Wilbert S. Jenkins

As printed in 1908

WILBERT S. JENKINS, township clerk and owner of the Brookside Stock Farm, consisting of one hundred and one acres of fine farm land, located on the Springfield and Troy Pike, two miles west of North Hampton, in Pike Township, is one of the most extensive farmers of this section of the county. He not only overseas the work on his own place, but on that of his father as well, and of other tracts which he rents. He was born in Addison, or Christiansburg, in Champaign County, Ohio, February 12, 18fi8, is a son of Frederick and Rebecca (Sturgeon) Jenkins, and grandson of Wiley Jenkins.

Wiley Jenkins was nine years old when his parents started from their home in North Carolina in wagons, during the year 1819, destined for Ohio. They stopped at Cincinnati, which was then a small village of but few houses and a log fort, then came on to the northwest part of German Township. There they acquired a tract of land, built a log cabin, cleared and improved what is now known as the Clay Bank farm. There Wiley grew to manhood, experiencing many hardships of pioneer life. He often worked from sunrise to sunset for a paltry twenty-five cents, and remembered the time when a bushel of wheat varied in price from twenty-five to thirty-five cents. He frequently made trips to Cincinnati with produce, and after a time drifted into the live stock business, buying and raising, feeding and selling. After he was forty years old he followed the profession of a veterinary surgeon, and met with the same success that attended his efforts along other lines. After his marriage he located in Pike Township, and at the time of his death, at the age of ninety-two years and ten months, was owner of four hundred and sixty-five acres of land. He married Charlotte Michael, who died aged about seventy years. They reared eleven children, all of whom grew to maturity, as follows: William; Catherine, who married John Maurice; John; Frederick; Ann, who is the widow of John Ream; P]liza, deceased, who was the wife of David Shroyer; George; Elizabeth, who is the wife of Samuel H. Deaton; Samuel; Charlotte, who is the wife of William Gimdolph; and Jesse.

Frederick Jenkins, father of Wilbert S., was born in Pike Township, November 2, 1839, and spent most of his days in this township. He has always followed agricultural pursuits and has two farms in this township, one of twenty acres where he lives, and another of eighty acres farther west. He also owns property in North Hampton. He was united in marriage with Rebecca Sturgeon, a daughter of David and Johanna (Wise) Sturgeon, who came here from Pennsylvania at an early date. Three children were born of this union: Wilbert Sturgeon, Laura (Fisher), and Orrin Clifford. Mrs. Jenkins died when Wilbert S. was six years of age, and Mr. Jenkins was subsequently married to Mrs. Delilah Riuker, widow of John Rinker, and a daughter of Sutton Maxson. She was reared on the farm now owned by Wilbert S. Jenkins, and lived all her life in this township, where she died in 1897. She had no children.

Wilbert S. Jenkins was born in Champaign County, where his father was then located, engaging in the manufacture of shingles. Wilbert S. was but one year old when the family returned to Pike Township, and here he was reared to maturity and has since lived. He attended the common schools, and later completed a course in Nelson's Business College at Springfield, Ohio, and also a normal course at Ada, Ohio. Upon leaving school he engaged in teaching for ten years, then turned his attention to farming, stock-raising and dealing. In December, 1890, he purchased the farm he now owns, the Brookside Stock Farm, and resided on it for eight years, but now lives at the home of his father. He keeps from forty to sixty head of cattle through the winter.

and carries on farming on an extensive scale. He overseas all the work, and finds this personal attention to details a very necessary adjunct to the high degree of success at which he aims.

On December 25, 1890, Mr. Jenkins married Clara Ida Getz, a daughter of George and Mary (Bowers) Getz, the former of Avhom died in 1901. Mrs. Jenkins was one of the following children born to her parents: Elizabeth A. (Lannert); Amelia, wife of James Furrow; Jacob; William; Mary Etta (Ryman); Clara Ida; and Lydia, wife of John Ryman. Five children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins, as follows: Ruth B., Nellie B., Warder B., Glendon H., and Edward R. Mr. Jenkins is a Democrat in politics and has served as clerk of Pike Township since April, 1894. He is a member of White Star Lodge No. 292, K. P., at North Hampton, and has served as master of finance and as keeper of the record and seals for the past eighteen years. The family belong to the Reformed Church, of which Mr. Jenkins is a deacon.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.