William Jinkins History Pages

William and Louisa Durst Jinkins

William Jinkins, youngest son of Elisha and Lesha Wilt Jinkins, grandson of Samuel Jinkins.

William and Louise Jinkins lived on a farm on Salt Block Ridge, about five miles southeast of Grantsville. He was a large man weighing near 250 pounds. He was a good farmer, good citizen, and had an excellent personality. He was the owner and operator of one of the first horse-powered threshers in Western Maryland. It took eight to twelve horses to operate the machine.

Louisa reportedly was a quiet woman, a faithful wife, and a loving mother. She was a thrifty homemaker, excellent cook, and loved by all who knew her. Their children were Jacob Arnold, Sarah Elizabeth, Rebecca Jane, Ida Catherine, Charles Hamilton, and Ralph Keller.

Arnold Jenkins, who married Mary Diefenbach of Mars Hill, was a farmer and very handy with tools. His farm was about three miles southeast of Grantsville and one mile south of Rte. 40. He was a quiet, hard-working man, small in stature and slender.

Sarah Elizabeth Jinkins married Samuel Brenneman, and they lived at Bittinger. He was a farmer and described as an "excellent citizen, faithful husband, and loving father".

Rebecca Jane Jinkins never married. She kept house for her brother, Charles. She was a large, good-natured person.

Ida Catherine Jinkins married Lyman Galloway and they moved to Clifton Mills, West Virginia.

Charles Hamilton Jinkins never married. He had a serious speech impediment which made it difficult for people to understand him. He had a small farm in the New Germany area.

Ralph Keller Jenkins married Anna Viola Stephens and lived in the New Germany area on a farm.

(Most of the family now spells the name with an e. Samuel Jinkins name was mostly recorded by census takers as being spelled with an e. The only time Elisha Jinkins' last name was spelled with an e was in the family bible to record his death. His second wife, Zillah Dimmitt Jinkins brought suit in 1858 in the Allegany County court against the estate but later dropped the suit.)