Re: John Monroe Jerkins--father of Tom Jerkins
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In reply to:
Re: John Monroe Jerkins--father of Tom Jerkins
Mary Johnston 5/27/06
Mary, it is speculation that this John Jerkins is your man - but all of the other John Jerkins have been taken out of the mix by a process of elimination. Anyway, here is a quick summary of this bunch:
John Jerkins, born ca 1859 in Florida (probably Franklin County) was the son of James R. Jerkins, born ca 1811 in Hancock County, GA - son of old Zachariah Jerkins - and wife Sarah, born ca 1826 in Florida.
Sarah may be the same woman who married James as Nancy Witherington, or she may be a 2nd wife for whom we have never found a marriage record. James Jerkins married Nancy Witherington in Jefferson County, FL on 25 May 1846. Jefferson County borders with Leon County, FL, and there were Witheringtons living next door to James' sister Hannah in Leon County in 1830. All of which may be coincidental, of course.
Anyway, I have not found James or any of his brothers - except Robert Wilson - on the 1840 census. I have good reason to believe that brothers Zachariah Jerkins and Richard S. Jerkins were in Barbour County, AL in 1840 and James may have been there, too - but I have no evidence either way yet.
In 1850, James is in Santa Rosa County, FL and in 1860 he is in Franklin County, FL. By 1870, he is gone from the records, and his children - including John - are living very near to his younger brother Robert Wilson Jerkins in Dale County, Alabama.
I pretty much lose track of John after that. But it is worth noting that Robert Wilson's family moved to Geneva County, AL during the 1880s. It is also worth noting that the middle name Monroe shows up among R.W. Jerkins' grandchildren.