Melville Jenks (1844 - 1865)

Died 10 Feb 1865 at about age 21 in Andersonville Prison, Sumter, Georgia, United States

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Biography

Melville Jenks was a Private in Company I, 3rd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry. Jenks transferred to Company D, 11th Regiment, U.S. Colored Infantry as a Sargeant. ^[1]

Melville Jenks was born in 1844. He passed away in 1865, a Prisoner of War at Andersonville.

Residence

• Residence 1850: Age 6. Living with his parents Joseph and Nancy Jenks who were living with his grandparents, William and Mary Jenks, at Victor, Ontario County, New York. ^[2]

Age 16. Living with his parents, Joseph P and Nancy C Jenks, in Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois. ^[3]

• Residence 1860:

Military Service

Private Melville Jenks served in the United States Civil War.
Mustered out: Feb 10, 1865
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Co. D, 11th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry; Co. I, 3rd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry

Private Melville Jenks was a Prisoner of War during United States Civil War.

Private Melville Jenks was Wounded in Action during the Civil War.

Sgt. Melville Jenks Died while Prisoner of War during United States Civil War.

• Civil War

Melville, Jenks served as a Private in Company I, 3rd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry. ^[4] Jenks transferred as a 1st Sergeant in Company D, 11th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry (New Organization). ^[5]

Name: JENKS, MELVILLE

Rank: PVT

Company: I

Unit: 3 IL US CAV

Personal Characteristics

Residence

Age: 18

Height

Hair:

Eyes

Complexion: Marital Status

Occupation: Nativity

Service Record

Joined When: AUG 21, 1862

Joined Where: BLOOMINGTON, IL

Joined By Whom: CPT NICOLLS

Period: 3 YRS

Muster In: OCT 24, 1863

Muster In Where: LAGRANGE, TN

Muster In By Whom

Muster Out

Muster Out Where

Muster Out By Whom. ^[6]

Jenks, Melville

Company D

11th U.S. Col'd Inf.

Rank in: 1st Sergeant

Rank out: 1st Sergeant

Company Descriptive Book

Complexion: florid

Eyes: dark

Hair: light

Enlisted when: Aug 1, 1862

Enlisted where: Bloomington,, Illinoins

By whom: Capt. Nichols

Term: 3 years

Mustered in: Nov 35, 1863

At: Corinth, Miss.

Wounded in action: Apr 12, 1864

Battle: Fort Pillow

Taken Prisoner

Died in Rebel prison

Records of Co. lost in action at that time.

Color white.

Promoted to 1st Sergt: Nov. 25, 1863, from Private, Co. I, 3rd Ill Cav. Vols.

Missing in action: April 12, 1864

Battle: Fort Pillow

Said to have died in Rebel Prison Feb 10, 1865.

See also: Co. I, 3 Ill Cav

Final Statement: Died 1865

Died in Rebel Prison at Andersonville no date given. ^[7]

Research Notes

Some articles question Sgt Jenks being taken to Andersonville after Battle of Fort Pillow. Comments were something like no black prisoners were sent to Andersonville. What those comments fail to understand is that Sgt. Meville Jenks was white. He originally enlisted in 3rd Regiment, Illinois Cavalry. He left the 3rd to become 1st Sergeant in Company D, 11th United States Colored Infantry. (See Page 4, CMSR, Company Muster-in Roll dated November 27, 1863.) ^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76362173/melville-jenks: accessed 19 October 2023), memorial page for Sgt Melville Jenks (unknown–unknown), Find a Grave Memorial ID 76362173, citing Andersonville National Cemetery, Andersonville National Historic Site, Macon County, Georgia, USA; Maintained by CO GRAVE DIGGER (contributor 47056557).
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1850", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCBB-R6L : Wed Oct 04 22:19:12 UTC 2023), Entry for William Jenks and Mary Jenks, 1850.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXHL-PJD : Thu Oct 05 02:00:39 UTC 2023), Entry for Joseph P Jenks and Susan C Jenks, 1860.
4. ↑ National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, Soldier Details for Jenks, Melville. https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldierId=885D40AC-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A
5. ↑ National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, Soldier Details for Jenks, Melville. https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldierId=D25D40AC-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A
6. ↑ Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls Detail Report, Illinois State Archives, JENKS, MELVILLE. https://apps.ilsos.gov/isaveterans/civilMusterSearch.do
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Fold3, US, Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served with the United States Colored Troops: Infantry Organizations, 8th through 13th, including the 11th (new), 1861-1865, CMSR for Jenks, Meville (18 pages). https://www.fold3.com/image/118180912?terms=andersonville,8th,colored