My Genealogy Hound

EARL A. JENKINS, recorder of deeds of Montgomery county, to which office he was elected November 4, 1902, was born at Colmar, November 21, 1850. He is a son of Milton and Sarah (Ellis) Jenkins, both living at Colmar. Milton Jenkins was reared on a farm, attending at intervals the public schools of the vicinity, and spending two years, 1868-9, at Freeland Seminary, Collegeville, now Ursinus College. On leaving that institution he learned the trade of butchering with James W. Buzby, near Spring House, in Gwynedd township. Later he engaged in that business at Colmar and has followed it successfully ever since.

Earl A. Jenkins has been an earnest, active and influential member of the Republican party, ever since reaching manhood. In township, county and state politics he has always taken a deep interest, doing his utmost to secure the success of the principles and candidates of his party, and working very effectively to that end. He has served occasionally in township offices, and his worth is very generally known to party leaders and its membership throughout the county, of which he has been a life-long citizen. When his name was mentioned for the nomination for recorder on the party ticket in the summer of 1902, other aspirants, recognizing his strength, gradually withdrew until he was left without a rival before the party convention, in September of that year. He was therefore nominated by acclamation. Mr. Jenkins entered into the canvass with his usual energy. His efforts contributed much to party success at the polls, and he was elected in November, with the rest of the Republican ticket, by a large majority. He entered upon the duties of his position early in January, 1903, and has performed them very acceptably throughout, giving close attention to business, and being affable and courteous to all with whom he comes in contact. The growth of the county has made his department one of the most important of the court house offices, and it requires a person of good business ability to perform the duties acceptably.

In 1874 Mr. Jenkins married Elizabeth Clark, daughter of James (deceased) and Mary (McCormick) Clark, both of whom were natives of Scotland, where Mr. Jenkins’ wife was born, May 21, 1848, the family coming to this country about 1855 or 1856, and locating near Colmar. They have four children: Ethel I., Royden C., M. Russell and Earl Wayne.

Mr. Jenkins is a direct descendant of Jenkin Jenkins, who came from Wales and settled in Hatfield township in 1729. His eldest son, John Jenkins, was the progenitor of all the family who now bear his name. He bought land in Gwynedd, adjoining Langsdale, in 1746, and died in 1803 or 1804. His son John, born in 1742, died in 1805. He was an officer in the Revolutionary army. He married Elizabeth Lukens, widow of Abraham, and had six children: Owen, Sarah, Jesse, John, Edward and Elizabeth.

John Jenkins (grandfather) married Ann Todd, and lived to a very advanced age, dying at North Wales, at the home of his son-in-law, Abel Lukens, October 5, 1880, in his ninety-seventh year. He had seven children: Naomi married Abel Lukens, Charles Todd married Sarah Lukens, Jane married Samuel Rhoads, Ann T. married Jacob B. Rhoads, Silas T. married Eliza Morgan, John S. married Eliza Stoner, Milton married Sarah Ellis. (For further particulars of the Jenkins family, see the biographical sketch of J. P. Hale Jenkins, of Norristown, a cousin of the recorder of deeds, Earl A. Jenkins, of Colmar, which will be found elsewhere in this work.)

Milton Jenkins (father) was born March 9, 1825. He married, December 26, 1849, Sarah Ellis, born December 6, 1826. Sarah (Ellis) Jenkins is the daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Jones) Ellis, who were married October 16, 1818. Jonathan was born in December, 1790, and died November 26, 1871. His wife was born April 10, 1797, and died August 18, 1875. Jonathan’s father was William Ellis, a well-known citizen of the county, who died at the age of seventy-eight years. His mother, Sarah (Barnes) Ellis, died at the age of eighty years. Elizabeth (Jones) Ellis was the daughter of John and Esther (Conard) Jones.

Milton and Sarah Jenkins have had seven children, as follows: Earl A., born in 1850, married, November 18, 1874, Elizabeth Clark, who was born May 21, 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Earl A. Jenkins have four children: Ethel Iona, born October 30, 1875; Royden C., born September 3, 1877, and married May 3, 1899, to Clara Keighly, the couple having three children, Elizabeth, Sarah and Iona; Milton Russell, born December 19, 1885; Earl Wayne, born August 24, 1888.

Ida, second child of Milton and Sarah Jenkins, born September 24, 1852, died October 8, 1854.

Horace M., born December 28, 1853, married December 28, 1880, Mary Clark, who was born January 29, 1859. Mr. and Mrs. Horace M. Jenkins have had five children, as follows: Roscoe C., born November 25, 1881, and died January 9, 1889; Laura Z., born November 4, 1883; Clark, born April 12, 1886; Donald, born October 31, 1889; and May, born February 13, 1892.

Elma, born February 29, 1856, married, April 29, 1885, George E. Brecht. Mr. and Mrs. George E. Brecht have three children as follows: Ralph Anson, born July 13, 1886; John Ernest, born February 13, 1889; and Sarah Elizabeth, born September 25, 1892.

Anson B. Jenkins, born November 2, 1857, is unmarried.

Elizabeth Jenkins, born January 19, 1860, married November 25, 1885, Gilbert M. Clark, who was born May 31, 1860, and died May 2, 1899. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have one child, a daughter, Cara, born May 6, 1894.

U. S. Grant Jenkins, born January 3, 1863, married, November 15, 1893, Cara Scholl. They have the following children: Milton Carl, born August 22, 1894; Hazel, born June 3, 1898; and Everett, born June 19, 1899.

Mrs. Earl A. Jenkins was born in Scotland. Her father, James Clark, was born June 16, 1812, died May 26, 1898. He married, January 27, 1843, Mary McCormick, born September 13, 1821. James Clark’s parents were Quintin and Jane (Blaine) Clark. Mary Clark’s parents were Robert and Mary (McClelan) McCormick.