USA > Iowa > Howard County > Lime Springs > History of the Welsh in Minnesota, Foreston and Lime Springs, Ia. gathered by the old settlers > Part 21
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HUGHES, HUGH D .- Born at Minersville, Pa., February 3, 1847. Son of Robert E. and Catherine Hughes ( Califor- nia). Came to Judson, Minn., with his parents from Portage Prairie, in 1867. Married Margaret, daughter of Robert Rob- erts, of Judson, Minn., April, 1870. Followed farming for a few years, but having learned the carpenter's trade he re- moved to Mankato in 1886 and has since followed this occu- pation in which he is quite proficient. Like his father he is passionately fond of music and has a good tenor voice. He has trained and led several choirs to victory in musical con- tests, and has charge of the music at the Welsh church at Mankato. Ilis daughter, Jennie, is also developing mich musical ability-vocal and instrumental. She is the organist at the Welsh church and has sung in a number of prominent choirs.
HUGHES, REV. RICHARD-Born at Talyllychan, Car- marthenshire, May 8, 1825, and is the son of the late Rev. David Hughes, Llanelli, South Wales. His mother was a
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daughter of Rev. Richard Davies. Caio. Ile comes from a family whose pedigree can be traced to the old Nonconfor- mists. He was married at Llandybie in the same shire to Miss Sarah Rees, May 21, 1847. They have four sons and five daughters all living. Mr. HI. began preaching the gos- pel in 1848, was received as a preacher in 1850, and was ordained to the full work of the ministry of the Calvinistic Methodist church at Llandeilo, S. Wales in the year 1858. He was pastor in his native county for ten years, from 1800 to 1870, when he emigrated to America and became pastor of Elim and Saron churches in Le Sucur county, Minn., where he served faithfully for four years. In May, 1874, he took charge of Salem church. Long Creek, Iowa, as successor to Rev. Griffith Roberts. He served this church with success for . ten years. At this time Bethel church was built in the northern part of the settlement and Mr. II. became its pastor in 1884, serving it until compelled by ill health to resign in
1893. His labors, care and success in superintending the missionary work of the church in the west has been so great that he has been honored with the title, "the bishop of the west." He visited his native country in 1884, and was warmly received by his old friends and associates. No minister of the gospel among the Welsh people is better known in Wales and America than Mr. Hughes. For a few years he has been almost totally blind and the Welsh people, as an expression of their sympathy with him in his affliction and of appreciation of his great services, have recently given him a testimonial of over one thousand dollars.
HUGHES, ROBERT E. - ( California. ) Born at Porthma- doc, Carnarvonshire, Wales, December 20. 1819. Ilis parents were Evan and Jane Hughes. His father was a weaver by trade and soon after Robert was born went to live at Festin- iog. When a young man Robert left home to work in the coal mines of Merthyr Tydfil, and about 1839 he emigrated to America, settling in Pennsylvania where he married at Potts- ville in 1842, Catherine, daughter of William and Catherine Davies, who were from Dowlais Glanmorganshire, Wales. In 1849 he went to the California gold fields. He remained there until 1851, when he returned and removed his family at once to Portage Prairie, Wis., where he purchased a good farm. In 1867 he removed to Judson, Minn., where he again engaged in farming. In the spring of 1876 he received a severe stroke of paralysis which clouded his intellect. September 29, of
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Rev. Richard Hughes.
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the same year his wife died, and he followed her to the better land December 13, 1881. He was a man of more than ordinary ability and took much interest in Eistedd fodan and literature. He was a good musician and did much in training the young people of the neighborhoods where he lived in music. He was also a faithful elder of the C. M. church for years. His sur- viving children are: Hugh D .. Martha, Alexander and James.
HUGHES, HON. ROBERT H .- Born at Llanuwehlin, Mer- ionethshire, Wales, December 29, 1832. His parents were named Hugh and Ann Hughes and were among the old set- tlers of Blue Earth county, Minn. He emigrated with his parents to the vicinity of Utica, N. Y., in the spring of 1846. Thence he removed to Nelson. Madison county, N. Y. He was married to Miss Hannah Bumford, daughter of William Bumford, Esq., of Utica, N. Y., in October, 1853. In 1854 they removed to Cambria, Wis., where they resided until 1862 when they came to Blue Earth county, Minn., arriving in the town of Judson where they located on a farm on the 6th day of September of that year. In 1865 he removed to his present farm in the town of Cambria. Mr. Hughes is a man of good ability and has always taken a very active part in the politi- cal affairs of his community, and has almost continuously held office in his municipality-for eighteen years he has been on the board of supervisors-generally as chairman, twenty-five years he was justice of the peace. Twice he was elected member of the state legislature -in 1874 and 1875. His child- ren are Mrs. Mary A., widow of Rev. David D. Jones, Tracy, Minn., Hugh H. Hughes of Lyon county, Win. F. and Byron Hughes, lawyers, of Mankato, Minn .. Mrs. Amelia Harris, wife of Evan L. Harris of Cambria, Minn., Ernest and Llewelyn Hughes of the same place.
HUGHES, REV. ROBERT W .- Is a native of North Wales, and was born December 21, 1841. His father's name was William Hughes, and his mother was the oldest daughter of the late patriarch, Hugh Roberts, and sister of the late Thos. H. Roberts, of Proscairon, Wis., all formerly from Carnarvon- shire, North Wales. When he was but two years old his father lost his life accidentally in the Dinorwie quarries. In about a year afterwards the widowed mother and her four children emigrated to America, settling in the northern part of Columbia county, Wisconsin. Like many other farmer boys, Robert attended the district school during the winters
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and worked on the farm in the summer. In 1861 he attended a graded school at Oshkosh, Wis., and then attended school for a number of years at Wayland University, Beaver Dam, Wis., intermitting terms of study with terms of farm work and teaching. In the year 1871, at Foreston, Iowa, where the family had removed, he commenced his career as a preacher of the gospel, and in the year 1874 was ordained to the full work of the ministry by the Welsh Synod of Minne- sota, convened at Jerusalem, Judson, Minn. In 1873 he became pastor of the Welsh church at Clay County, Iowa. He served as pastor of the church at Dawn, Mo., in 1876, and was pastor of his old home church at Foreston, lowa, from 1876 to 1881, a period of five years. Owing to certain cir- cumstances, of which we need not write, Mr. Hughes, in 1883, - united with the Congregational Association of lowa, and became pastor of a Congregational church at Polk City, near Des Moines. After serving this charge for a time he was appointed pastor at large for the state of Iowa. In 1889 he was chosen delegate to and attended the World's Sunday School Convention at London, England. In October, 1889, he was appointed district superintendent of the American Bible Society for the State of Iowa, in which work he is now engaged with marked success. Although broken down in health he holds to his work with the tenacity of love.
HUGHES, THIOS .- Lawyer, born at Minersville, O., Septem- ber 23, 1854. Son of Henry and Eliza Hughes, who removed to Blue Earth county, Minn., in October, 1855, and located on a farm in Cambria township the following June. Thomas remained on the home farm and attending school in District No. 11 until January, 1874, when he entered the Preparatory department of Carleton college, Northfield, Minn. He grad- uated A. B. from this college in 1880. Read law with Waite & Porter at Mankato, Minn., and was admitted to practice at the May term of the District Court, 1882. Purchasing the law library of Judge Waite he at once commenced the prac- tice of his profession at Mankato. Formed a law partnership with M. G. Willard in February, 1884, which continued until July, 1887. November 25, 1885, he married Miss Alice O., daughter of Amos B. and Sybil B. Hills, of Faribault, Minn., who was a graduate of Carleton college in the class of 1881. They have two children: Burton E. and Evan Raymond.
HUGHES, THOMAS-Born near Bodedern, Anglesca, Wales, in 1825. Son of Win. and Elizabeth Hughes. Ilis father was
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Thos. Hughes. MANKATO, MINN.
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Rowland W. Price. JUDSON, MINN.
Griffith J. Lewis. MANKATO, MINN.
Griffith Williams. MANKATO, MINN.
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Wm. P. Lewis. SUPERINTENDENT OF BLUE EARTH COUNTY POOR FARMI.
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Mr. and Mrs. Evan Bowen.
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Mrs. Wm. P. Lewis.
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Daniel T. Bowen. -SHERIFF OF BLUE EARTH COUNTY, MINN.
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a brother of Robert Hughes, Neuadd-y-blawd, author of "Gell Gymysg." When he was five years old his parents removed to the village of Bodedern, where for four years he attended school- He then spent five years with his uncle and aunt, Tyn-y-Cac, Llanfwrog, and the next four years were passed with Dr. Roberts, Mynyddygof, a very religious man. While here at the age of fourteen years he united with the C. M. church of Bodedern. After leaving the employ of Dr. Rob- erts he spent some time with Thomas Owens, Tyn y Cac. When twenty years old his brother, Owen Hughes, who was a sailor, induced him and all the family to emigrate to [xonia, Wis. In December, 1850, he returned to Wales and married Miss Jane, daughter of William and Elizabeth Roberts. Re- turning the young couple located on a farm in Ixonia, Wis., for five years, thence they moved to Bangor, Wis. for seven years, and thence in 1861 to Judson, Minn. In 1867 they re- moved to Mankato and Mr. Hughes was appointed Deputy Sheriff, which office he held for four years. In 1870 he re- moved to a farm in South Bend. In 15SS he and Rev. John W. Roberts made an extended visit to North and South Wales, and a number were induced by them to emigrate to Blue Earth county. In 1891 he retired from his farm and built a fine residence at Mankato where he and Mrs. Hughes now re- side in comfortable circumstances. They are worthy members of the C. M. church of Mankato and Mr. Hughes has been a prominent elder in the church for years.
HUGHES, REV. THOS. E. Was born at Clynnog, Carnar- vonshire, North Wales, June 27, 1844. He is the first born of eight children, five on whom are now living. His father is Mr. Benjamin Hughes, of Columbus, Wis. He came with his parents to the United States in the summer of 1845. The family settled at Columbus, Wis., where Mr. Hughes contin- ued to reside till the year 1868. He received his education in the common schools of the day and at Wayland University, a Baptist institution not far from his home. He served in the Union army for about three years-from August, 1862, to July, 1865-in Company G, Twenty-third Regiment, Wiscon- sin Volunteers. He commenced preaching at Salem church, Columbus, in 1866; was received by Presbytery in 1867, and ordained, with the Rev. Wm. Machno Jones, at Cambria, Wis., in 1870. He was united in marriage to Miss Grace James of the same place in 1868, who was a help-mate for him until her decease in August, 1892. From the years 1868
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to 1873 he was engaged in mission work among the Freedmen in the states of Arkansas and Missouri, under the auspices of the American Missionary association and the Welsh Presbyte- rian Synod of Wisconsin. For nearly the following two years he resided again at his old home in Wisconsin. In 1874 he accepted a call to the Williamsburg and Welsh Prairie churches in lowa where he served as pastor for fourteen years. In 1888 he removed to Minnesota, accepting a pastorate of Bethel and Horeb churches in Blue Earth county, where he still ministers. He has three children and an adopted dangh- ter daughter, viz .: Maggie J., Robert L., Bennie D., and Mary E. In 1884 he paid a visit to his native country.
HUGHES, THOS. R. -- Born at Columbus, Wis., in 1854. Ilis father, Richard A. Hughes, was from Bala, Merionethshire, Wales, and his mother, Eleanor (Jones) Hughes, was from Denbighshire. In June, 1870, he entered the service of the W. & St. P. Rv. as brakeman. He then worked for a few months in 1873 for the H. D. C. Rv. and in December of that year went to Texas in the employ of the HI. T. C. Ry. Came back in 1875 and worked again for the C., M. & St. P. Ry. until 1877 when he went on the O. & M. Ry., between Cin- cinnati, O., and Vincennes, Ind. In 1878 accepted a position on the C. & N. W. Ry., with which he still contiues as pas- senger conductor. October 30, 1880, he married Miss Hen- rietta Courthard, at Waseca, Miun. They have three child- ren: Archibald, Ethel and Eari.
HUGHES, WM. F. Born at Cambria, Wis., May 17, 1858. Son of Ilon. R. H. Hughes. Spent a number of years at the State Normal school at Mankato and the State University at Minneapolis. Read law with Brown & Wiswell, of Mankato, and was admitted to practice May 17, 1882. Opened an office at Ipswich, South Dakota, in partnership with a Mr. Rowlee, as Rowlee & Hughes, which continued for seven years. Mar- ried Miss Susie S. Strait in January, 1885. In April, 1890, he removed to Fairhaven, Wash., and formed a law partner- ship with Geo. Rice as Rice & Hughes. He wascity attorney of Fairhaven during 1891-2. In the spring of 1893 removed to Mankato and formed a partnership with his brother, Byron, as Hughes Bros. Mr. Rice came to Mankato in 1894 and joined the firm -- its name being changed to Hughes, Rice & Hughes. They enjoy a good practice.
HUGHES, WM. R. Born at Isonia, Wis., May 8, 1853. Son of Thomas and Jane Hughes. Came with his parents
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to Judson, Minn. in the fall of 1861 and removed with them to Mankato in 1869, where he attended the State Normal school for four years. He then worked seven years for B. Tuttle in the hardware business at Mankato. He then bought his father's farm in South Bend and operated it for six years. May 9, 1881, he married Miss Tryphoena. daughter of John and Elizabeth Lewis of Ixonia, Wis. In 1888 he retired from his farm and built a very handsome residence in the city of Man- kato, and engaged in the life insurance business, working for the Northwestern Mutual Life of Milwaukee and other com- panies. In 1893 he became afflicted with a cancer on the neck, which finally caused his death on February 4, 1895. Ile was a man of splendid business energy, of excellent char- acter and a faithful member of the Welsh church. He left him surviving his wife and two children, Thomas and Bessie. HUGHES, WILLIAM S. - Born at Ty Cochyn, Llanrhydd- lad, Anglesea, Wales, February 7. 1842. When about this- teen years old was apprenticed as pupil teacher in the British school of the parish. After leaving this school he entered the employ of a commission merchant in South Castle street. Liverpool. Emigrated in May, 1864, to Utica, N. Y., and thence in the spring of 1865 to Butternut Valley, Minn., and located on his farm in Section 4, where he still resides. Mar- ried Catherine, daughter of Hugh R. Williams, of Cambria. Minn. He has held a number of offices in his town and dur- ing 1879, 1880 and 1881 was county commissioner of Blue Earth county. He is a man of good education, and much force of character. Ile is also a faithful and prominent mem- ber of Bethel C. M. church.
ISAAC, REV. RICHARD-Born at Elwyn-y-Ci near Bala Merionethishire, Wales. His early days were spent at Gwy- ddelwern, working in his father's blacksmith shop. When he was sixteen years old his father died and he carried on the work alone. December 4th, 1840, he married Miss Elizabeth Roberts, of Tenant Gwyddelwern, a most estimable young woman. In the summer of 1842 they emigrated to America, settling at Trenton, Oneida county. N. Y., where he worked at his trade about two years. He then removoved to U'tica where he continued at the blacksmith trade for ten years. . \t Utica, about 1852, he began to preach at the C. M. churches. In 1854 be removed to Bryn Mawr, where he remained until April, 1857, when he went to take charge of the churches at Collinsville. Constableville and Tug fill, Lewis county. N.
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Y. He was ordained at the C. M. Synod which met at Utica, in 1858. The next spring he removed to South Trenton, N. Y., but after nine years he returned again to his old pastorate with the churches in Lewis county. In March, 1874 he accepted a call to the church of Foreston, Iowa, where he continued until his death which occurred February 7th, 1892. He was possessed of an excellent memory and strong reason- ing faculties which fitted him specially for doctrinal preach- ing. While not great as a popular preacher his sincerity and faithfulness as a pastor and his godly walk and conversation as a man gave him great power and efficiency with young and old.
JAMES, JAMES A .- Born in Wales, in December, 1837. His father died when he was a child. About 1849 he emi- grated to Paris, Portage Co., Ohio, and from there came to Henderson, Minn., in the spring of 1857, but in 1858 he returned to Ohio, where he married Miss Emerett L. Hine on January 2nd, 1862. Was in the mechanical service of the government during the last year of the civil war. In the spring of 1866 he came to Mankato, Minn., where he resided with his family until September, 1889, when he moved to Seattle, Wash., where he now resides. While at Mankato he followed the occupation of contractor and builder during the first few years. He served the city a number of years on its school board and city council. Three times he was elected to the Minnesota Legislature,-1885 to 1887. He was chief grain inspector of Minnesota under three governors-viz: Gov's. Hubbard in 1885, MeGill in 1886 and Merriam in 1887. He is a man of pleasing presence and address and of much more than ordinary ability. His fine sagacity and foresight, his persevering will and energy and splendid management of men and things have always made him a success in busi- ness and politics.
JAMES, JOHN E. - Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Decem- ber 30th, 1852. His parents, John and Winifred James, his sister Kate (now Mrs. Win. G. Davies, Milwaukee, ) and brother William, (for several years past foreign freight agent of New York Central & Hudson River R. R., New York City ) left Wales and landed at Boston, Mass., in the summer of 1847. Their steamship intended to make the port of New York City but went on the rocks of Nantucket Shoals in a fog and was compelled to make the port of Boston in an almost sinking condition. The family immediately started for the territory
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Rev. D. E. Evans. MINNEAPOLIS.
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Dr. U. G. Williams. MINNEAPOLIS.
C. W. Davies. MINNEAPOLIS.
C. J. Blythin. ST. PAUL.
W. J. Evans. ST. PAUL.
J. W. Thomas. MINNEAPOLIS.
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F. Wynne Jones. MINNEAPOLIS.
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John E. James. MINNEAPOLIS.
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of Wisconsin, traveling by rail from Boston to Albany, N. Y .. thence by canal to Buffalo, N. Y., and by boat from Buffalo to Milwaukee. There were no railroads in Wisconsin at that time, and none west of Buffalo, N. Y. The subject of this sketch received a public school education at Milwaukee and began his railroad career in 1870, as passenger train earning clerk in the auditor's office of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway at Milwaukee. From 1872 to 1875 he was statistical clerk of the auditing department of the West Wisconsin Railway (now the eastern division C. St. P. M. & O. Ry. ) at Hudson, Wis. From 1875 to 1880 he was assistant compiler of the passenger earning of the Chicago & North-Western Railway system at Chicago, Il1. From 1880 to 1885 he was contracting agent of the Red Line Fast Freight at Minneapolis, Minn. From 1885 to 1892 he was agent of Red Line Transit Co., for St. Paul and the country as far west as the Pacific Coast. Since 1892 he has been the North-western agent of the Lake Shore & Lehigh Valley Route and North-western freight agent of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Ry. at St. Paul and Minne- apolis and the territory west to the Pacific Coast.
JENKINS, REV. JENKINShenkin Ddwywaith. )-Born at Tirfordfawr, Llangefalach, Glanmorganshire, Wales, July 29th, 1803. At the age of 14 he joined the Congregational church of Mynydd Bach near Swansea. His thirst for knowl- edge was great from childhood, but the means to gratify it were meager in those days. He attended the parish school and then studied for a time under a Congregational minister, named Rev. John Evans, at Crwys, near Swansea. He then attended a grammar school at Carmarthen, conducted by Rev. David Peters. January 5th, 1825, he was licensed to preach by a Congregational association near Swansea and went on a preaching circuit through most of S. Wales. On September 12th, 1830, he married Miss Sarah, daughter of Christmas and Catherine Davis, of Berthlwyd, parish of Lon- cher, Glanmorganshire. In July 1832 he emigrated from Crwys to New York City, where, in November of the same year, he was ordained pastor of the Welsh Congregational church on Mulberry street in that city. Here in 1834 his wife and child died leaving him alone in the world. He continued in his pastorate, however, until May, 1836, when he resigned to attend Auburn Seminary. October 10th, 1836, he married Miss Ann, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Jenkins, of Bradford, Pa, After leaving the seminary in July, 1837, he
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took charge of the Congregational church of Clifford, and of the Presbyterian church of Dundaff, Pa., where he continued eight years. After this he had charge successively of the churches of Newark and Granville, Ohio, Dodgeville and Welsh Prairie, Wis., and Big Rock, Ill. From the latter place he removed to Blue Earth county, Minn., in June, 1856, and located on a claim in the present town of Cambria, where continued to reside until his death. While on a visit to the settlement in October, 1855, he had organized the present Salem Congregational church of Cambria, and on his arrival in June 1856 he assumed pastoral charge of this church which con- tinued until 1867. In December, 1858 he organized a Congre- gational church in South Bend village and served it also as pastor, until 1869, when he retired from active pastoral work, but continued to preach occasionally until his death. In 1872 he published an autobiography which had a wide sale among the Welsh people. Mr. Jenkins had a mind well adapted for theological study and he was a divine of no mean ability. His sermons generally showed much depth of thought and feeling and his delivery was pleasing and impressive. His eloquence was never noisy but was quite intense and fervid. He was very fond of wit and humor and sometimes the transi- tion from the pathetic to the humorous, the sublime to the ridiculous, might be rather sudden, but usually the funny story only served to draw the attention to some important truth, which followed it. Mr. Jenkins died February 5, 1886, and lies buried in Cambria cemetery. His estimable wife followed him November 21, 1892, and now lies beside him. His daughter, Jennette, now Mrs. Jennette Jones, of Man- kato, was the first teacher in the town of Judson. His second daughter, Anne, was a graduate of the Mankato schools and was a successful teacher for years. She married Wm. Evans, of Aurora, Ill., and died January 18th, 1883. Ilis son, Philip, is also a teacher by vocation and with another son, Benjamin, resides on the old homestead in Cambria.
JJENKINS, WILLIAM E .- Born in 1817, at Cwmavon, Glanmorganshire, Wales. His parents were Evan and Eliza- beth Jenkins. In 1836 he married Miss Elizabeth Griffiths and in 1844 they came to this country, making their home first at Pittsburgh, Pa. During their three years stay at Pitts- burgh, he lost his beloved wife and one of their two children. The surviving child, John E. Jenkins, was a soldier in Co. E., 9th Minn., during the late war and now lives in Missouri,
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Mrs. Jenkin Jenkins. LATE OF CAMBRIA, MINN,
Mrs. Morris Lewis. CAMBRIA, MINN.
Mrs. Richard Wigley. MANKATO, MINN.
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Trs. Amy Roberts. HOUTH BEND, MINN.
A FEW PIONEER WELSH WOMEN OF BLUE EARTH COUNTY.
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In 1847 Mr. Jenkins moved to Fish Creek, Wis., and thence in 1857 to Butternut Valley, Minn. In 1858, he married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Evans, Ottawa, Minn. She died January 18th, 1885. Besides this severe blow, Mr. Jenkins also lost one of his sons, Evan Jenkins. About three years ago he retired from his farm to Lake Crys- tal. Ile has been a faithful member of the C. M. church all his life. He was elected one of the first elders of Bethel church, and still holds the same important office at the Welsh church in Lake Crystal, and takes an active part in all church work. He has three sons at Lake Crystal: Edward, William and Charles Jenkins, who are successful business men, useful members of the Welsh church, and are highly respected.
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