Bio: Jenkins, Martin Luther (1839 - 1928)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Jenkins, Amstress, Wood, Barney, Scott

----Source: 1918 History of Clark Co., WI, by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

Martin Luther Jenkins

Eaton Township, Clark Co., WI

MARTIN LUTHER JENKINS, proprietor of one of the finest farms in Eaton Township, and a man widely known and highly esteemed for his personal qualities, was born on a farm in Jefferson County, N. Y., May 22, 1839, son of Luther and Lydia B. (Wood) Jenkins. The father, Luther, who was of Welch descent, was born in the State of New York, and came to Calumet County, Wis., in 1'852, being accompanied by his wife and six children: Martin L., Raymond W., Lydia B. W., Adelaide E., George D. B. and Hannah.

Two other children, Mary and Amstress, remained behind in New York. Subsequently, on the death of Mary, Amstress settled in Michigan, who married Lyman Miner, a lake captain. On locating in Calumet County, Wis., Luther Jenkins got a tract of 180 acres, to which he later added sixty more. It was all wild land, there were no buildings nor was there any road past the place. He, accordingly, built a log house of three rooms and attic measuring 24 by 29 feet, in which he and his family took up their residence.

Though he started With nothing-neither stock nor implement--he soon got cows and oxen and by dint of hard work gradually progressed until in the end he had a good farm and was one of the prosperous citizens of his township. He lived to the advanced age of 84 years, his wife dying at the age of 85. They were members of the Baptist Church, and in early days services were often held in his log house, being participated in by him and his family and a few neighbors, the nearest church edifice of that denomination being four or five miles away. Later, a church was erected on a portion of his farm. Among his other claims to respect, he had fought as a soldier in the War of 1812.

Martin Luther Jenkins was the youngest member of his parents' family, and was 13 years of age when they settled in Calumet County. It may be mentioned incidentally that he is the only one now left. He first attended school in New York State, and later, for a while, in Calumet County, but his education was not prolonged, as, like most farmers' boys in those early days, when pioneer work had to be done, his services were needed on the farm. This he helped his father to clear and in doing so acquired a large amount of practical knowledge that came in useful to him later. At the age of 17 he began working for other settlers, helping them to cut timber and clear their farms, and this he continued to do for a number of years. His steady course of industrial activity was interrupted by the Civil War, in which he took part as a soldier of the North, enlisting at Menasha, Winnebago County, Wis., in 1861, as a member of Company C. Tenth Wisconsin Infantry, and being mustered in at Milwaukee. The regiment was sent to Louisville, Ky., and he subsequently took part in a number of hard fought battles, serving three years and two months. He was twice wounded; first at the battle of Stone River, where a bullet struck him in the left jaw, inflicting a severe wound, from which he slowly recovered in the hospital at Nashville. The family still have the bullet in their possession. His second wound, in the left ankle, was received at Chickamauga, and he spent some time in the hospitals at Chattanooga and Nashville. At the close of the war he was mustered out at Milwaukee, and returned to Calumet County.

On Nov. 169 1863, Martin L. Jenkins was married to Helen A. Scott, who was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., Nov. 5, 1842, daughter of Ephram W. and Sarah (Averil) Scott. Her father was a native of Middletown, Vt., and her mother of Plattsburg, N. Y. They were married in New York and came to Calumet County, Wis., in 1852, with nine children: Andrew J., Miriam R., Hanah E., Mary L., Amaiida S., Helen A., Henry K., Sanford and Merton. One other, Fred, remained behind in New York, and still another, Corlyn, had died in that state. Mr. Scott secured a tract of land in Calumet County and spent the rest of his active career in developing it. He died there at the age of 84 years, his wife passing away at the much earlier age of 56. They had four sons and four sons-in-law, who served in the Civil War, in which one of the sons and one of the sons-in-law were killed, the others surviving.

After his marriage and return from the war Martin S. Jenkins located on a piece of wild land in Calumet County, of which he cleared about half. He then sold out with the intention of removing to the far West, there being a large emigration in that direction, but changed his mind and rented a farm in Calumet County, which he operated until he came to Clark County in 1900. Here he bought a tract of wild land of 160 acres in Section 35, Eaton Township, which forms a part of his present, though the size of the farm has since been increased to 226 acres by subsequent purchases.

He and his wife had by this time three children, Ralph M., George H. and Mary A., and Mr. Jenkins rented a place to live in until he could erect a house. His history since that time has been one of steady progression upwards, and in the development of the farm his son George, who has been associated with him, has materially contributed, and now may be said to take a leading part in its management. They are raising fine Jersey cattle, the first cow of this breed having been presented to Mrs. Jenkins from the old Sawyer stock in Oshkosh, when the family resided in Calumet County. They now have about twenty cows, the average milk production of the herd being about 11,000 pounds per month, giving a test of about 5 per cent butter fat. The test of the original Jersey cow they owned was as high as 9 per cent. They also breed a good grade of Percheron and Clyde horses, and Poland-China hogs. Another branch of industry carried on on the farm by the daughter, Mary, is the breeding of Plymouth Rock, Barred Rock and Rose Comb Leghorn chickens, by which they clear $1.40 per hen. George H. Jenkins is a stockholder in the cheese factory in Eaton Township, being also a director of the same; he is also a stockholder in the Black River Telephone Company, and in the Wausau Packing Company. Ralph M. is now a resident of Chicago. The latter married Sabina Miracle, and has one child, Helen E.

Military Records

Martin Luther Jenkins, Civil War Soldier