JENKINS, George W.
Commemorative and Biographical Record of Columbia, Sauk and Adams Counties, 
WI. Chicago: Ogle, 1901, p 683-685

George W. JENKINS, M. D., has been identified with the interests of Kilbourn 
City [Columbia County, WI; now Wisconsin Dells] and vicinity for nearly a 
half century, and is one of the oldest representatives of his profession in 
the state of WI. In both public and private life his career has been such as 
to inspire the confidence and good will of the people and no citizen of that 
thriving village is held in higher regard by the community. Dr. JENKINS was 
born in the town of Duanesburg, Schenectady County, NY, 19 Sep 1824. His 
father, William A. JENKINS, was a native of Long Island, whose grandfather, 
Christopher JENKINS, had settled there in colonial days. The first named was 
an English sea captain. His wife, whose given name was Abbe, was of Welsh 
lineage. Their son, Christopher, the father of William A. JENKINS, was also 
a sea captain. He was a very athletic man and could lift an anchor weighing 
800 pounds. William A. JENKINS spent most of his life on a farm in 
Schenectady County, NY. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth JENKINS, 
was remotely descended from the same family as her husband. Her mother was a 
relative of Hamilton FISH, the distinguished NY statesman.

After leaving the public school at Quaker Street, a village near his native 
place, the subject of this notice engaged in teaching. A little later he 
took up the study of medicine with Dr. William H. BRIGHAM, of Charleston 
[Montgomery County], NY, at which place he spent about [p 684] four years, a 
part of that period being employed in teaching. He afterward attended the 
medical department of Columbia College in New York City, from which 
institution he received his diploma in 1851. Having determined to seek his 
fortune in the west, he joined the late Jonathan BOWMAN and one or two other 
men from Charleston, NY, and came directly to WI. Upon arriving in Milwaukee 
the party hired a team and drove by way of Madison to Delton [Lake Delton, 
Sauk County, WI]. Six months later Dr. JENKINS began to practice at Newport, 
a flourishing village on the Wisconsin River, at the mouth of Dell Creek. He 
remained about 10 years at that location, witnessing its development to a 
town of 1,500 people and its subsequent abandonment by the removal of most of 
the buildings and inhabitants to the present village of Kilbourn City 
[Columbia County, WI]. This place was entirely unsettled when he arrived in 
Columbia County, being a part of the Indian reservation. Since locating here 
he has been continuously engaged in active practice, meeting with phenomenal 
success, and the demand for his services extending through several counties. 
For some years he was accustomed to ride on horseback, often fording streams 
and breaking roads through sloughs and marshes, some of his trips occupying 
several days' time. Though he sometimes reached his patients bespattered 
with mud and water, his services were none the less appreciated. 

In 1863 he became associated with Dr. H. C. MARKHAM and they opened a drug 
store at Kilbourn City [Columbia County, WI]. After a time he purchased his 
partner's interest and still carries on the business. When the business part 
of the town was destroyed by fire in 1866 he promptly replaced the original 
store with a substantial brick building, joining with his contemporaries in 
establishing a brick kiln, by which means the cost of material for their 
buildings was materially decreased. For a number of years past he has been a 
surgeon for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, and is a member of 
the National Railway Surgeon's Association. He is a member of the Columbia 
County Medical Association, the WI State Medical Association, and occupies an 
enviable position among his professional brethren.

The Doctor was married in 1856 to Miss Mary MARKHAM, daughter of Sidney D. 
MARKHAM, of Colosse [Oswego County], NY. They have one daughter, Kate M. 
The family is connected with the Presbyterian church, and the Doctor is 
prominent in the Masonic order. He is a member of the Masonic lodge and 
chapter at Kilbourn, in which he has filled the principal offices. He is a 
member of Fort Winnebago Commandery, No. 4, Knights Templar, at Portage, and 
is also identified with Milwaukee Consistory. In early life he was a Whig, 
but he has been a Republican since the organization of that party. He has 
avoided active participation in politics, his only official service having 
been in the capacity of town superintendent of schools and that of health 
officer for the village of Kilbourn City [now Wisconsin Dells, Columbia 
County, WI].

The Doctor relates some interesting reminiscences of the early days in WI, 
some of which afford apt illustrations of the uncouth manners, convivial 
habits and crude but hearty hospitality which were characteristic of the 
pioneers. Among his early associates at Newport, with whom he boarded for 
some time, was Colonel Joseph BAILEY, afterwards famous as the savior of 
General Banks' fleet on the Red River during the Civil war. Another early 
acquaintance was the notorious fur trader, Jared S. WALSWORTH (a brother of 
Judge WALSWORTH), who kept a country tavern on the road leading from Portage 
to the pineries. He was famous alike for his hospitality, conviviality and 
good humor. At the sessions of the court in Madison, [p 685] one of his 
favorite amusements consisted of riding a horse through the court room; but 
he always cheerfully paid the fine imposed for this breach of decorum, 
considering the fun was well worth the money. At the general election of 
1852 the Doctor joined a party which drove to Lewiston, the nearest polling 
place, to deposit their ballots, a four-horse team being employed to 
transport the party and give proper dignity to the expedition. A number of 
taverns along the line were liberally patronized and some members of the 
party became quite hilarious. On the way home they were passed by a 
stranger, who made some slighting remark concerning the "four-horse team." 
he was overtaken at the next tavern, which happened to be WALSWORTH's, where 
the driver of the wagon promptly resented the insult by knocking him down 
with his fist, after which everybody shook hands in token of friendship and 
the stranger set up the drinks for the party.

Contributed by Cathy Kubly