his title. But more on that later. I'd first like to know what prompted James to bring his family to Pendleton County from Alexandria in Campbell County. Then I'd like to know everywhere he preached. How did the congregation pay him? Was he a circuit-rider as I suspect? What made him choose ministry for an occupation? What kind of education did he have? I know he could read and write. I also want to know where his wife's people came from in Ireland. Did she come to the U.S. with her parents? Was she alone? Did she come with other family members? What happened to them? How did he meet her? Then I want to know if his father came here from England. The family story is that James came from England with three of his brothers. But, Uncle Jim told E.E. Barton that either James or James' father came from England. I've found James to consistently report that he was born in Kentucky so I think he was. Grandpa Jenkins remembered three of the immigrant brothers names as being: James, (a preacher), Tom (owned a bar on the waterfront in Cincinnati), Dick, and then one that he couldn't name. Either Dick or the Nameless One was a doctor in Cincinnati according to what Grandpa told Grandma Kells in 1973. In 1942, however he told Mr. Barton that Tom's son was the doctor. By the time Grandpa died in 1973, he had developed dementia. It came on fast so it is likely he was getting things mixed up the summer before he died. I would like James to verify this or correct this. I want to know the Nameless Brother's name as well.
I would also ask ( and then maybe run for cover) if he would describe himself as a "hothead". Here's why I would ask and also, depending on the reaction, I'd run:
Doesn't $5,000 and $10,000 sound a little bit "out there"? How did he feel about what he asked for and what he got? I mean, $40 is a long way from $10,000 and $10 is a far way from $5,000, wouldn't you agree? Did the settlement of this suit resolve the problem? Did the "slanderous" remarks keep James from obtaining and keeping a preaching job? And yes, I want to know, in looking back, did he view himself as having a 'short fuse' or a bad temper? Oh, and my descendant, notice the other names on these pages. Notice the lawyer for each and the men that testified for each. It gives the appearance, whether it was the case or not, that political allies were lining up here, if you get my drift. They were certainly living on the 'winds of war'.
Speaking of war, family tradition is that James Jenkins was "a forceful speaker and a staunch Democrat". It goes further to say that when the Civil War broke out he "went to Callensville, gave a rousing speech, gathered a group of men together and rode off to join Confederate forces in the area". Here's a clipping I found dating back to the time when Kentucky was neutral:
Who else was in the Hayes Rangers? Why were they named the Hayes Rangers? What did they do since they weren't allowed to talk politics or shoot guns? How long was he there? What was the purpose/ assignment of the Hayes Rangers? Did many of these men join the Confederacy when neutrality was violated? Why did he choose the Confederacy to side with? James Jenkins didn't own slaves, so I'd venture to say he didn't think the Federal Government should tell the states what to do and being headstrong, he was all for stopping it. Am I right or way off base?
Later on James Jenkins would swear his recruits into the Confederate Army at Highfill's Grocery in Callensville. He would order them to press a horse into the service of the said Army as well. I've written about it previously. You can read it here.
I'd like him to tell just what happened. Did John or did Bob Asbury take the horse? I'm thinking it was John. Did he know that he was also acused of stealing it? Why did they pick Henry Austin's horse? Was it because he was a Union man? Or was it because that was the horse John wanted? Was this the reason he stayed in Tennesee after the war? The family's oral tradition is that James "feared retaliation for the deeds done" and this was his reason for not returning. Is this so? or did his wife not want him back? (After all, her sons had a time of it with the Union Government and were likely singled out because of his allegiance to the South). Just how divided was that neighborhood? How come John Asberry ended up in the 2nd KY Cavalry and not in the 4th who recruited him? I never found any paperwork that said he was in the 4th. I only know he was James' recruit because of the court case. How and when did he hear of John's death and did he feel any responsibility because John was his recruit? How did Sam, John's brother, die? I've found much about the settling of his estate but nothing of his cause of death. I just know he died at Henry and Emory Hospital in Abingdon, VA. Was he buried there or was he really sent home like the paperwork says? The family told E.E. Barton he "died in the South and was buried in the South". Did the informant get him and John mixed up? What were the circumstances surrounding John's death? Did James ever have to write letters home to the families of fallen soldiers? If so, was it hard? Did he sit with the boys as they died? Did he pray for or with them? Did he pray with the men before battle? What was the worst fighting he saw? Did he ever regret joining in the fight? I mean, at his age, it had to be hard at times or was it? When and how did he hear of the court case over the horse?
James Jenkins was definitely at the second Battle of Saltville. I'm curious what he thought of the events that occured after the battle. What was Champ Ferguson really like? Did he really kill those wounded soldiers in the Colored Troops or was he erroneously blamed? Speaking of guerillas, I would ask if he ever encountered Tinker Dave Beatty and if he said 'yes', I'd have to know the details. What did he think of John Hunt Morgan as a man and as a leader? I found out that the men from Company D were there when Morgan was killed. I want to hear about the incident. What was Jubal Early like? How did James like Army life? Did he get to keep the same horse all through the years or have different ones? What about food shortages? How did they overcome them?
Did he try to recruit his sons for the Confederacy? I found Wes on a roster of Grant County Confederates and also found that he went AWOL. I have learned that he was drafted into the Union Army while he was in Illinois. Why did he go there? How did the Lieutinent feel about that? How did he feel about Mathew, another son, being arrested twice and being sent to Camp Chase and the Newport Barracks? How and when did he learn the details? One arrest record said that Mathew was said to have been with the Confederate Army for a period of five days before returning home. Was he with his father? If so, why? When James was with Morgan at the Second Battle of Cynthiana, did he get to come home to visit the wife and other sons? Or were they able to get to him for a brief visit? Did he ever come back during the war to recruit or just to see the family? How did he get mail through the lines or did he write home or receive letters from home? Did he and his sons, Wes and Mathew, ever meet on the battlefield? If so, I want to hear about it. Did he have any regrets over his actions relating to the War? What was his best experience of the War and what was the worst? Why was he in the hospital? and how long was his stay?
I have some letters he wrote home after the war from Claiborne County, TN. Is that where he first settled after the War or did he move there later? What made him choose Claiborne County? Family tradition says James married again after his wife died. Is that so? After the War, did he resume preaching? If so, did he preach at the Head of Barren Church? (I'm going somewhere with this my descendant, so just hang on.) Were there other churches where he preached? Did he take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States after the war? I've never found one nor have I found a mention of a parole at the end of the war. His record just stops. What was it like living in Tennessee during Reconstruction?
Then the most exciting question I could possibly ask is: "Is this you?" See this link
If so, why does it say J.J. and not J.F.? Error? Name change? The year of birth matches exactly with census records that I found. The year of death is about right with the family oral tradition. Both of these Jenkins men were preachers. The grave is in Claiborne County, last known residence of James F. Jenkins. I really think it's him.
In closing, my descendant, I'll share this letter written by James F. "The Elder" Jenkins to his son Mathew. This letter has been passed down and I now have it. It is fragile and I will likely send it to the Kentucky Historical Society for preservation and safe keeping, if you ever want to visit it. If I find out that he is the same man as the above link, I'll donate copies to the Claiborne County Historical Society.
It was written after what was likely his last visit back to old Kentucky. Here's my transcription because I'm sure you can't read it because 1)you were never taught cursive , they quit doing that in my time, and 2) the spelling is wretched.
(May the 13 & 1892 Dear Son I take my pen in hand to let you now how well are this Letter is in coman Health hopeing this will find you in good Health I got Home all safe and found all well. give my best love and respects to all the Breathern and Sisters at gum Lick tell them that I hope we will meet in heven if we never meet no more on Earth Mathew I want you to come to see next fall tell Brother Well(s) I want him to come with you I finished planting corn a week a go wheat looks well L? oats looks well here times is hard Leme write soon I want to her from you all good by for this time Elder J Jenkins
Mathew Jenkins)
POST SCRIPT: This was written months before I posted it. I needed to scan that letter and I drug my feet so to speak (again, I'm talking idioms). Since then, I've learned a little more than I'm telling here. You will just have to hold on to your britches (more idioms - I declare you will know more about how people used to talk in my day than you peers will) while I get that post together.
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