DISTINGUISHED NANTUCKETERS. 115 



schools in Nantucket, the abolishment of imprison- 

 ment for debt, and a girls' high school in Boston : 

 and I thank heaven that he lived to see the accom- 

 plishment of them all. He cared not for honor or 

 applause for his labor ; he used to say that all he 

 asked for was success.' ' 



The Nantucket Inquirer, while under Mr: Jenks's 

 management, was a power ; certain it is that never 

 since his day has it been so ably conducted. (See 

 Newspapers, page 225.) 



Arthur Elwell Jenks. 



Arthur E., the son of George W. and Mary (Wins- 

 low) Jenks, was born at Nantucket, May 24, 1837, and 

 received his education here, graduating at the High 

 School. 



He very early in life evinced a decided taste for 

 poetry and art, but adopted the profession of a den- 

 tist, studying with the late Dr. A. II. Tobey of New 

 Bedford, which profession he has successfully fol- 

 lowed for many years. Dr. Jenks is a true artist and 

 poet. Keceiving nothing but a common-school educa- 

 tion, he has written prose and poetry that for elegance 

 of diction, sparkle, and dash would compare favorably 

 with the efforts of more pretentious authors. He has 

 never received from others any instruction whatever 

 in art, and yet the choice little gems in oil and crayon 

 which he has produced stamp him an artist of merit. 

 He is now becoming well known abroad as a lecturer, 

 and in his own town he is always called upon for 

 something, either speech or poem, at every public 

 gathering. 



