Biography of J. C. Jenkins

	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1898. Page 282.

	Scan and OCR by Joy Fisher, 1997. This file may be copied for non-profit 
	purposes. All other rights reserved. 


J. C. JENKINS is state's attorney of Brookings county, and resides at 
Brookings. Mr. Jenkins, though but little over thirty years of age, is 
one of the leading lawyers of the eastern part of the state, and during 
his term of service in his present office has won many battles, with 
old and distinguished members of the bar frequently in opposition. Mr. 
Jenkins was born in Chumleigh, Devonshire, England, June 9, 1864, and 
is the son of Elias and Mary A. (Godfrey) Jenkins, both of whom were 
also English. Elias Jenkins was the overseer of a large estate near 
Chumleigh, where he died in 1891, aged fifty-six. Mrs. Jenkins survives 
him and still resides at her old home. Our subject attended the public 
schools of his native village; and at the age of fifteen he left home 
and emigrated to Canada. He located first at New London, and in the 
fall of 1886 went to Lafayette county, Wisconsin, where he obtained 
employment upon a farm. At the same time he attended the high schools 
at Darlington and Mineral Point, graduating from the latter in 1887. He 
taught school during the following winter, and in 1888 entered 
Northwestern university, at Evanston, where he remained for one year: 
Afterward he became principal of a school at Kingston, Minn., and in 
June, 1889, came to Brookings, which has been his home since. He spent 
one year at the State Agricultural college, completing the course. In 
1890 Mr. Jenkins began the study of law in the office of Philo Hall, of 
Brookings. He had previously devoted his spare time to the acquisition 
of legal knowledge, and after about eight months under Mr. Hall 
successfully passed an examination and was admitted to the bar of South 
Dakota. He then became a partner of his former instructor, and they 
continued in business until January, 1894, when Mr. Jenkins opened an 
office of his own. In May, 1897, he became associated with Mr. C. H. 
Farrell, of White, South Dakota, and this partnership has continued up 
to the present time. In 1896 Mr. Jenkins, who has always been an active 
Populist, received the nomination of that party for the office of 
state's attorney. He was elected by a handsome majority, and has since 
demonstrated most emphatically his ability and fitness for the place. 
Mr. Jenkins is a member of the A. O. U. W. and the M. W. A. and is as 
prominent socially as he is in the political and legal world.

	On the 25th of December, 1893, Mr. Jenkins and Miss Alice M. 
Truman, daughter of P. C. Truman, of Volga, South Dakota, were married. 
Mr. Jenkins was born in Harlan, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins are the 
parents of two children, Merli Truman and an infant, and are both 
members of the Methodist church.