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A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 486   View pdf image (33K)
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JEN BIOGRAPHIES

tice, Court of Oyer, Terminer and Gaol Delivery,
Anne Arundel County, 1766-1770, 1775; com-
mon councilman, Annapolis, 1781, resigned to
move out of the city. MILITARY SERVICE: called
major in 1765; was said to have rendered valuable
service in raising supplies for the Continental
Army. OUT OF STATE SERVICE: delegate, Conti-
nental Congress, 1778-1779 (elected in Novem-
ber 1778, but did not attend until April 1779),
1780-1781 (elected on April 7, 1780, to fill va-
cancy; reelected in November 1780); delegate,
Federal Convention that formed the Constitu-
tion, 1787. ADDITIONAL COMMENT: Jenifer was
nationalistic in his political philosophy and fa-
vored a permanent union of the states. His ex-
perience with public finance induced him to take
a stand against the issuing of paper money; he
favored Congress being given the power to tax.

STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: Contributed

£100.0.0 to the founding of St. John's College;
contributed money to send John Willson Peale to
study painting in London. In his will he left in-
structions for the manumission of all of his slaves
in 1796, six years after his death. WEALTH DURING

LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROPERTY: assessed Value

£1,430.18.4 and possibly as much as £1,835.18.4,
including ca. 22 slaves and 235 oz. plate, 1783.
ANNUAL INCOME: from an account of the Balti-
more Iron works: £260.0.0, 1785-1787; £81.0.0,
1788; £301.10.0, 1789; £216.0.0, 1790. LAND AT
FIRST ELECTION: 914 acres in Charles County (504
acres inherited from his father, 100 of which he
sold in 1745; 510 acres by purchase). SIGNIFICANT

CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND

DEATH: purchased 2,238 acres in Charles County
between 1757 and 1766, plus at least 2 lot "par-
cels" in Port Tobacco (Charles Town), Charles
County, in 1762, plus 4 additional lots with houses
in Port Tobacco in 1764. He sold 575 acres in
Charles County in 1764, plus a half interest in
each of 2 lots in Port Tobacco in 1762. Between
1774 and ca. 1788 Jenifer purchased 3,609 acres
in Anne Arundel County (at least 100 acres of
this was leased out). His dwelling plantation of
ca. 800 acres, situated close to Annapolis, was
part of this purchase. Purchased 8 lots in Annap-
olis in 1772 and 1773, and one lot with houses on
it in Annapolis in 1784. Sold one Annapolis lot
in 1774, six in 1783, and the lot with houses in
1788. In 1784 Jenifer purchased part of the con-
fiscated property of loyalist Daniel Dulany con-
sisting of one-fourth of one-tenth of the Balti-
more Company, which owned the Baltimore Iron
Works. The resulting acreage in Anne Arundel

and Baltimore counties added a minimum of 3,697
acres to his already large holdings. In 1787 he
held an unpatented certificate of survey for 513
acres in Charles County, land that had originally
belonged to his grandfather. He also held an un-
specified number of ground rents in Baltimore
Town at his death. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: on
November 16, 1790, in Annapolis, Anne Arundel
County. PERSONAL PROPERTY: at least 15 slaves.
Although the exact size of his estate is unknown,
it was probably worth more than £1,430.18.4.
LAND: at least 6,186 acres in Charles and Anne
Arundel counties, and possibly as much as 7,216
acres, possibly including land in Montgomery
County. The land derived from his fractional share
of the Baltimore Iron Works totaled a minimum
of 3,697 acres in Baltimore and Anne Arundel
counties, and brought his total landholdings to
ca. 11,000 acres. He also owned two lots in Port
Tobacco, plus a half interst in two others, one lot
in Annapolis, an unspecified number of ground
rents in Baltimore Town, and an unpatented cer-
tificate of survey for 513 acres in Charles County.
Jenifer died without progeny; his principal heir
was his nephew, Dr. Daniel Jenifer. Jenifer made
numerous legacies and bequests to all of his nieces
and nephews and to many of his friends.

JENKINS, FRANCIS (ca. 1650-1710). BORN. ca.
1650, probably in England. IMMIGRATED, in 1670,
as a free adult. RESIDED: in Coventry Parish,
Somerset County. MARRIED first, in 1672, Lucy,
widow of James Weedon (?-ca. 1670/71). MAR-
RIED second, Rozanna (last name unknown).
MARRIED third, ca. 1696, Mary (1674-1744),
daughter of Robert King (?-1697). Her brother
was Robert King (1689-1755). Her sister was
Eleanor, who married Charles Bollard (ca. 1670-
ca. 1724/25). Mary subsequently married Rev.
John Henry (?-1717) and by 1719 Rev. John
Hampton (?-1721/22). CHILDREN. SON: Francis
(1688-by 1710). PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION:
literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Protestant,
probably a convert to Presbyterianism; a close
friend and supporter of Rev. Francis Makemie.
SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Mr., on arrival;
Gent., by 1678; called "a man of best sence and
Estate ..." in Somerset County, 1697. OCCU-
PATION AL PROFILE: planter; merchant. PUBLIC CA-
REER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Associators' Con-
vention, Somerset County, 1689-1692; Lower
House, Somerset County, 1696- 1697 (elected to
the 5th session of the 1694-1697 Assembly), 1697/
98-1698 (Laws 2; appointed to the Council by

486



 

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A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 486   View pdf image (33K)
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  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>


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