Thomas Jenks

A Patriot of the American Revolution for PENNSYLVANIA. DAR Ancestor #: A062222

"Thomas Jenks was brought up a farmer, joined the Friends in 1723, married Mercy Wildman, of Middletown, in 1731, and afterwards removed to that township, where he spent his life. He bought six hundred acres south-east of Newtown, on which he erected his homestead, which he called Jenks' Hall, and built a fulling-mill on Core creek that runs through the premises, several years before 1742. He led an active business life, lived respected, and died the 4th of May, 1797, at the good old age of ninety-seven. He was small in stature, but sprightly, temperate in his habits, and of great physical vigor. At the age of ninety he walked fifty miles in a week, and at ninety-two his eye-sight and hearing were both remarkably good. He had lived to see the wilderness and haunts of wild beasts become the seats of polished life." •~ from a History of Bucks County (public domain)

see also: A Genealogical and Personal History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania by : William Watts Hart Davis Genealogical Publishing Com, 1905 - Bucks County (Pa.) - 732 pages

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Newtown’s third major Revolutionary event did not end so well for the Americans. In February 1778, about forty British Light Dragoons under the command of Newtown resident Richard Hovenden marched against his former home. The troops captured a fulling mill in Middletown (now under Lake Luxembourg) needed by the American army, and went on to Newtown where in a skirmish they wounded nine men and captured Major Francis Murray and about 30 soldiers. Unfortunately, for Murray, who was home visiting his family, this was the second time during the war he had been captured. He had previously been captured at Fort Washington in October 1776 and released the following December. ~• this was the Jenks' mill