Born on the parental home farm near Springfield, Massachusetts, September 25, 1855, and in the same year his parents moved to Illinois and established the family home in La Salle County. Mr. Jenks is a son of Simeon L. and Sarah (Thomas) Jenks. He was reared to the sturdy discipline of the old home farm in Illinois and after profiting by the advantages of the public schools of the period he was a student two years in the old Chicago University, which was the nucleus of the present great University of Chicago. When he was twenty-two years of age he came to Iowa, in 1878, and established his residence in Avoca. Here he was engaged in the buying and shipping of livestock during a term of years as vice president of this institution and December 16, 1901, was advanced to the presidency. The careful administrative policies of Mr. Jenks have been a potent influence in up building the business of this bank, which is one of the substantial and influential financial institutions of this section of the state and which receives a representative support. Mr. Jenks has made wise investment in Iowa land and is the owner of valuable farm properties in Pottawattamie County. Mr. Jenks gives his political allegiance to the Republican party, and while he has no ambition for political preferment he gave characteristically loyal and effective service as representative of Pottawattamie County in the Lower House of the Iowa Legislature during the period of 1898-1900, even as he did during his several years of service as a member of the board of education of his home city. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and represented his lodge in the Iowa Grand Lodge of the order. He attends and supports the Avoca Presbyterian Church, of which his wife is a zealous member. At Mendota, Illinois, in the year 1881, Mr. Jenks was united in marriage to Miss Anne E. Heslet, who was born and reared in that state and who is a daughter of the late Samuel M. Heslet.

Born on the parental home farm near Springfield, Massachusetts, September 25, 1855, and in the same year his parents moved to Illinois and established the family home in La Salle County. Mr. Jenks is a son of Simeon L. and Sarah (Thomas) Jenks. He was reared to the sturdy discipline of the old home farm in Illinois and after profiting by the advantages of the public schools of the period he was a student two years in the old Chicago University, which was the nucleus of the present great University of Chicago. When he was twenty-two years of age he came to Iowa, in 1878, and established his residence in Avoca. Here he was engaged in the buying and shipping of livestock during a term of years as vice president of this institution and December 16, 1901, was advanced to the presidency. The careful administrative policies of Mr. Jenks have been a potent influence in up building the business of this bank, which is one of the substantial and influential financial institutions of this section of the state and which receives a representative support. Mr. Jenks has made wise investment in Iowa land and is the owner of valuable farm properties in Pottawattamie County. Mr. Jenks gives his political allegiance to the Republican party, and while he has no ambition for political preferment he gave characteristically loyal and effective service as representative of Pottawattamie County in the Lower House of the Iowa Legislature during the period of 1898-1900, even as he did during his several years of service as a member of the board of education of his home city. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and represented his lodge in the Iowa Grand Lodge of the order. He attends and supports the Avoca Presbyterian Church, of which his wife is a zealous member. At Mendota, Illinois, in the year 1881, Mr. Jenks was united in marriage to Miss Anne E. Heslet, who was born and reared in that state and who is a daughter of the late Samuel M. Heslet.