Individual Page

    Person Info
  • Name: Joseph JENKS
  • Sex: M
  • Birth: Abt 26 Aug 1599 in St Anne, Blackfriars, London, England b
  • Baptism: 26 Aug 1599 in St Anne, Blackfriars, London, England c
  • Death: 16 Mar 1682/3 in Lynn, Massachusetts d


  • Parents:
  • Father:
  • John JENKS Birth: Abt 1576 Death: Abt 1625
  • Mother:
  • Sarah FULWATER Birth: Abt 19 Mar 1573 in St Anne, Blackfriars, London, England

Family:
Marriage: Children:
  1. Joseph JENKS Birth: Abt 12 Oct 1628 in Horton, Middlesex, England Death: 4 Jan 1717 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Marriage: Children:
  1. Sarah JENKS Birth: 1652 in Lynn, Massachusetts
  2. Samuel JENKS Birth: 1654 in Lynn, Massachusetts Death: 12 Mar 1738
  3. Deborah JENKS Birth: 11 Jun 1658 in Lynn, Massachusetts
  4. John JENKS Birth: 27 Jul 1660 in Lynn, Massachusetts Death: 1698 in Lynn, Massachusetts
  5. Daniel JENKS Birth: 19 Apr 1663 in Lynn, Massachusetts Death: Before 15 Mar 1736

Bibliography
  1. Browne, William B, Genealogy of the Jenks Family of America, Concord, NH: Rumford Press, 1952. G2487. NYPL APV (Jenks) (Browne, W. B..). Available at https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/374749. Information from this source tagged as [Ref: Browne JENKS p[0-9]*].
  2. Colket, Meredith B, Jenks Family of England, NEHGR Jan-Oct 1956. Available at http://americanancestors.org/databases/new-england-historical-and-genealogical-register/image. Reprint available at https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/374828. Information from this source tagged as [Ref: Colket JENKS p[0-9]*].
  3. Colket, Meredith B, Father of Joseph Jenks of Lynn: A Proposed Solution to an Intriguing Genealogical Puzzle, NEHGR vol 122 (Jul 1968). pp168-71. Available at http://americanancestors.org/databases/new-england-historical-and-genealogical-register/image Information from this source tagged as [Ref: Colket JENKS-Father p[0-9]*].
  4. Cutter, William Richard, New England Families, New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co, 1913. M-LH 974 Cut. NYPL APR (New England) (Cutter) (NYPL has both 1913 and 1915 editions). Available at https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/272367. Two editions of this work were published in 1913, but contents and page numbering is different; the other is available at (vol 1) http://books.google.com/?id=KvUsAAAAYAAJ, (vol 2) http://books.google.com/?id=_c4UAAAAYAAJ, (vol 3) http://books.google.com/?id=7_UsAAAAYAAJ, (vol 4) http://books.google.com/?id=NegUAAAAYAAJ Information from this source tagged as [Ref: Cutter NE p[0-9]*].
  5. Farmer, John, A Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New England. Lancaster, MA: Carter, Andrew & Co, 1829. Available at http://books.google.com/?id=TUGHVUEbRBoC Information from this source tagged as [Ref: Farmer [A-Z][A-Z]* [A-Z][a-z]*].
  6. Vital Records of Lynn, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Salem, Mass: Essex Institute, 1905. M-LH PS #108. Available at http://books.google.com/?id=-VqpbfPKZOwC Information from this source tagged as [Ref: LynnMA vitals v[12]p[0-9]*].
  7. Noyes, Sybil, Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1972. M-LH. Available at https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/84933. Information from this source tagged as [Ref: Noyes [a-zA-Z ]*].
  8. Savage, James, A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, showing three generations of those who came before May 1692, on the basis of Farmer's Register. Boston, MA: Little Brown & Co, 1860. Available at http://archive.org/details/genealogicaldic01savarich. Reprinted Baltimore, MD, Genealogical Published Co, 1965. Scanned and corrected by Robert Kraft, 1994, and available at http://www.usgennet.org/usa/topic/newengland/savage/. Information from this source tagged as [Ref: Sav-age [A-Z][A-Z]* [A-Z][a-z]*].
  9. Torrey, Clarence Almon, New England Marriages prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1987. M-LH 974Tor Information from this source tagged as [Ref: Torrey NE<1700 p[0-9]*].

Sources for birth and parent Information
date:
1606 [Ref: Torrey NE<1700 p418]
abt 1602 [Ref: Cutter NE p2075]
abt 1603 [Ref: Browne JENKS p1]
bp 26 Aug 1599 [Ref: Colket JENKS p14]
d 1683 age 81 [Ref: Browne JENKS pxvii],
place:
[Ref: Colket JENKS p14]
England [Ref: Browne JENKS p1]
Hammersmith, England [Ref: Farmer JENKS Joseph]
Hammersmith, Hounslow, or Colubroke, all near London [Ref: Cutter NE p2075],
parents:
[Ref: Colket JENKS p14]
Sources for baptism Information
date:
[Ref: Colket JENKS p14],
place:
[Ref: Colket JENKS p14]
Sources for death Information
date:
16 Mar 1683 [Ref: Browne JENKS p1]
1679 or 1683 [Ref: Torrey NE<1700 p418]
Mar 1682/3 [Ref: LynnMA vitals v2p513]
Mar 1683 [Ref: Farmer JENKS Joseph, Sav-age JENKS Joseph],
place:
[Ref: Browne JENKS p1, LynnMA vitals v2p513]
Sources with Information about marriage to Ellen HORTON
date:
[Ref: Colket JENKS p14, Torrey NE<1700 p418],
place:
[Ref: Colket JENKS p14, Torrey NE<1700 p418],
names:
Joseph JENKS & first wife [Ref: Cutter NE p2075, Sav-age JENKS Joseph],
child:
[Ref: Cutter NE p2075, Sav-age JENKS Joseph]
Sources with Inaccurate marriage information
date:
30 Sep 1630 [Ref: Browne JENKS p1],
place:
All Hallowes, London Wall [Ref: Browne JENKS p1],
names:
Joseph JENKS & Ellen HEARNE [Ref: Colket JENKS p14]
Joseph JENKS & Joan ___ [Ref: Colket JENKS-Father p169]
Joseph JENKS & Mary TERVYN d/o James and Margert TERVYN, who was bp 26 Mar 1611 and d. 14 May 1643 [Ref: Browne JENKS p1]
Sources with Information about marriage to Elizabeth (JENKS)
date:
abt 1648 [Ref: Torrey NE<1700 p418]
abt 1650 [Ref: Browne JENKS p1]
second marriage of Joseph [Ref: Sav-age JENKS Joseph],
place:
[Ref: Torrey NE<1700 p418],
names:
Joseph JENKS & Elizabeth ___ [Ref: Browne JENKS p1, Sav-age JENKS Joseph, Torrey NE<1700 p418]
Joseph JENKS sr & Eliza ___ [Ref: LynnMA vitals v1p214],
child:
[Ref: Browne JENKS p1, LynnMA vitals v1p214, Sav-age JENKS Joseph]
Research Notes:
blacksmith [Ref: Farmer JENKS Joseph]

1627: married in the parish of Horton, Buckinghamshire, about 14 miles from Hammersmith [Ref: Colket JENKS p14]

Bishop's Transcripts, however incomplete they may be, are official documents legally authorized. Every year the wardens of each parish were to copy the parish register entries and send the copy to the Bishop's registry, copy signed by the minister and wardens. However, the marriage entry records two weeks earlier the marriage of another Ellen Hearne. The two entries read as: "Richard Norris and Ellin Hearne were married the twentieth day of October 1627. Joseph Jenkes and Ellen Hearne were married the fifth day of Nouembr 1627" Claim is that the copiest, in transcibing the Jenks marriage, may have inadvertently copied down a part or all of the maiden's name from the previous entry. [Ref: Colket JENKS p251]

c1629: living in Hounslow, Middlesex, a town between Horton and Hammersmith [Ref: Colket JENKS p15]

Hounslow swords, being rather famous, are sometimes inscribed with the names of the cutlers, but only four different names have been found: Henry Hoppie, John Kundt, Ricardus Hopkins, and Joseph Jenckes [Ref: Colket JENKS p16]

sword inscribed with name of Joseph Jenckes was discovered by Dr Williams at the Powysland Museum, Welshpool, Wales, in 1938. At time of discovery, Dr Williams expressed an interest in having it for his private collection. The Museum officials, feeling that it would be better appreciated in his collection than theirs, offered to give it to him. He stated, however, that it was too valuable a sword to be given away, and offered 100 pounds for it. The Museum, feeling that an article so valuable shold not be disposed of, has retained it [Ref: Colket JENKS p16]

1638: still living in Hounslow; supposed to be in America as early as 1641 (Banks); evidently in Maine before 25 Jun 1642 [Ref: Colket JENKS p17]

1643: came to Massachusetts, with John Winthrop the youger [Ref: Cutter NE p2075]

abt 1643: immigrated, as widower, young son Joseph said to have been left in England with his mother's people [Ref: Browne JENKS pxi]

immigrated as a widower from either Hammersmith, or Hounslow (Co Middlesex), or Colnbrook (near London) [Ref: Sav-age JENKS Joseph]

in the late 1620's bog iron ore was discovered in the swamp meadows bordering Saugus River, near the city of Lynn. Plans to exploit the ore were immeditaely formed, and in 1641 John Winthrop Jr, then in London, requested Capt Bridges to bring to him samples of the ore for assaying to determine its value. It was found to be of exceppent quality and of such good promise that a dozen men indlucing a minister and two tailors were persuaded to subscribe a total of 100 pounds to form "Thje Company of the Undertakers of the Iron Works" to establish a foundry beside Saugus River. In 1642 or 1643 Capt Bridges and Winthrop arrived with a working force of twenty Scotch prisoners taken at Edgehill, endentured by Cromwell for five years and valued at 20 pounds a head. With them came some half dozen skilled iron workers from Hammersmith with their leader, Joseph Jenks. [Ref: Browne JENKS pxiii]

Mar 7 1643: the company was granted the exclusive privilege of making iron within the colony for 21 years, provided that they were able at the end of ten years to supply the neighborhood's needs. Charter authorized them the use of any of six locations, each three miles square, on condition that within ten years a blast furnace be established for reduction of the ore and a forge for further refining and fashioning the product [Ref: Browne JENKS pxiii]

Site selected was on the property of Thomas Hudson, on the west bank of the river and was dotted with a chain of small lakes bounding in bog ore. Village was then known as Hammersmith, now called Saugus [Ref: Browne JENKS pxiv]

1645: living in Lynn, MA [Ref: Sav-age JENKS Joseph]

1645: of Lynn [Ref: Colket JENKS p10, Farmer JENKS Joseph]

blacksmith, employed at the Iron Works [Ref: Sav-age JENKS Joseph]

associated with the iron works founded by John Winthrop Jr at Saugus [Ref: Colket JENKS p10]

late 1644: probably late in 1644 first iron was drawn from the Saugus furnace [Ref: Browne JENKS pxv]

1645: an order of the Massachusetts General Court shows that the foundry had "some tons of iron ore cast and some others in readiness for the forge" [Ref: Browne JENKS pxiv]

May 1646: applied for and received the first patent granted in this country, for "Jenks Monopolye" -- "for liberty to make experience of his abillitys and inventions for ye making of engines for mills to goe by water for the more speedy dispatch of worke than formerly and mills for ye making of sithes other edged tools with a new invented saw mill that things may be afforded cheaper than formerly and that for fourteen years without disturbance by any others setting up the like inventions that so his stucy and costs may not be in vayne or lost this petition was granted so as power is still left to restrayne ye exportation of such manufactures, and to moderate ye prizes thereof if occasion so require." [Ref: Browne JENKS pxv]

patent was the first machine patent granted in America. Both it and the patent by Stone in England were labor-saving devices involving the finishing of sharp iron instruments by the use of water wheels. Joseph apparently learned the secrets of the Solingen cutlers as developed by Stone and applied his knowledge in a practical way in the early days of manufacturing in pioneer America [Ref: Colket JENKS p18]

1646: granted a patent by Mass general court for three inventions: a water mill, a machine for making scythes, and a saw mill [Ref: Cutter NE p2075]

1647: perfected and patented a new type of water wheel [Ref: Browne JENKS pxvi]

1647: purchased from Richard Leader the privileges of building a forge at the Lynn Iron Works [Ref: Browne JENKS pxvi]

1647: son Joseph in New England, learning the iron industry [Ref: Browne JENKS pxi]

1652: engaged to cut the dies for our coinage [Ref: Sav-age JENKS Joseph]

careful search of the Archives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and of the division of Numismatics of the Smithsonian provides no confirmation for the belief generally held by the descendants that Joseph Jenks made the dies for the Pine Tree Shilling minted in the year 1652 [Ref: Browne JENKS pxvii]

1654: Boston gave power to its Selectmen to contract with him for engines to carry water in case of fire [Ref: Sav-age JENKS Joseph]

1656: purchased from Joseph Armitage, "all my right and title of the Company of Undertakers of Ironworks" [Ref: Browne JENKS pxvi]

1656: General Court issued order that "Joseph Jenks Senior and his assigns only shall have the liberty granted to them to make that engine the said Jenks hath proposed to this Court for the more speedy cutting of grass for seven years, that no inhabitant or other person within this jurisdiction during that time shall make or use ye kind of engine without license first obtayned form ye said Jenks or the penalty of five pounds for every such engine so made or used as aforesaid to be recovered at any Court in this jurisdiction by the sd Joseph Jenks, Seniour." [Ref: Browne JENKS pxvi]

----- Patent application (partial):
... whereas the Lord hath beene pleased to giue mee knowledg in Makeing, and erecting of Engines of Mills to goe by water for the speedy dispatch of much worke with few mens labour in litle tyme my desire is to Improue this talent for the publike good and benifitt and Sesuice of this Country; to which end my Intention and purpose is (if God permitt) to Build a Mill for makig of Sithes; and alsoe a new InventdSaw Mill, and diuera other Engines for making of diuers sorts of edge tooles; whereby the Country may haue sush necessaryes in short tyme at farre cheaper Rates than now they can; Now yor petitioner doth humbly beseech this Honoured Court that you would please to Grant mee this priueledg; and to order than noe other person shall sett upp or vse any such new Invention or trade for the space of fowerteene yeeres without my licence; which hath been the vuvall priveledge and liberty Granted by the high Court of Parlayment in England to men that doe first sett vpon workes of this nature; least after your petitioner haue expended his estate, study, and labour, and haue brought things to perfection; Another when hee seeth it, maketh the like; and soe I loose the benifitt of that I have studied many yeeres before ... [Ref: Colket JENKS p18]



Pedigree of Joseph JENKS
                   /-----Hugh JENKS
          /-----William JENKS
         |         \-----Anne (JENKS)
 /-----John JENKS
|         \-----Alicia (JENKS)
Joseph JENKS
|         /-----Henry FULWATER
 \-----Sarah FULWATER
          \-----Margaret (FULWATER)



Descendants of Joseph JENKS
1. Joseph JENKS m1. Ellen HORTON m2. Elizabeth (JENKS)
m. Ellen HORTON
m. Elizabeth (JENKS)

2nd generation

2. Joseph JENKS m. Esther BALLARD
m. Esther BALLARD father: William BALLARD mother: Elizabeth (BALLARD)
3. Sarah JENKS m. John CHILSON
m. John CHILSON father: Walsingham CHILSON mother: Mary (CHILSON)
4. Samuel JENKS m1. Elizabeth DARLING m2. Elizabeth (FLOYD)
m. Elizabeth DARLING
m. Elizabeth (FLOYD)
6. John JENKS m. Sarah MERIAM
m. Sarah MERIAM father: William MERIAM
7. Daniel JENKS m1. Mary JENKS m2. Catharine BALCOM
m. Mary JENKS father: Joseph JENKS mother: Esther BALLARD
m. Catharine BALCOM

3rd generation

8. Mary JENKS m. Daniel JENKS
m. Daniel JENKS father: Joseph JENKS mother: Elizabeth (JENKS)
9. Joseph JENKS m1. Martha BROWN m2. Alice SMITH
m. Martha BROWN father: John BROWN mother: Mary HOLMES
m. Alice SMITH father: John SMITH mother: Sarah WHIPPLE
12. Nathaniel JENKS m. Hannah BOSWORTH
m. Hannah BOSWORTH father: Jonathan BOSWORTH mother: Hannah HOWLAND
16. William JENKS m. Patience SPRAGUE
m. Patience SPRAGUE
20. Sarah CHILSON m1. Robert BURNELL m2. Samuel POTTER
m. Robert BURNELL
m. Samuel POTTER father: Anthony POTTER mother: Elizabeth STONE

4th generation

51. Obadiah JENKS m. Alice EDDY
m. Alice EDDY father: Zachariah EDDY mother: Mercy BAKER
55. Nathaniel JENKS m.
67. Lydia POTTER m1. Thomas HOWLETT m2. Arthur BROWN
m. Thomas HOWLETT father: John HOWLETT mother: Bershabah HOYTE
m. Arthur BROWN

5th generation

69. Jeremiah JENKS m. Ann TILLINGHAST
m. Ann TILLINGHAST
70. Stephen JENKS m. Sarah HAWKINS
m. Sarah HAWKINS
76. Alice HOWLET m. Jedediah PEABODY
m. Jedediah PEABODY father: John PEABODY mother: Mary CHADWICK