Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

JENKINS.
Several of this name came over early. Edward of Scituate,
called a servant of Mr. Nathaniel Tilden, became a prominent
man, and died in 1699. Henry, who settled in New Hampshire
and died in 1670. Joel of Braintree. I
took passage for New England, July,
John Jenkins, aged 26,
1635, in the Defence, of
London. In September, 1635, Elizabeth Jenkins took passage in
the Truelove for New England.
The John Jenkins* who came over in the Defence was the
man of that name who settled in Plymouth, and was admitted a
freeman of the Colony January 3, 1636-7. At that date he was
allowed to enlarge his grounds at Willingsley in Plymouth, showing
that he had been an inhabitant of that town previous to the
date of his being admitted a freeman. May 5, 1640, three acres
of meadow between the south ponds and Eel River, forty acres of
upland "thereby it," and six acres of land above Willingsley, were
granted to him. Nov. 2, 1640, six acres in the Colebrook meadow
were assigned to him. On the 29th of Dec. 1640, he bought for
£16,10shs sterling, of Anthony Snow, a dwelling-house and eight
acres of land on the south side of Willingsley brook.
In June, 1637, he volunteered as a soldier from Plymouth in
the Pequot war, and in 1645 was a soldier in the Narraganset Expedition.
He frequently was a juror, and in 1644 was constable
of Plymouth, and was then called senior.
His early admission to the freedom of the Colony indicates
that he was a man known to the first settlers before he came
over, and a member of an Independent Church. He was a large
land owner and a house holder, facts from which it might be inferred
that he had a family ; but the records afford no evidence
that he was then a married man.
In 1646 he removed to Eastham, his name appearing on the
most ancient list of the freeman of that town which has been preserved.
He did not remain long in that town. He was of Barn-
*Two men of this same came oyer early and settled in Plymouth. The elder was made
a freeman soon after his arrival, and I am thus enabled to trace him in his wanderings.
The other was a younger man, early joined the Quakers, and settled in Sandwich, wherene
died in 1684. Bishop lias a long notice of him.