Husband Hon. George A. Jenks 1 2 3
Born: 26 Mar 1836 - Punxsutawney, Jefferson Co, PA 1 3 4
Christened:
Died: 10 Feb 1908 - Brookville, Jefferson Co, PA 5
Buried:
Father: Dr. John Wildman Jenks (1793-1850) 6 7
Mother: Mary Dey Barclay (1798-Aft 1850) 6 8
Marriage: 3 Jan 1860 5 9 10
• Biographical Sketch: Kate M. Scott, History of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania (Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co., Publishers, 1888).
To read a brief biographical sketch of his life and career, click here.
Wife Mary Agnes Elizabeth Mabon 5 9 10
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Thomas Mabon ( - ) 5 11 12
Mother: Jane McLeary ( - ) 11 12
Children
1 M Thomas Mabon Jenks 3 5 9
Born: Abt 1861
Christened:
Died: 2 Mar 1874 5 9
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
2 F Emma Laura Jenks 5 9
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Benjamin F. Shively ( - ) 5
General Notes: Husband - Hon. George A. Jenks
He settled on the legal profession as his life work when a mere boy. When he was fourteen years old he lost his father, and he began the serious business of life two years later, when he entered upon a two years' apprenticeship to the trade of carpenter and joiner. This calling he followed during his young manhood, meantime also teaching school and devoting some time to civil engineering work, in the latter connection assisting in the laying out of the city of Omaha, Nebraska, in the spring of 1855. In the autumn of that year he became a member of the junior class at Jefferson College, having done his preparatory work by studying mornings and evenings out of business hours, under the able guidance of his guardian, Hon. W. P. Jenks (his brother), who had been his adviser in this respect from his early boyhood. With Mr. Jenks he had also studied law. So well had he utilized his spare time that he was graduated from Jefferson College in 1858, and during the next few months he completed the legal course under his brother, being admitted to the Jefferson county bar in February, 1859. He turned to practice at once, and had his first case in court the following September, successfully defending his clients, a widow and her minor children endeavoring to save their home, though some of the best talent in that part of Pennsylvania worked against him. From that time on he was intrusted with the defense or prosecution of many of the most important cases fought in the local courts, not only in his own county but in other counties of western and central Pennsylvania, where his reputation spread steadily.
From the time of his election to Congress, in the fall of 1874, Mr. Jenks was a national figure. Though the Twenty-fifth Pennsylvania district was strongly Republican, and he was known as a firm Democrat, he was the successful candidate at the election that year, in spite of the fact that his opponent was so powerful and popular a man as Hon. Harry White, and he took his seat in the Forty-fourth Congress with "a large order" to fill in living up to the traditions of some of his predecessors. It was not long before it became apparent that he had nothing to lose by comparison. In a debate over the character of an invalid pension he not only made his point, but in so doing established the status of such a contract so securely that his opinion stood as the standard thereafter. This and other arguments coming up about the same time brought his ability before his colleagues and gained their respect for his talents and sincerity in espousing any cause which enlisted his sympathy. The speaker appointed him chairman of the committee on Invalid Pensions, and his report on the conditions and operations of the Pension bureau was a masterly document, supplemented by a bill designed to correct further abuses, including the protection of the rights of legal heirs and assigns in the case of bounty land warrants, which were changed from personal to real property. By the time the proceedings were instituted against Secretary of War Belknap, of Grant's cabinet, he was regarded with such confidence that he was one of the seven managers elected by the House to conduct the impeachment, and he was one of the committee elected by the managers to draw the pleadings. When Belknap resigned he was appointed to make one of the arguments on the question of the jurisdiction of the Senate to impeach after the officer had resigned, and afterwards, because of Mr. Lapham's illness, he was selected to discuss the facts. It was generally conceded that no other lawyer concerned in the case displayed greater acumen, penetration or comprehensive familiarity with the necessary legal knowledge.
When the subject of the distribution of the Geneva award came before the House in majority and minority reports, Mr. Jenks, from the Judiciary committee, offered an amendment to the majority report, which was passed by the House as amended by him. His argument in behalf of the report with his amendment involved some of the most difficult questions of international law, which he handled with the utmost skill. Early in the second session of the Forty-fourth Congress he was appointed one of the committee of fifteen to investigate the conduct of elections in Louisiana, and when he returned from the errand was appointed by the chairman of the Democratic caucus one of a committee of three to represent the Democracy of the House in preparing, presenting and discussing the facts and the law before the electoral commission. Mr. Jenks made the opening arguments in the cases of Louisiana and Oregon, and he received the most complimentary comments from Senators Bayard and Thurman, who were present at the trial of the first case, as well as from all who had the privilege of hearing or reading his part in the proceedings before the electoral commission.
Mr. Jenks returned to practice after retiring from Congress, but he was not allowed to remain in private life. On July 1885, he was appointed assistant secretary of the Interior, entirely without solicitation on his part, and though he held the office only a little more than a year he had intrenched himself so thoroughly in President Cleveland's admiration that on July 28, 1886, he nominated Mr. Jenks for appointment as solicitor general of the United States, which nomination was confirmed by the Senate the next day without even the formality of being referred to a committee - a compliment rarely paid to anyone who had never served in that body. His private practice extended into almost every branch of legal work known in Pennsylvania, and into almost every section of the State. On May 15, 1886, he resigned as assistant secretary of the Interior in order to devote himself to his duties as attorney for John E. DuBois, the wealthy Clearfield county lumberman, having made a promise to his client's uncle, John DuBois, that he would take charge of all the legal business of the nephew, and he held to his promises so conscientiously that he would not accept the solicitor generalship until Mr. DuBois had given his consent. It was given cordially, and Mr. Jenks obtained the assistance of Hon. W. P. Jenks to handle the affairs of the DuBois estate. He held the office throughout Cleveland's administration, and was subsequently nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, as well as United States senator. He was always a loyal Democrat, and the numerous honors extended to him by his party were in grateful recognition of his valuable services, and willing acknowledgment of his superior qualities.