John J. Jenkins

John James Jenkins (August 24, 1843 – June 10, 1911) was an English American immigrant, lawyer, judge, and Republican politician. He served seven terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing northwest Wisconsin, and served one year as United States district judge for the District of Puerto Rico.

Early life

John Jenkins was born in Weymouth, Dorsetshire, England. He emigrated with his parents at age 8, first settling in Sauk County, Wisconsin, then relocating in 1852 to Baraboo, Wisconsin.

Civil War service At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Jenkins, then seventeen years old, volunteered for service with the Union Army against his parents' wishes.

Later that year, he stood as the Republican candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly in the new Chippewa County district (Chippewa had previously shared a district with Dunn County). In the Fall election, he won with 56% of the vote. He served a four-year term as U.S. Attorney, returning to Chippewa Falls in 1880 and resuming his law practice. He won the Fall general election with 58% of the vote.

He served as a Representative from that district for the 54th through the 57th congresses. In the 1900 United States census, Wisconsin gained another congressional seat, and in the subsequent redistricting, Jenkins was drawn into the new 11th Congressional District. In that district, Jenkins was elected to another three terms, serving in the 58th, 59th, and 60th congresses. He also served as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee during those three terms.

In 1908, he was defeated in the Republican primary by Irvine Lenroot. Jenkins was a casualty of the Republican internecine conflict between conservatives and progressives. Lenroot was a progressive and a close friend of Robert M. La Follette, the leader of the Progressive Republicans in Wisconsin and an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for President in 1908. Lenroot accused Jenkins of being a tool of the reactionary old-guard Republicans, due to his close association with House Speaker Joseph Gurney Cannon. Lenroot was also assisted in his campaign by an alliance with the Prohibition Party. Lenroot ultimately carried the primary by about 6,000 votes and went on to win the general election, succeeding Jenkins.

Jenkins returned for one final public service in 1910, when President William Howard Taft appointed him to serve a four-year term as United States district judge for Puerto Rico. Jenkins assumed that post in May 1910 but became ill and was unable to perform much judicial work. In April 1911, he requested a two-month leave-of-absence to return to Wisconsin and recuperate. He died on June 10, 1911, at his home in Chippewa Falls, and was succeeded by Paul Charlton.