306 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



and entered Harvard College in 1793, where he was devoted to the study 

 of Greek, and was one of the founders of the Hasty Pudding Club. He 

 was graduated in 1797, and at his death left the Hon. Horace Binney, 

 of Philadelphia, the only survivor of his class. He married, October 

 22, 1797, Miss Betsey Russell of Boston, with whom he enjoyed fifty- 

 three years of domestic companionship, as the mother of his children 

 and his associate in varied professional cares, till her death in Boston 

 in September, 1850. He and his wife were among the first in the 

 country to celebrate a " golden wedding." As a teacher, pastor, and 

 scholar in classical and Oriental studies, and as a most earnest and de- 

 voted laborer in various causes of humanity and philanthropy, he was 

 enabled to crowd a long life with much valuable service. 



After his graduation he devoted himself to the work of instruction, 

 having pupils from various parts of the country. While pursuing the 

 study of Theology he was employed as reader in the Episcopal Church 

 in Cambridge, and prepared twenty-five students for college. Having 

 adopted the views and principles of the Congregationalists, he accepted, 

 in 1806, a pastorate in that communion at Bath, Maine, which he filled 

 for twelve years. During the last three of those years he served as 

 Professor of Oriental and English Literature in Bowdoin College, 

 declining an invitation which he had received to succeed the eminent 

 Dr. Buckminster in the ministry at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He 

 was ever an active friend of Bowdoin, and for many years a trustee 

 and overseer. The degree of Doctor in Divinity was conferred upon 

 him by Bowdoin College in 1825, and by Harvard in 1842, and that 

 of Doctor of Laws, at a subsequent period, by the former college. 

 "While living in Maine, Mr. Jenks was Regimental and afterward 

 Brigade Chaplain in our army, till the close of the war of 1812. 



In 1818 Mr. Jenks returned to Boston, and opened a private school; 

 continuing, however, to preach as opportunity offered, interesting him- 

 self m the religious instruction of seamen, for whom he procured 

 the erection of free chapels, in which he ministered. He performed 

 this service as Secretary of the Boston Society for the Moral and 

 Religious Instruction of the Poor, being, in fact, the first "missionary 

 at large" in the city. He opened seven distinct religious assemblies 

 in as many different localities, which generally became established 

 churches. His zeal, and the high estimation in which he was held, 

 led to the gathering of a new religious society and church, who built a 

 place of worship in Green Street, installing him its pastor in 1825, for 



