Richard S. Fulton's Web Site

Elizabeth Jenkinson "Lizzy" Fulton
Born March 25, 1838, Died November 16, 1923

The picture below is Elizabeth Jenkinson Fulton and her four of her six Jenkinson sisters taken in Waukegan probably about 1880. One sister, Jane, died on the journey to America from Ireland in 1850. Sister Mary Jenkinson Langham is not in the photo.

Standing L-R: Susan Jenkinson Stevens 1845-1933 and her twin Amelia "Millie Jenkinson Wright 1845-1944

Seated L-R: Ellen "Nellie" Jenkinson Hollenrake 1843-1919, Elizabeth Jenkinson Fulton, Lavina Jenkinson Pillifant 1856-1946

Elizabeth Jenkinson was born in the small Parish of Clonsast, in King’s County, Ireland on March 25, 1838.   King’s County is now called County Offaly.   Clonsast is on the eastern side of County Offaly, near the border with County Kildare just west of Dublin. Family stories often indicate the Jenkinson’s were from Queens County or Queenstown in County Cork.   However on a trip to Ireland a few years ago after finding no references to the family in or near Queenstown, I began searching the Church of Ireland Parish Registers from other Counties and found our Jenkinson family in Clonsast Parish in King’s County.   There is no doubt this is our Jenkinson Family as the records are there showing the birth of Elizabeth’s Mother Ellen Short, her marriage to John Jenkinson and the births of Elizabeth and her six siblings born in Ireland. Much more information exists on the Waukegan Jenkinson family than I will present here.   Jenkinson cousins Susie Jenkinson Hatfield of Salina, Kansas, and Phil Smith of Lake County, IL. have done a great deal of research on the Waukegan Jenkinson line.

Elizabeth Jenkinson was the second child and eldest daughter of John and Ellen Short Jenkinson.   The Clonsast Parish register begins in 1806.

John Jenkinson and Ellen Short Jenkinson.
John was born in Ireland about 1793,
Died Waukegan, Ill. May 31, 1877.
Confirmed in Clonsast Parish, Church of Ireland, September 1822.
Married Ellen Short in Clonsast, Nov. 29, 1834.
To Boston on ship Olive Branch Jan. 21, 1850, To NYC.   To Waukegan abt 1853.

The following records are found in the Clonsast Parish Register:

Thomas Jenkinson of Clonsast Parish was born on March 10, 1807.   This would appear to be the same Thomas on a list of candidates for confirmation Sept. 4, 1822. We do not know who this Thomas was nor what became of him, but my guess is that he is a brother of our John Jenkinson, Father of Elizabeth.

            Ellinor Short of Clonsast Parish was born Dec. 14, 1812 and christened on January 3, 1813. I am sure this is our Ellen Short, Mother of Elizabeth Jenkinson. When Ellen Short Jenkinson died in Waukegan on Feb. 19, 1914, front page articles in both Waukegan newspapers listed her age as 106. It appears Ellen was ONLY! 101 and likely lost track of her actual age as she grew older, unless the Parish Register is in error.

The first mention of our John Jenkinson in the Clonsast Parish Register is his name on the same list of Confirmation Candidates as Thomas Jenkinson on Sept. 4, 1822.   Based on family stories, a brief obituary in the Waukegan Gazette on June 2, 1877, and census records, John Jenkinson was born in 1793.   Most references indicate he was born in Ireland, but some indicate he was born in England and at least one reference by his son Thomas Jenkinson indicates John was born in Wales.

The marriage of John Jenkinson and Ellen Short is found in the Clonsast Parish records recorded as follows:
            “John Jenkinson of Clonsast Parish and Ellen Short of said Parish Married in the Church by license had from the Bishop of Kildare, November 29, 1834, by Henry Edw. Joly.”   John signed and Ellen made her mark indicating that Ellen could not read and write at the time.

The following Baptisms of the children of John and Ellen Short Jenkinson are recorded in the Clonsast Parish Register:
            Thomas Jenkinson of Clonbullogue (another name for Clonsast), born September 30, 1835, Christened October 25, 1835.
            Elizabeth Jenkinson of Clinbullogue (sp) Parish, Born March 25, 1838, Christened April 22, 1838.
            Jane Jenkinson, daughter of John Jenkinson and Ellen Short in Clonbullogue. John is listed as a laborer. Born September 20, 1840, Christened October 11, 1840
(Family stories indicate Jane died during the journey to America in 1850 and was buried at sea).
            Ellen Jenkinson, daughter of John Jenkinson and Ellen Short, Born April 20, 1843, Christened April 28, 1843.
            Twins: Amelia and Susanna Jenkinson, daughters of John Jenkinson (now listed as a farmer) and Ellen Short of Clonbullogue Parish. Born July 13, 1845, Christened August 3, 1845.
            Mary Jenkinson, daughter of John Jenkinson, Farmer, and Ellen Short, of Clonabrowne Parish, Born September 14, 1849, Christened November 11, 1849.

Starting on April 5, 1825, a John Jenkinson signs the Clonsast Parish Vestry Book.   His signature is also on the Vestry Book minutes for 1826, 1839, and 1845.

We are not sure who John Jenkinson’s parents were, but there is a burial record, no age given, of a John Jenkinson Sr., buried on May 3, 1825.   This seems likely to be our John’s Father. A John Jenkinson is listed in the Parish Tithe (tax) list in 1823 as being taxed for 4 acres. The 1826 Tithe list shows a Widow Jenkinson with 4 acres.

Per Ellen Short Jenkinson’s 1914 death certificate, her parents are listed as James Short and Mary Pollock. There is a burial record in Clonsast Parish of James Short, age 43, buried March 5, 1827, making his birth year as about 1786. This could well be Ellen’s Father.

Our Jenkinson family was active in the Church of Ireland in Clonsast Parish.   The Church of Ireland is the established English Church and is essentially the same as The Church of England and the Episcopal Church in the United States. The Jenkinson’s continued to be active in the Episcopal Church in America, being active members of Christ Episcopal Church in Waukegan.

The Church of Ireland has gathered most of the original Parish Registers still existing and keep them in the Church of Ireland Library, called the Representative Church Body Library or RCB for short. This is where I reviewed the original Clonsast Parish Register. The Library is located at 33 Braemor Park Road, Churchtown, Dublin 14, about 5 miles south of the center of Dublin. They would not allow copying so I transcribed the entries I noted above.

The Jenkinson name and family stories:
We don’t have any hard data on the Jenkinson family prior to John 1793-1877, but there are family legends that could well be true or at least have a foundation in fact.   Jenkinson is an English name. Jenkin means “little John”, so Jenkinson essentially means son of little John. The name is not very common in England, but not rare either.   However, the name is rare in Ireland and appears to be strictly a transplant of Jenkinson Families of England to Ireland.

Family legend:   Our Jenkinson family story essentially goes like this.   Our John Jenkinson in King’s County Ireland was related to Robert Banks Jenkinson, second Earl of Liverpool (1770-1828) who among many previous government posts was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1812-1827.   Our John was a tax or rent collector.   Much of the land in Ireland was owned by either the English Crown or by wealthy English landlords who usually did not live in Ireland, but rented out their lands and hired people to collect rents. As the story goes, our John Jenkinson was such a hired rent collector, obtaining the position through his family connections to the Earl of Liverpool Jenkinson Family. Most of the people of Ireland were poor and lived a meager existence. The soil of Ireland was not good. In the 1700’s the potato was introduced. It grew well in Ireland and provided food that would allow a family to feed itself on an acre of potatoes. Starting in 1845 a serious blight hit the Irish potato crop, destroying large portions of the potato yield.   This blight continued until about 1851.   At the time the Irish Potato Famine hit the population of Ireland had grown rapidly from about 4 and a half million in 1800 to over 8 million in the census of 1841. Estimates are the population was over 8 and a half million by 1845 when the famine hit. The census of 1851 showed a population of only 6 and a half million.   It is estimated that over a million died of starvation and disease and another million or more emigrated, mostly to America. As the family story goes, our John Jenkinson refused to evict the tenants who could not pay their rent and paid the rents out of his own pocket until he went broke and then took his family and left for America.

There is no hard evidence that our Jenkinson’s are related to the Earl’s of Liverpool, but it certainly seems plausible although probably not very closely related.   The ancestors of Robert Bankes Jenkinson, Prime Minister, were from Oxfordshire, England, and claim descent from a fascinating character of history, Anthony Jenkinson, a noted traveler and trader of the mid 1500’s. His adventurers took him from the court of Ivan the Terrible in Russia through the lands of the Mongol Tartars and the Sultan of Khwarezm to the court of the Shah of Persia and to the presence of Sulayman the Magnificent, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. In the early 1700’s a Robert Jenkinson was created a Baronet and his grandson, Charles Jenkinson, Father of Robert Bankes Jenkinson was created the first Earl of Liverpool.   Among the positions held by Charles Jenkinson was vice-treasurer of Ireland in 1772. So we have a common last name, we have a powerful peer of the realm in the top financial taxing position for Ireland, and we have our Jenkinson family, with an English name not common in Ireland showing up in Ireland with stories suggesting our John Jenkinson was a tax or rent collector.   Seems logical there might well have been some sort of family connection.

John and Ellen Jenkinson and Family to America:

John and Ellen Jenkinson and family came to Boston from Ireland, arriving in Boston on the ship Olive Branch from Liverpool on January 21, 1850. Liverpool was and is a large port city and they likely traveled by smaller ship from Dublin to Liverpool.   Family stories indicated they came to New York on the ship The Olive Branch, but until recently no one had been able to find a record of the journey.   Our thanks to Susie Jenkinson Hatfield of Salina, Kansas, for finding the entry after reviewing countless ship manifests. She solved the mystery by discovering that our Jenkinson’s actually came first to Boston and then shortly thereafter went on to New York.   They are found in the New York Census of 1850. More difficult than finding them coming to Boston was finding that their last name was listed as Hakens, which Susie indicates is fairly close to how someone from Ireland would pronounce Jenkinson. The family quickly made their way to New York City as they are found in the 10th Ward of King’s County, New York (Brooklyn) when the census was taken on August 7, 1850. The name is the census is listed as Jenks, but it is clear from the names and ages that this is our Jenkinson Family.

It is in Brooklyn that John and Ellen’s eight child, John Jr. is born in 1852. Sometime about 1853, the Jenkinson family moved to Waukegan from Brooklyn   Newspaper articles regarding Ellen’s advanced age state that the family traveled by rail from Brooklyn to Chicago and then by boat from Chicago to Waukegan as there was as yet now railroad line from Chicago to Waukegan.

It was in Waukegan, that John and Ellen’s ninth and last child, Lavina was born on April 12, 1856 and baptized at Christ Episcopal Church.

In 1860, John and Ellen are living in the town of Libertyville in Lake County.   In 1870 they are living in the 2nd Ward of Waukegan.   John is listed as a laborer.   John Jenkinson died on May 31, 1877 reported in the Waukegan Gazette on June 2.   Cause of death was heart disease. He was 85 years old.

Sometime before 1900 John Jenkinson Jr., bought land near the then western city limits of Waukegan and began building houses which he then either sold or rented.   The street through the area was named Jenkinson Court after the family. The Jenkinson family home was at the corner of Jenkinson Court and Butrick Street. The home is still there today.

John’s widow Ellen continued to live in Waukegan with her children, finally residing with her daughter Ellen and her husband James Hollenrake on Butrick Street. Ellen died February 19, 1914 and everyone thought she was 106 years old, although it appears she was actually 101. The following is from an article from the Waukegan Sun newspaper on Friday, December 26, 1913 noting Ellen’s 105th birthday.
            “Celebrated Her 105th Birthday On Christmas Day: Mrs. Ellen Jenkinson, Oldest Woman in County, Passes Another Milestone.
            Despite her advanced age, an age seldom attained by anyone, Mrs. Jenkinson is in what might be termed the best of health. She eats her meals regularly, subsisting mostly on eggs and milk. She is quite active and when the weather is clement delights to pay calls to her nearby neighbors, although she has not walked down town in several years. She is always happy and contented and spends a large part of her time in singing songs she learned in Ireland, her native country, nearly a century ago. She says they are the best songs and that she doesn’t care a rap about the present day songs. Her voice is still quite young and retains a quality of sweetness that is truly remarkable in one of her advanced age. It must have been a marvelously sweet voice when she was a young woman. Mrs. Jenkinson is very proud of her age but takes little of the credit to herself. She says she is not afraid to die and is willing to go when God wills. Life is still sweet to her however and she prays that she may be spared a few years longer.   Mrs. Jenkinson is much interested in automobiles and on several occasions has taken rides in them. She enjoys the sensation immensely and her only regret is that she is not able to indulge in the pleasure more.”

Below is the 5 Generation photo taken July 1907 at 50th Wedding Anniversary reunion in Waukegan, Ill.  Seated L-R:
Matilda Jane “Tillie” Fulton Hayden, b: 1/14/1859
Ellen Short Jenkinson, b: 12/12/1812
Elizabeth Jenkinson Fulton, b: 3/25/1838
Standing: Belle L. Hayden Brown b: Aug. 1881 and her son Maurice Brown b: 1905

John and Ellen Short Jenkinson are buried in the same plot as their son John Jr. and his wife Julia in Oakwood Cemetery in Waukegan (see picture below). At her death Ellen had 44 grandchildren, 50 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren.

Summary of children of John and Ellen Short Jenkinson:

The above photo is of Thomas Jenkinson 1835-1918 and his wife Emma Crocker. Thomas was an the older brother of Elizabeth Jenkinson Fulton.

Thomas Jenkinson, born Sept. 30, 1835 in Clonsast Parish, King’s County, Ireland.   He married Emma Crocker in Lake County, ILL., on Oct. 4, 1862.   He lived much of his life in Iowa. He died Oct. 1, 1918 in the town of Rockford, Floyd County, Iowa. He is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Rockford, Iowa. Thomas was a teamster in his early youth and for most of his life he was a railroad engineer.   Emma died in 1925.   They had 8 children, two died as infants and one son as a young adult. The five children alive at Thomas’ death were: Eugene Frank Jenkinson, Fanny Hotchkiss, Miss Adelaide Jenkinson, Mrs. C. C. Egan of Spokane, WA., and Mrs. N. E. Allebaugh of Kootenai, Idaho.

Elizabeth Jenkinson, born March 25, 1838 in Clonsast Parish, King’s County, Ireland, wife of William Fulton. More later.

Jane Jenkinson, born September 20, 1840 in Clonsast Parish, King’s County, Ireland. Died at sea on voyage from Ireland to Boston in January 1850.

Ellen Jenkinson, born April 20, 1843 in Clonsast Parish, King’s County, Ireland. She married James Hollenrake in 1902 at age 59. No children. She died March 27, 1919 in Waukegan.

Amelia “Millie” Jenkinson, born July 13, 1845 in Clonsast Parish, King’s County, Ireland. She was the twin of Susan. Amelia married William Wright on Feb. 13, 1872 at Christ Episcopal Church in Waukegan. She died on May 23, 1944 in Waukegan, Ill. William and Millie had 8 children: William, Hattie, Nellie, Lewis, Fred, Alice, Sye, and James.

Susanna “Susan” Jenkinson, born July 13, 1845 in Clonsast Parish, King’s County, Ireland. She was the twin of Amelia. She married Homer S. Stevens on Oct. 8, 1873 in Cook County, ILL. She lived most of her life in Hennepin County, Minn.   She died August 12, 1933 in Waukegan, ILL. Homer and Susan had 4 children: Ralph H, Jesse Homer, George Darwin, and John Edward.

Mary Jenkinson, born September 14, 1849 in Clonsast Parish, King’s County, Ireland. She married Frank Langham at Christ Church in Waukegan on Oct. 5, 1869. She died sometime between her Mother Ellen’s death in 1914 and the 1920 census when her husband living in Mn. is listed as a widower. Frank and Mary had 4 children: John Cassins, Bush Alexander, Alice, and George Sanborn.

John Jenkinson, Jr., Born in June 1852 in Brooklyn, NY.   Died January 31, 1905. He was the City of Waukegan Street Commissioner at the time of his death. He died as a result of an accident with his horse and buggy. He married Julia Bub on April 18, 1881 in Waukegan. He and Julia had 11 children, 10 of whom were living at the time of his death: Albert John (died as infant), Ellen Sabina, Herbert George, Thomas Robert, Addie, Homer, John James, Martha, Walter Edward, Louis, and Samuel Arthur. Fellow researcher Susie Jenkinson Hatfield of Salina, Kansas is of this branch.

Lavina Jenkinson, born April 12, 1856 in Waukegan, died Sept. 26, 1946. She married John Franklin Pillifant at Christ Church in Waukegan on Dec. 20, 1877 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Waukegan. They had 8 children: Cora, Mary, John Samuel, Belle Ellen, Hazel Anna, Pearl Ethal, Harold Edgar, and Raymond Dewey. Researcher Phil Smith of Lake County, IL, is of this branch.

The picture below is of John Jenkinson, Jr 1852-1905., younger brother of Elizabeth Jenkinson Fulton

Elizabeth Jenkinson Fulton’s later years:
After Elizabeth’s husband William died in Iowa in 1909, Elizabeth continued to live with her son James Albert Fulton in Iowa. In the 1910 census, they are living in Sioux Township, in Clay County, Iowa. Elizabeth was still living in Spencer, Clay County, Iowa at the death of her Mother Ellen on Feb. 19, 1914. By Christmas 1915, Elizabeth was back in Waukegan, living with her Brother-in-Law and Sister James and Ellen “Nellie” Hollinrake at 175 Butrick Street in Waukegan as I have several Christmas cards written to her in 1915 at that address. She was still there as of her birthday in March 1916 per a card written to her from her daughter Ada Groth in Iowa. By 1920 Elizabeth was living with her son Robert C. Fulton on North Ave. in Waukegan.

The picture below is of Elizabeth "Lizzy" Jenkinson Fulton and a granddaugther, date unknown.

Elizabeth continued to live in Waukegan with her relatives. While on a trip to visit her daughter Matilda “Tillie” Hayden in Cassopolis, Michigan in November 1923 Elizabeth became ill. She died on November 16, 1923 in Cassopolis, Michigan. The cause of death is described in one obituary as an attack of acute indigestion and in another as an attack of heart trouble. She was 85 years old. She is buried next to William in Riverside Cemetery in Spencer, Clay County, Iowa. At her death she had 34 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

An excerpt from the Obituary of Elizabeth Jenkinson Fulton from the Spencer, Iowa newspaper:
            “… Mrs. Fulton has made her home with her children, who honor her memory as a true and loving mother. She was a member of the Episcopal Church and always led the life of a devout Christian, loved and respected by all who knew her. Although eighty-five years of age she has always been active, retaining all her faculties and taking an interest in the affairs of the day.”

Richard S. Fulton's Web Site

Family History

The Fulton - Jenkinson Family of Waukegan, Illinois

Elizabeth Jenkinson "Lizzy" Fulton Born March 25, 1838, Died November 16, 1923

The picture below is Elizabeth Jenkinson Fulton and her four of her six Jenkinson sisters taken in Waukegan probably about 1880. One sister, Jane, died on the journey to America from Ireland in 1850. Sister Mary Jenkinson Langham is not in the photo.

Elizabeth Jenkinson "Lizzy" Fulton
Born March 25, 1838, Died November 16, 1923