Born in Warren county, New York, in 1825, was graduated in a state normal school, and had then studied law and been admitted to the bar in his native state. About 1850 or 1851, he followed to Iowa two uncles, Alex and Jed H. Jenkins, who had become farmers near Maquoketa. In 1855, he established in law practice in Maquoketa, and soon won the reputation of being the leading practitioner there. He had also become an active politician, affiliating with the Whig party. In 1852 he received, at the hands of the state convention of his party, the nomination for secretary of state, and the voting that year was so close between the parties that for some days he was reported as elected. The successful democratic candidate was George W. McCrary, from Keokuk, afterwards member of Congress, (1869 to 1877), and secretary of war under President Hayes. He received sixteen thousand nine hundred and twenty-two votes and Jenkins fifteen thousand and thirty-two hundred. The first organization of the republican party in Jackson county was when a convention met February 16, 1856, at the old third ward school house in Maquoketa, to nominate delegates to a state convention, and J. W. Jenkins was one of those who officiated. Later in the year he was nominated for state senator and at the state election in August he was successful by a majority of seven votes, although the democrats carried the county at the presidential election in November by one hundred and sixty-nine majority. The republicans had some aid from the American or "Know Nothing" party. Governor Kirkwood commissioned Hon Jeremiah W. Jenkins, a prominent lawyer of Maquoketa, recently state senator from Jackson county, Lieutenant Colonel of the Thirty-first Iowa Infantry, under date of September 16, 1862.

Born in Warren county, New York, in 1825, was graduated in a state normal school, and had then studied law and been admitted to the bar in his native state. About 1850 or 1851, he followed to Iowa two uncles, Alex and Jed H. Jenkins, who had become farmers near Maquoketa. In 1855, he established in law practice in Maquoketa, and soon won the reputation of being the leading practitioner there. He had also become an active politician, affiliating with the Whig party. In 1852 he received, at the hands of the state convention of his party, the nomination for secretary of state, and the voting that year was so close between the parties that for some days he was reported as elected. The successful democratic candidate was George W. McCrary, from Keokuk, afterwards member of Congress, (1869 to 1877), and secretary of war under President Hayes. He received sixteen thousand nine hundred and twenty-two votes and Jenkins fifteen thousand and thirty-two hundred. The first organization of the republican party in Jackson county was when a convention met February 16, 1856, at the old third ward school house in Maquoketa, to nominate delegates to a state convention, and J. W. Jenkins was one of those who officiated. Later in the year he was nominated for state senator and at the state election in August he was successful by a majority of seven votes, although the democrats carried the county at the presidential election in November by one hundred and sixty-nine majority. The republicans had some aid from the American or "Know Nothing" party. Governor Kirkwood commissioned Hon Jeremiah W. Jenkins, a prominent lawyer of Maquoketa, recently state senator from Jackson county, Lieutenant Colonel of the Thirty-first Iowa Infantry, under date of September 16, 1862.