Parents

Son of Joseph Sanford JENKINS & Amanda Lucinda TAYLOR.

Life History

Notes

• Family information from the previous generation indicates that in hisyouth Joseph Asa was called Jode (I think it was pronounced Jodie).  An early family notation also spells his middle name as Acy.  My dad, Orville Lee Jenkins, also called his brother Asa by this name all his life.
  
  Joseph moved across the border into Indian Territory at Healdton, Chickasaw Nation, near the Texas border.  This was in the western side ofwhat became Stephens County, Oklahoma.  They were in Chickasaw Nationby 1893, because Sallie was born in December 1893 in Wapanucka, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory.  Wapanucka is in what became Johnston County, also in what was Chickasaw Nation.  It is east of Carter County, some distance east from Ardmore, and even further from Healdton.  But Marlow, where Joe's family are living in 1900, is even farther awaythan these two towns.
  
  Joseph Asa with wife Hester (Hattie) and family are recorded in the 1900 Chickasaw Nation (Stephens County, Oklahoma) census.  They are in Marlow, later county seat of Stephens County.
  
  1900 Census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, District 164, Marlow, Page #310, Family #133
  Jenkins, Joe    Head    W M  JUN 1866  33 M-13 TX SC GA Farmer
  Jenkins, Hattie     Wife   W  F  JUL 1870  29 M-13 TX TN TX (6-4 CH)
  Jenkins, James     Son   W M  JAN 1888 12          TX TX TX
  Jenkins, Joseph B Son  W M  OCT 1889 10          TX TX TX
  Jenkins, Sallie H   Dau  W  F  DEC 1893   6          Ind Terr TX TX
  Jenkins, Mary N    Dau   W  F  OCT 1897   2        Ind Terr TX TX
  
  They moved after a short while to Marlow, where Joe leased a farm fora while.  He moved into Marlow town shortly after Sallie was born in December 1893.  From about 1902 he lived on a farm near Bradley.  In December 1903 or January 1904 (after the birth of Thomas Asa on the farm 3 November 1903), the family moved into Bradley town, to run a store and serve as postmaster.  They lived there till after the birth of Nannie May in October 1905, probably moving after the winter in 1906.
  
  At any rate they were in Marlow before the death of Nannie May in September 1906-7.  Nannie May was buried in Marlow Cemetery.  Soon after Nannie's death, Joseph became the city marshall in Marlow, serving forabout 3 years.
  
  1910 Federal Census, Stephens County, Oklahoma, 2 May, District #239,p #18A, Wall Township, Marlow City, Fourth Ward, Family #347:
  Jenkins, Joseph A. Head M W 43 m-2 9-yrs TX SC MS City Marshall
  Jenkins, Julia V. Wife F W 29 m-1 9-yrs 5/4 GA GA TX (should be NC)
  Jenkins, Sallie Dau F W 16 s OK TX TX
  Jenkins, Mary Dau F W 13 s OK TX TX
  Jenkins, Mabel Dau F W 8 s OK TX TX
  Jenkins, Asa Son M W 7 s OK TX TX
  Jenkins, Rondafay Dau F W 3 s OK TX TX
  
  In this census, the birthplace of Julia is reported as Georgia.  There are a couple of other reports of Georgia as her birthplace, but most censuses report Texas as her state of birth.  In fact, her parents are reported in the 1880 census in McLennan County, Texas.  Julia was born a few months later that same year.
  
  Shortly after the 1910 census, Joe moved his family to Mountain View.  He first farmed on a farm of his brother-in-law Bill Christian, then moved to an Indian lease farm.  Harold Christian tells the story:
  
  "By about 1910 he had decided to move his family from Marlow to Mountain View, Oklahoma, where he was to settle for a few years supporting his family by farming. ...
  "[Some time after the marriage of daughter Sallie and Cleve Christianin November 1911] Joseph is believed to have moved his family from Bill Christian's farm at Oakdale [north of Mountain View just across thecounty line into Caddo County] to an Indian lease he subsequently obtained southeast of Mountain View."
  -- Jenkins Family History (private paper) by Harold K Christian
  
  There is a story of their moving to Vancouver, British Columbia, for about 1-2 years during World War I.  Joseph Asa mentions this in his television interview on WKY-TV in Oklahoma City in 1955.  Some commentsfrom the story, by Joseph or from some of his children's memories, are unclear whether the whole family or just some of the family moved to Canada.  They returned to Mt View after this interim of working in Vancouver.
  
  The Jenkins Family History by Harold Keith Christian, p 19, reports that "[After the birth of Netheline in December 1918] Joseph is believed to have moved his family from Mountain View first to a farm south of Fort Cobb and sometime thereafter into Fort Cobb."
  
  1920 Census, Kiowa County, Oklahoma, 3 January, Mt View, District 14,Page 1A, Hse/Fam #1
  Jenkins, Joseph A  Head  M W 54  TX NC MS Farmer
  Jenkins, Juliva  Wife  FW 39 TX GA NC
  Jenkins, Ronda F  Dau F W 12 OK TX TX
  Jenkins, Author C  Son M W 10 OK TX TX
  Jenkins, Orville L  Son M W 7 OK TX TX
  Jenkins, Gladys L  Dau F W 5 OK TX TX
  Jenkins, Matty N  Dau F W 1 OK TX TX
  
  Harold Christian continues:  "[After moving to Fort Cobb], it is believed he managed an orphan's home for about the first year.  Apparentlynot satisfied with that he again entered the profession of law enforcement, first serving as a deputy to the Town Marshall and subsequentlyas Town Marshall."
  
  There is some discrepancy over the times as given by Harold, from family memories he collected.  In the 1920 census, he is still farming inMt View Township.  He moved to Fort Cobb some time later, or perhaps he became town marshall of Ft Cobb while retaining the farm near Mt. View, and the family was still living there during the 1920 census.
  
  A report from his daughter Mabel would place the beginning of the Marshall job in October 1921, though they could have been living in the town already before that time.  Harold Christian quotes Joe's daughter Mabel as saying:  "When Kerwin was about 3-4 days old, Poppa was made City Marshall."   Kerwyn was born in October 1921.  If Mabel's memory is right, then Joseph Asa became Marshall of Fort Cobb in October 1921.
  
  He was a peace officer for a total of 20 years, serving as chief of police in Marlow, deputy sheriff in Mountain View and city marshall of Fort Cobb.
  
  Here is the information for this family from the 1930 census record from Fort Cobb, Caddo County, Oklahoma.
  
  Note that birthplace of Julia as well as Joe is given as Texas.  Thiscorroborates earlier reports that she alone of all the Terry childrenwas born in Texas, though those after her were born in Georgia until the final child born in Oklahoma.  The presence in Texas for Julia's birth, followed by the subsequent presence of her family back in MurrayCounty, Georgia, is still unexplained.
  
  1930 Census, Kiowa County, Oklahoma, 1 April, Fort Cobb, District 26,p 9A, Hse #181, Fam #215
  Joe A Jenkins  Head  M W 63 TX MS MS
  Julia Jenkins  Wife  F W 49 TX GA NC
  Carthel Jenkins son M W 20 OK TX TX
  Orville Jenkins son M W 17 OK TX TX
  Lahoma Jenkins dau F W 12 OK TX TX
  Netheline Jenkins dau F W 11 OK TX TX
  Virginia Jo Jenkins dau F W 4 yrs 8 mos OK TX TX
  Rondafaye Jenkins dau F W 22 OK TX TX
  
  Note that Rhonda's name is written all as one name rather than two, as the family seem to have it.  This was the case in 1910 also, when her name was spelled spelled Rhondafay.  It is also unusual that in 1930 her name is entered last, though she is the oldest child still at home.
  
  Joe and Jennie lived in Ft Cobb till 1935, when he moved to Chickasha.  This is where he lived during my childhood.
  
  Joe and Jennie had been residents in the Chickasha Nursing Home, Chickasha, Grady, Oklahoma, for some time before Joe's death in 1962.  I have not found in family information exactly when they moved to this assisted-care living.  I remember visiting them there on occasion, when our family would visit Chickasha from our Texas home.  I was also present there when Pappa Joe died.  I remember my father and some of his siblings being in the upstairs room with their father.  He was not fully conscious at that time, as I remember.
  
  Funeral Services were held on Thursday, 4 April 1962, at the Sevier Funeral Home in Chickasha, with burial following in Fairlawn Cemetery, Hwy 81 North in Chickasha.

Sources

• 1. Gravestone of Joseph Asa and Julia Virginia Jenkins, Fairlawn Cemetery, Chickasha, Oklahoma
• 2. Obituary of Joseph Asa Jenkins, Oklahoma City paper, name unknown, June 1962
• 3. Jenkins Family History by Harold Keith Christian
  • pp 14-15
• 4. Jenkins Family History by Harold Keith Christian
  • p 13
• 5. Jenkins Journal, April 1982, by Harold Keith Christian
  • p 2
• 6. Jenkins Family History by Harold Keith Christian
• 7. 1900 Federal Census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory
  • 19 June, Marlow Town, District 164, page 8A (scan page 310A), Hse #131
• 8. 1910 Federal Census, Stephens County, Oklahoma
  • 2 May, District 239, page 18A, (scan p 251), Wall Township, Marlow Cit
• 9. Jenkins Family History by Harold Keith Christian
  • p 18
• 10. Jenkins Family History by Harold Keith Christian
  • p 15
• 11. 1920 Federal Census, Kiowa County, Oklahoma
  • 3 January, Mt View Township, District 14, Page 1A, Hse/Fam #1
• 12. 1930 Federal Census, Caddo County, Oklahoma
  • 1 April, Fort Cobb Town, District 26, p 9A, Hse #181, Fam #215
• 13. Jenkins Family History by Harold Keith Christian
  • p 19
• 14. Jenkins Family History by Harold Keith Christian
  • p 17
• 15. Orville Boyd Jenkins, Personal Knowledge
• 16. 1930 Federal Census, Kiowa County, Oklahoma
  • 1 April, Fort Cobb, District 26, p 9A, Hse #181, Fam #215
• 17. Gravestone of Mabel Jenkins Hill, Fairlawn Cemetery, Chickasha, Oklahoma
• 18. Social Security Death Index
• 19. Jenkins Family Notes by Lou Ila Jenkins, uncertain source, 1950s
• 20. Marlow (Oklahoma) Cemetery List
  • Name: http://www.rootsweb.com/~okstephe/MarlowCem2.txt;
• 21. RootsWeb Death and Interment Records
  • Interment Record for Rhonda Fay Boyd, http://userdb.rootsweb.com/cemet
• 22. Jenkins Family History by Harold Keith Christian
  • Joseph Asa Jenkins Family Group Record
• 23. R Christian GED
  • Joseph Asa Jenkins Family Group Sheet
• 24. Asa Jenkins Family Interview by Orville Boyd Jenkins, 29 May 2007
• 25. Texas Death Index, 1903-2000
  • Certificate 47522
• 26. Jenkins Family History by Harold Keith Christian
  • p. 16; and Joseph Asa Jenkins Family Group Record
• 27. Joseph Asa Jenkins Family Group Report, Harold Christian GED
• 28. 1930 Federal Census, Caddo County, Oklahoma
  • 1 April, Fort Cobb, District 26, p 9A, Hse #181, Fam #215
• 29. Harold K Christian, Pedigree Chart, January 1990
• 30. Julia Virginia Terry Jenkins, personal interview by Lou Ila Jenkins, about 1955
• 31. 1900 Federal Census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory
  • 19 June, Marlow Town, District 164, page 8A
• 32. U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
• 33. California Death Index, 1940-1997
  • Name: Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000;
• 34. 1920 Federal Census, Washita County, Oklahoma
  • Oakdale, District 192, page 8A, Farm House #129, Family #127
• 35. 1910 Federal Census -- Oklahoma
• 36. Jenkins Family History by Harold Keith Christian
  • p 16
• 37. 1900 Federal Census, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory
  • 19 June, Marlow Town, District 164, page 8A, Hse #131, Fam #133
• 38. 1920 Federal Census, Wichita County, Texas
  • 13 January, Burkburnett Town, District 197, page 8B, Hse #157, Fam #20
• 39. 1910 Federal Census, Stephens County, Oklahoma
  • 2 May, District #239, p #18A, Wall Township, Marlow City, Fourth Ward
• 40. 1930 Federal Census, Caddo County, Oklahoma
  • 4 April, North Cobb Township. District 44, page 3A, Hse/Fam #40
• 41. Marriage License
  • Cass County Marriage Bk 6, p14