The Honorable John J. Jenkins | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States District Judgefor theDistrict of Puerto Rico | |
| In office May 1910 – June 10, 1911 | |
| Appointed by | William Howard Taft |
| Preceded by | Bernard Shandon Rodey |
| Succeeded by | Paul Charlton |
| Chair of theU.S. House Committee on the Judiciary | |
| In office March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1909 | |
| Preceded by | George W. Ray |
| Succeeded by | Richard W. Parker |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives | |
| In office March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1909 | |
| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | Irvine Lenroot |
| Constituency | Wisconsin's 11th district |
| In office March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1903 | |
| Preceded by | Nils P. Haugen |
| Succeeded by | Webster E. Brown |
| Constituency | Wisconsin's 10th district |
| United States Attorneyfor theTerritory of Wyoming | |
| In office March 1, 1876 – 1880 | |
| President | Ulysses S. Grant Rutherford B. Hayes |
| Preceded by | Joseph M. Carey |
| Succeeded by | Anthony C. Campbell |
| County Judge ofChippewa County, Wisconsin | |
| In office July 1872 – March 1, 1876 | |
| Appointed by | Cadwallader C. Washburn |
| Preceded by | William R. Hoyt |
| Succeeded by | Roujet D. Marshall |
| Member of theWisconsin State Assembly from theChippewa district | |
| In office January 1, 1872 – April 1872 | |
| Preceded by | James A. Bate(Chippewa–Dunn) |
| Succeeded by | Albert Pound |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1843-08-24)August 24, 1843 |
| Died | June 10, 1911(1911-06-10) (aged 67) |
| Resting place | Forest Hill Cemetery,Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Private,USV |
| Unit | 6th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
John James Jenkins (August 24, 1843 – June 10, 1911) was anEnglish American immigrant, lawyer, judge, andRepublican politician. He served seven terms as a member of theUnited States House of Representatives, representing northwestWisconsin, and served one year asUnited States district judge for theDistrict of Puerto Rico.[1][2]
John Jenkins was born inWeymouth,Dorsetshire,England. Heemigrated with his parents at age 8, first settling inSauk County, Wisconsin, then relocating in 1852 toBaraboo, Wisconsin.[3]
At the outbreak of theAmerican Civil War, Jenkins, then seventeen years old, volunteered for service with theUnion Army against his parents' wishes.[4][3] He was enrolled as aprivate in Company A of the6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. The 6th Wisconsin Infantry was a component of theIron Brigade of theArmy of the Potomac throughout the war, and Jenkins participated in nearly all the regiment's marches and battles, includingGainesville,Antietam,Gettysburg, andUlysses S. Grant'sOverland Campaign.[3] His three-year enlistment was due to expire in May 1864, but he re-enlisted as a veteran in January. He was discharged due to disability on February 27, 1865.[3]
After the war, Jenkins returned to Baraboo and was employed as araftsman on theWisconsin River, running timber fromGermantown andGrand Rapids toSt. Louis. In 1867, he was elected asSauk Countycourt clerk for theWisconsin circuit court, and was re-elected in 1869. Heread law in his spare time, without the assistance of a teacher, and was admitted to theState Bar of Wisconsin in July 1870. He resigned as court clerk in October 1870 and moved toChippewa Falls. There, he became the junior partner in a law partnership withJames M. Bingham, known as Bingham & Jenkins, and was elected city attorney of Chippewa Falls in 1871.[5]
Later that year, he stood as theRepublican candidate forWisconsin State Assembly in the newChippewa County district (Chippewa had previously shared a district with Dunn County). In the Fall election, he won with 56% of the vote.[5] In the Assembly, he served on the committee on incorporations.[5]
The 1872 session ended in March, and later that year, Jenkins was appointed County Judge of Chippewa County by GovernorCadwallader C. Washburn. He was elected to a full term in 1873, but resigned in 1876 after he was appointedUnited States Attorney for theWyoming Territory by U.S. PresidentUlysses S. Grant.[6] He served a four-year term as U.S. Attorney, returning to Chippewa Falls in 1880 and resuming his law practice.[1]
In 1894, four-term incumbent congressmanNils P. Haugen announced he would not seek another term. The Republican district convention nominated Jenkins on the first ballot as their candidate inWisconsin's 10th congressional district.[7] He won the Fall general election with 58% of the vote.[8]
He served as a Representative from that district for the54th through the57thcongresses. In the1900 United States census, Wisconsin gained another congressional seat, and in the subsequentredistricting, Jenkins was drawn into the new11th Congressional District. In that district, Jenkins was elected to another three terms, serving in the58th,59th, and60th congresses.[9] He also served as Chairman of theHouse Judiciary Committee during those three terms.
In 1908, he was defeated in the Republicanprimary byIrvine Lenroot. Jenkins was a casualty of the Republican internecine conflict between conservatives andprogressives. Lenroot was a progressive and a close friend ofRobert M. La Follette, the leader of the Progressive Republicans in Wisconsin and an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for President in 1908. Lenroot accused Jenkins of being a tool of the reactionary old-guard Republicans, due to his close association with House SpeakerJoseph Gurney Cannon.[10] Lenroot was also assisted in his campaign by an alliance with theProhibition Party.[11] Lenroot ultimately carried the primary by about 6,000 votes and went on to win the general election, succeeding Jenkins.
Jenkins returned for one final public service in 1910, when PresidentWilliam Howard Taft appointed him to serve a four-year term asUnited States district judge forPuerto Rico. Jenkins assumed that post in May 1910 but became ill and was unable to perform much judicial work. In April 1911, he requested a two-month leave-of-absence to return to Wisconsin and recuperate. He died on June 10, 1911, at his home in Chippewa Falls,[4][12] and was succeeded byPaul Charlton.
| Wisconsin State Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James A. Bate (Chippewa–Dunn) | Member of theWisconsin State Assemblyfrom theChippewa district January 1, 1872 – January 6, 1873 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromWisconsin's 10th congressional district March 4, 1895 – March 4, 1903 | Succeeded by |
| District created | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromWisconsin's 11th congressional district March 4, 1903 – March 4, 1909 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chairman of theHouse Judiciary Committee March 4, 1903 – March 4, 1909 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by William R. Hoyt | County Judge ofChippewa County, Wisconsin July 1872 – March 1, 1876 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States Attorneyfor theTerritory of Wyoming March 1, 1876 – 1880 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States District Judgefor theDistrict of Puerto Rico 1910–1911 | Succeeded by |
