George E. Jenkins

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

George E. Jenkins

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

Mr. JENKINS, who has been a prominent civil engineer at Dover, New Jersey, sine 1883, owes his advance in life to his own inherent force of character, commendable ambition and diligence. He served as city engineer from 1885 to 1912, a period of twenty-seven years, during which time he accomplished considerable good works for this community. He is a stockholder and director in the Kenvil Lumber & Store Company, which concern conducts lumber yards and stores at Mine Hill and Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey.

August 20, 1861, at Mine Hill, New Jersey, occurred the birth of George E. JENKINS, who is a son of David and Rachel (WILLIAMS) JENKINS. The father was born in South Wales and there resided until 1856, when he came to America and settled in Morris county, this State. He was one of the pioneers in the iron mines of this section and was engaged in mining operations during practically the entire period of his active career. He died at the homestead at Mine Hills in 1899, and his wife passed away in 1911. They were the parents of the following children:

Anna E., a music teacher at Dover;
William T., a resident of Mine Hill;
Blanche, wife of Emil G. KATTERMANN, of Dover;
George E., the immediate subject of this review.

David JENKINS was influential in founding the Presbyterian church at Mine Hill and in the faith of that denomination all his children were reared.

For several years George E. JENKINS was a pupil in the common schools of Mine Hill and he prepared for college in the private school conducted by Lucy B. MAGEE, of Dover. In 1879 he entered Rutgers College, at New Brunswick, New Jersey, and in that excellent institution was graduated as a member of the class of 1883, with the degree of Bachelor of Science, two years later the honorary degree of Civil Engineer was conferred upon him. Immediately after graduation he located at Dover, which place has since been represented his home. He is an expert mining engineer and his work has taken him throughout various sections of New Jersey. In 1885 he was sent to South America by the Royal Silver Mines of Potasi, Bolivia, a London company and he looked after mining interests at Potosi, that country, for two years. He likewise spent three months in Cuba in the iron ore industry. In addition to his professional work Mr. JENKINS is interested on a number of local enterprises, one of which is the Kenvil Lumber & Store Company, in which concern he is a director and stockholder.

In 1894 Mr. JENKINS married Ella A. DAVIS, a native of Boonton, New Jersey, daughter of Samuel and Anna (DEAN) DAVIS, the former of whom is a druggist at Boonton and the latter of whom is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. DAVIS had the following children:

Ella A.;
Harry A.;
Alice M., who is a kindergarten teacher in New York City.

To Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins have been born two children:

Dean Carter, who is a student, class of 1916, at Rutgers College;
Gladys E., a student in the high school at Dover.

A Republican in politics, George E. JENKINS has confined his public service to the duties of city engineer, in which capacity he served Dover, from 1885 to 1912. He is not connected with any fraternal organizations and in religious matters he is a fervent member of the Presbyterian church at Mine Hill of which he is an elder, succeeding his father upon the latter’s death, while the rest of the family are members of the Dover Memorial Presbyterian church. Mr. JENKINS has been a liberal contributor to the publications of the geological survey of the State in relation to the iron mining industry and of the brick and clay industry.

This biography was transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003).