Family History
Elijah Daniel Jenkins
December 25, about 1847 – December 6, 1909
Elijah Daniel Jenkins was born in Georgia, probably in or near Newton County, on December 25 of about 1847. The identity of his parents has not been established.
| Date | Place | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | Newton County, Georgia | Census, age 4, in the household of George Washington Bagby1 |
| 1863 | Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia | Enlistment, Company B, 8th Georgia State Guards2 |
| 1867 | DeKalb County, Georgia | Marriage to Sarah Thomason Thornton3 |
| 1867 | Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia | Oath and voter registration4 |
| 1870 | Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia | Census, with Sarah and her four sons5 |
| 1880 | Jasper County, Mississippi | Federal census, with Mary Ann, Alice and John7 |
| 1880 | Jasper County, Mississippi | State census, as E. Jinkins8 |
| 1900 | Jasper County, Mississippi | Federal census, birth reported as December 18479 |
| 1907 | Jasper County, Mississippi | Enumeration of Confederate soldiers10 |
| 1909 | Bay Springs, Mississippi | Death reported in two local newspapers11 12 |
No 1860 census entry has been located for Elijah.
Early Life in the Bagby Household
The earliest record located for Elijah is the 1850 census of Newton County, Georgia, enumerated on August 13. He was then living in the household of George Washington Bagby and his wife, Winiford “Winnie” Johnson Bagby, together with Sarah and Tempey Bagby.1 The census does not state relationships, and no record has been located that explains his presence in the household. The available evidence strongly indicates that George and Winnie served as his guardians or raised him.
Civil War Service and First Marriage
On August 4, 1863, Elijah enlisted at Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia, in Company B of the 8th Georgia State Guards. George Washington Bagby enlisted on the same date and in the same regiment.2
On March 28, 1867, Elijah married Sarah Ann Margaret Jane Thomason (also spelled Thomasson) in DeKalb County.3 Sarah, then about 38, was the widow of Lewis N. Thornton and the mother of four sons: William Jackson, James J., John S. and Lewis Thornton. No children are known from her marriage to Elijah. On July 2 of that year he took the oath at Decatur, stating that he was born in Georgia.4
The 1870 census, enumerated on June 10, records three consecutive households in Decatur: Winney Bagby; Richard Thomason, Sarah’s father; and Elijah and Sarah with her sons.5
Removal to Jasper County, Mississippi
No record has been located that shows when or why Elijah left Georgia, or how he came to know Mary Ann Arledge Hodges. Mary Ann was already living in Jasper County. Her parents had died when she was young, and she was raised by her maternal grandparents, John H. and Milly Arledge.
The first record that firmly places Elijah in Mississippi is the 1880 census of Jasper County, enumerated on July 6. He was living with Mary Ann and their children, Alice and John, next to the Arledge household. He reported that he was born in Georgia, that his father was born in Tennessee, and that his mother was born in South Carolina.7 The 1900 census, enumerated on July 25, again gives Tennessee for his father but gives Georgia for his mother. It also gives Mississippi as Elijah’s own birthplace, which is known to be incorrect.9
Sarah remained in DeKalb County. In 1880 she was living with her father near Winney Bagby, using the surname Jenkins and reporting herself as married. It is not known whether she and Elijah were ever divorced, or what became of her after 1880.
Mary Ann Arledge Hodges
Mary Ann was born about 1850–1854. Her records disagree on the year. The most specific date is August 1850, from the 1900 census.9 Her other census ages point to years between about 1850 and about 1858, and her gravestone gives 1854.7 18 17
In 1900 she reported that she was the mother of six children, four of whom were living. This agrees with the six known children and supports Allie’s identification as her daughter, although Allie was born before the marriage date the couple reported.9 Mary Ann died on October 2, 1926.15
Children of Elijah and Mary Ann
Elijah and Mary Ann had six known children. Each name in the chart links to that person’s FamilySearch profile, which requires a free account. The children who reached adulthood also have their own family pages.
Two children died in infancy. Robert was born on February 4, 1886, and died on June 4, 1887. Eula was born on June 6, 1888, and died on July 23, 1889. Both are buried at Bay Springs Cemetery.15
Death and Burial
In December 1909 Elijah traveled into Bay Springs and departed for home late in the day. He was found dead on the road, together with the horse he was riding. Local newspapers attributed his death to contact with a low telephone line that had crossed an electric light wire. The Bay Springs News gave this account:11
“E Jenkins Killed – Mr. E. Jenkins was in town Monday and left for home late in the evening, and was found dead near the Bob Land place about a half an hour after leaving town. Mr. Jenkins and the horse he was riding were both dead. It is supposed that Mr. Jenkins in passing under the telephone wire raised it with his hand. The wire across the road when Mr. Jenkins fell was very low and would strike a man on horseback about his breast. Further proof of this theory, is, Mr. Jenkins’ hand was burnt. The telephone wire and electric light wire were in contact that evening. The telephone wire was afire in several places in town and had to be torn out of several houses.
It is a very sad occurrence and those in charge of the wire should see to it that they are kept apart. Mr. Jenkins was a good man and a good citizen. The whole community is sad over his untimely death. Had there been a thunder storm at that hour it would have been a clear case of a stroke of lightning. But there was no thunder or lightning at that hour.
Mr. Jenkins was buried in the Mt. Nebo cemetery.”
He is buried at Bay Springs Cemetery in Jasper County, the cemetery the newspaper called Mt. Nebo.13
Unresolved Questions
- Who were Elijah’s parents, and why was he living with the Bagby family in 1850?
- When did he leave Georgia, and what brought him to Jasper County?
- What became of his marriage to Sarah after 1870?
- How is he related to the other Jenkins families whose descendants match his through DNA?
Current theories appear in the Research Notes, beginning with the posts on Elijah and his children.