This biography from the Archives of AskART:
|  Colonel Albert Jenks (1830-1901)
A portrait painter, he was born in Jordan New York on May 26, 1830, the son of Levi Jenks, a native of North Adams, Massachusetts, who had removed to the Western Reserve with his parents early in the '20s. Later the family went to Illinois and in 1846 located near Joliet when there were but three houses in that city.
In 1866, Levi Jenks came to California and here spent the rest of his days. He died in Alameda, California January 18 1887. A report after his death stated that his widow is yet living in her home in Alameda County and enjoys good heath, notwithstanding her ninety years. Her maiden name was Nancy E. Edmunds. Of their several children only the colonel grew to maturity.
From his boyhood, Colonel Jenks had cherished one great hope--that some day he might be permitted to devote himself to art, so it was no surprise to many of his friends that he was urged to undertake the painting of a portrait of Abraham Lincoln.
Having a desire to visit San Francisco, Colonel Jenks came to the Pacific Coast in 1875 and for ten years made his home at the Palace Hotel. In 1886 he came to Los Angeles and opened a studio in the old Baker block, where, within 18 months, he painted 210 portraits at an average of $150.
He married first, Miss Frances H. Wetmore, in Aurora IL in 1854. She was born in Cuyahoga Falls, OH in 1836. She died Sept 5 1874. Of their two children, Kittie died in 1897. The other daughter is Mrs. Charles Sontag of San Francisco. (must be Kate, see 1880 census below.)
Col Jenks married a second time in October of 1875, Mrs. Cornelia A. (LYON) Trowbridge of Detroit. It appears Mrs. Trowbridge had a daughter, Nellie, who was from her first husband.
Colonel Jenks died July 21, 1901 in Los Angeles. The Headline in the newspaper Call reads "Falls Dead Before He Finishes The Joke".
He leaves two daughters, one the wife of Walter S. Newhall and another who lives at Riverside.
Information provided by Edan Hughes.
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