WI BIO - Dane Co - JENKS, Arthur W. & Lydia
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 481-482

Biography of Arthur W. JENKS (pp 481-482) - grandson of Mrs. Lydia B. JENKS

Arthur W. JENKS, a farmer of Dane County, WI, was born on his present place, 
25 Nov 1855, a son of Amos D. JENKS, who was born in NY in 1830, and his 
father was Hiram JENKS, also a native of NY, and a mechanic by trade, who 
came to WI in the spring of 1855, and later located in Madison, Dane County. 
Amos B. [Amos D.?] was then 25 years of age, and the father and son owned at 
that time only one horse each and $100 in money. They first worked land on 
the shares, and the son [Amos D.?] then took up 40 acres in Vienna Township 
[Dane County, WI], which he sold one year later for $100. This money proved 
more beneficial to him that any thousand he afterward made, as they saw very 
hard times in the first few years. Amos D. JENKS next purchased 80 acres on 
section 11, near the present home of our subject. In 1886 Mr. and Mrs. Amos 
D. JENKS removed to Kingsbury County, SD, where they still reside. They 
bought a large tract of land, but have since given each of their children 100 
acres, or its equivalent. Considering his start with about $100, Mr. JENKS 
has been very successful, and the accumulation of his fine property has been 
acquired by honest toil.

Arthur W. JENKS, the subject of this sketch, was married 25 Aug 1884, to Miss 
Anna BERRY, a daughter of Christian and Eva (OBRECHT) BERRY, natives of 
Switzerland. Christian BERRY came to America when a young man. After 
reaching Dane County, WI, he had but little means, worked for wages a few 
years, and then purchased 80 acres of land in Berry Township [Dane County, 
WI], which he sold within a few years. During the late war he enlisted in 
the 11th WI Regiment, Company A, served one and a half years, was slightly 
wounded at Fort Blakely, and Mrs. JENKS still has the bullet that wounded 
him. His [Christian BERRY's] early death, 24 Dec 1877, at the age of 50 
years, was no doubt caused by his exposure in the army. The wife [Eva 
(OBRECHT) BERRY] died six months later [1878], in her thirty-fourth year. 
Christian and Eva (OBRECHT) BERRY had buried two sons [brothers of Mrs. 
Arthur W. JENKS], Christian and John, both in infancy. Their living children 
are: Anna, wife of Arthur W. JENKS; Theodore J., twenty years of age and a 
young lawyer of great promise; and Henry G., aged seventeen years, a farmer 
and student. Arthur W. and Anna (BERRY) JENKS have two children: Roy W. 
JENKS, born 10 Jun 1885; and Eva JENKS, aged one and a half years. In his 
political views, Arthur W. JENKS is a Prohibitionist, and religiously, both 
he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church.

Biography of Mrs. Lydia JENKS (p 482) - - paternal grandmother of Arthur W.

Mrs. Lydia (JUDD) JENKS, widow of the late Hiram JENKS, was born in Honeoyo 
Falls [Honeoye Falls, Monroe County], NY, 27 Feb 1804. Hiram JENKS was born 
in Cazenovia [Madison County], NY, 22 Jul 1804, and died on his farm in Dane 
County, WI, on 06 Jan 1892. They were married at Cohocton, Steuben County, 
NY, by Rev. Elisha BRONSON, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and began life 
together at Sparta, Livingston County, NY, where three sons and one daughter 
were born. Hiram JENKS was a wheelwright and shoemaker by trade, and also 
followed farming. For a number of years he had an extensive shoe business, 
was afterward proprietor of a carriage establishment, but later sold his 
farmland business and came to WI, landing near Milwaukee in the spring of 
1854. In connection with his sons he purchased 800 acres of school land in 
this county, and 47 acres of this tract has been the home of this aged couple 
since the advent of the railroad here. Mrs. JENKS is still in good health 
for one of her age, and both she and her husband are members of the Methodist 
Church. Their children are all living: Hiram D., who was converted and 
joined the Methodist Episcopal Church at the age of twelve years, and after 
reaching manhood entered the ministry; Amos D. [father of Arthur W., of the 
first biography]; Sherwood, a traveling salesman of Milwaukee, who is now 
fifty-eight years of age; and Martha, aged fifty-four years, who is the wife 
of Salmon E. COWLES, and resides on the home farm with her mother. Hiram D., 
the eldest son, has been a devout Christian from his early childhood (perhaps 
in answer to the fervent desire of his mother), is now sixty-seven years of 
age, and is still active in the Methodist Episcopal ministry. Mrs. Lydia 
Judd JENKS has twelve sons, eight daughters, twenty grandchildren, and 
twenty-five great grandchildren. [Submitter has capitalized "JUDD" on the 
assumption it is the maiden surname of Lydia JENKS.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly