The Heroic Widow Jenkins

Today while working in the archives we came across this wonderful story of Elizabeth DuPré Britton Jenkins. One of the many South Carolina heroines of the Revolutionary War who were descended from Huguenots.

It would be easy to assume that all the Society retains is lineage records from an original Huguenot ancestor to an applicant. You might picture file cabinets filled with typed sheets of names, births and deaths. And, yes, that is a large portion of the work.

Having grown up in a home where both my parents were devoted genealogists, I know all too well the sea of onion skin paper typed with name, after name, after name with dates. A big “yawn” perhaps. Lots of names and lineages and it can go on for pages at times. And, you wish you could read an exciting part. But, don’t skip those lineage pages as they are preparing you to understand the amazing story to come. The tedious lists of names and dates are the doorway through which we travel to learn the wonderful stories. I know this first hand. I grew up routinely attending family reunions, which in our family meant lots of pot luck family recipes and hours of visiting and sharing oral histories - that was when the excitement began. Because all those names and dates leapt off the onion skin and became people - my people - our people - who all came before us and each one has a story to tell.

So, while it is true that we at the Society diligently document lineages and assist applicants each day, we also have a treasure trove of history in our care. Books, letters, transcriptions of remarks, photographs and more are part of the precious memories we preserve. What value does of this have? Immeasurable. First hand impressions of historic events and people are irreplaceable. They provide a first hand view into a point in history without the influence of editors, time, or otherwise. It is impossible to describe how one feels while holding something written by a family member. For me, I am often quite moved with emotion when I read the first hand descriptions and thoughts expressed in many of the records. Which brings us to today’s post.

We will examine an excerpt from the “Sketch of Rev. James Jenkins, given by Mrs. Richard C. Hearon” delivered at the dedication of the historical marker for Rev. James Jenkins, dedicated November 19, 1972 near Bishopville, SC. This address is held in one of our many carefully preserved family files. And, our collection has the book, “Experience, Labours and Sufferings of Rev. James Jenkins, of the South Carolina Conference,” printed 1842, in which the following recollection is also provided by the son of the Mrs. Jenkins.

The story begins as Colonel Watson had “started toward Lumberton, NC on a plundering expedition . He came to the Jenkins home and appropriated everything in sight and destroyed all that his men could not appropriate and established his headquarters in the dwelling.” Source: An Address before the Historical Societies of the Upper South Carolina Conference, 1924, Dr. Barnwell Rhett Turnipseed. Following is a summary from this address and it aligns very closely with the recollections provided by Rev. Jenkins in his book.

Elizabeth Jenkins, or 'Widow Jenkins', as the history books call her, was left to get along as best she could in the American Revolutionary war. Her sons Francis Goddard, Britton and Samuel Jenkins were already in the war, and as soon as James could, he too joined Gen. Francis Marion’s men. (James was born in 1764 making him 17 years of age at this time.) Of these sons she lost two, Francis Goddard and Britton Jenkins in that war. Her other children were: Sarah Jenkins, Martha Elizabeth Jenkins (who marred Francis Britton IV), and two boys, Thomas and Daniel, who died very young.

It was her home that Col. John W.T. Watson, the British Colonel, took over for his headquarters April 7, 1781 while James was still at home and was working in the field. He saw the British soldiers ride up to his home. His cousin, John Jenkins, scouting for Francis Marion, came up and told him not to go to the house or he would surely be killed. He put James on the back of his horse behind him and they both kept watch over the home from a safe distance.

At the home, after Col. Watson was comfortably settled, he asked the Widow Jenkins' how many sons she had that had rebelled against the King. She was quick to reply, "None Sir, it is the King who has rebelled against us and not we against him." Then Col, Watson asked now many then did she have in the war, to which she spiritedly answered, "Three Sir, and I wish they were three thousand!" He asked her if she had heard that Marion had joined British Lord Rawdon. After she told him she had not heard that, he told her it was a "matter of fact.” Whereupon ‘Widow Jenkins' told him defiantly, "Sir, I don't believe it.”

He answered, “Well Madam, you might as well tell me I lie,” getting very angry. “I don’t say you lie, Sir, but I don’t believe it.” After the Colonel cooled down and in the conversation with her he asked her to have a glass of wine with him, to which through courtesy, she consented. As they were about to drink it, the Colonel said “Health to King George,” thinking he had the best of her. She drank the toast, and then he got a surprise, for then she raised her glass and said, “Health to George Washington.” He made a wry face but could not refuse.

In their conversation she had out argued him and irritated him and so "vexed" him that he struck camp and moved further up in the Neck to camp. This courageous little woman had many experiences during the war of having her garden and home devastated, just as many others had. Yet she managed to take care of her family alone.

Elizabeth DuPré Britton Jenkins (1741-1806) was the daughter of Joseph Britton (1716-1773) and Sarah DuPré Britton (1716-1755). Her first marriage was to William Goddard and her second marriage was to Samuel Jenkins (1729-1780). It is with Samuel that she had James who later became Rev. James Jenkins. Elizabeth descends from Josias DuPré and Marthe Gobaille.

Col. Watson had started toward Lumberton on a plundering expedition . He came to the Jenkins home and appropriated everything in sight and destroyed all that his men could not appropriate and established his headquarters in the dwelling. Source: An Address before the Historical Societies of the Upper South Carolina Conference, 1924, Dr. Barnwell Rhett Turnipseed.

With our blog posts, we hope to bring the shelves and cabinets to life by sharing the many precious pieces of history we preserve along with the lineages. Stories that teach us the human experience of our ancestors and provide first hand records of history without the influence of change over time.

Blog post submitted by Elizabeth F. Gay, Executive Director, The Huguenot Society of South Carolina

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