Bela Whipple Jenks, Jr.

In the fall of 1869, he was elected State Senator from the Twenty-fourth Senatorial District, comprising St. Clair County; and was re-elected to the same position in 1871. Republican.

The Republican has the sad duty of announcing to its readers the death of Hon. Bela Whipple Jenks, one of St. Clair's best known and most loved citizens, which occurred last Saturday morning. For a number of months it has been known that Mr. Jenks was bravely fighting a diabetic disease which was relentlessly sapping his life away. His friends hoped he would continue for some time to be with them in the enjoyment of the retrospect of a long life well spent, and in the respect of all of his fellow townsmen. But as summer waned into autumn it became apparent to those around him that he was steadily failing, although everything was being done that the best medical skill and tender nursing could do, and on Saturday morning the end came.
Throughout this part of Michigan Mr. Jenks has always been held in the highest esteem for his many admirable qualities, and he is well known over the entire state because of his part in the shaping of the educational policy of Michigan while he was a member of the state board of education. He was appointed a member of this body by Gov. David Jerome in 1881, and was elected to membership on the board in 1882 fro a term of six years. In the fall of 1869 he was elected state senator and re-elected in 1871.
Bela Whipple Jenks was born in Crown Point, Essex Co., N.Y., June 6, 1824. He sprang from colonial stock, having descended from Joseph Jenks, who came to America in 1642, made the dies for the first coinage of American money, the Pine Tree shilling, and formed the first scythe ever used in this country. Jeremiah Jenks, a revolutionary ancestor, aided in the second capture of Fort Ticonderoga June 9, 1777.
Mr. Jenks leaves a considerable family who enjoy the high regard felt for its head.
He was married to Miss Sarah Carleton, of Granville, N.Y., November 3, 1853. Previous to this time he had moved to St. Clair. He came here in 1848 and for three years had conducted a select school. Mrs. Jenks and seven children, Charles C., of Detroit, William L., Frank D. and Mrs. J. O. West, of Port Huron; Mrs. H. W. Jones, of Houghton; Russ S., of this city, and George S., of Pittsburgh, Pa., survive the deceased,
Mr. Jenks was a member of the Masonic order and although not an active member of late years, yet he loved the order and all that pertained to it.
The deceased was a republican who was never known to waver in fidelity, but the members of opposing parties always yielded him the utmost respect, and his party was always proud to name him as one of a distinguished men. Yet he was in no sense a politician and cared nothing about holding office, but it was not strange to find in a man of his broad caliber an intimate knowledge of matters pertaining to the affairs of government, city, state, and national, and this interest was ever that of large-minded, liberal-hearted citizen, desirous of the well being of the community in which he resided and the country where he was born.