(^) Margaret Jenkins Nee. Louden (112.2)
Born: 12/6/1886 Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Died: 1/23/1963 LaSalle County, Illinois
Parents: David Louden and Margaret Nee. Orr
Spouse: John Logan Jenkins (9/15/1909 - Livingston County, Illinois)
Margaret and John’s Headstone
Long Point Cemetery, IL
Children: Harold Logan Jenkins 1911-1999 / Lester Vernon Jenkins 1914-1984 / Marjorie Elizabeth Grant 1917-1915 / Lyle Ervin Jenkins 1920-2007
Bio:
In 1888, Margaret came to the U.S. with mom, dad, and older sister Lizzie. By 1900, 16-year-old Margaret is living in Long Point, IL with mom, dad, and 4 siblings. The farm is rented and father David farms it. It does not seem that any of the kids are enrolled in school (ages 5-19). By this time, her mom Margaret, has had 7 kids but only the 5 in the house are living. The census is filled with farm workers as well as first and second-generation immigrants from Germany, Denmark, and England. By 1910, Margaret has married John and moved in with the in-laws, Albanus and Phoebe who are farmers. The ladies do not work. Her bother-in-law Allen lives with his family next door.
In 1920, Margaret and husband John are renting a farm in Long Point for their family of three kids. Margaret has become a naturalized citizen. They also live with Margaret’s widowed mother-in-law Phoebe, and an 18-year-old servant named Elma Defenbaugh. All on the census are grain farmers other than the Park family, who seem to be livestock farmers. Elma is probably not their house servant but employed by another family. Brother Allen and family still live next to them. By 1930, not much has changed.
By 1940, Margaret has moved with her husband and youngest son to Bruce, LaSalle County, IL. They no longer live in a rural area. John makes $480 as manager at a farm and hatchery while son Lyle makes $500 as a truck driver for a laundry. These salaries are in the middle range for this census. Some of their neighbors are farm laborers and some work in industry such as brick layers, teletype operators, and garage mechanics. Margaret does not work at this time. She would pass away in January of 1963 in LaSalle County, IL.