**Burial Record Citation: In a written statement from the Mineral Spring Cemetery written November 19, 1997:
'Governor Jencks, Original spelling was "Jenks", died in Pawtucket June 15, 1740 in his 84th year. He was buried in a cemetery south of Read Street where his parents were buried. Gov. Jencks and others were exhumed June 2 1831, and removed to Mineral Spring Cemetery exact location unknown. INSCRIPTION was recorded from his first burial before he was exhumed and moved to Mineral Spring. The headstone was found covering a well and now is kept with the Rhode Island Historical Society.
He was the son of the founder of Pawtucket, Joseph Jencks Jr and Esther Ballard Jencks. He began his career of civic duty as a land surveyor for the Rhode Island colonial government, and then was elected to a succession of prominent Rhode Island colonial posts: member of the Rhode Island General Assembly 1679-1693, and again 1700-08; state auditor in 1697 and 1704; and deputy-governor, 1715-21. During this term, he was sent to England to report to the King about the status of boundary disputes in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. When he returned to Rhode Island he was re-elected and served as deputy-governor, 1722-1727. Upon the death of Governor Cranston, in 1727, he was elected governor of the colony, and held office until 1732.
He married, first, Martha Brown, and, second, on Feb 3,1727, to Alice (Smith) Dexter, the widow of John Dexter.
Children(by first marriage): Joseph Jenckes, Nathaniel Jenckes, Martha Jenckes Andrews Cook, Obadiah Jenckes, Catherine Jenckes Turpin, Lydia Jenckes Mason, John Jenckes, Mary Jenckes Herrenden, and Esther Jenckes Bucklin.
**Burial Record Citation: In a written statement from the Mineral Spring Cemetery written November 19, 1997:
'Governor Jencks, Original spelling was "Jenks", died in Pawtucket June 15, 1740 in his 84th year. He was buried in a cemetery south of Read Street where his parents were buried. Gov. Jencks and others were exhumed June 2 1831, and removed to Mineral Spring Cemetery exact location unknown. INSCRIPTION was recorded from his first burial before he was exhumed and moved to Mineral Spring. The headstone was found covering a well and now is kept with the Rhode Island Historical Society.
He was the son of the founder of Pawtucket, Joseph Jencks Jr and Esther Ballard Jencks. He began his career of civic duty as a land surveyor for the Rhode Island colonial government, and then was elected to a succession of prominent Rhode Island colonial posts: member of the Rhode Island General Assembly 1679-1693, and again 1700-08; state auditor in 1697 and 1704; and deputy-governor, 1715-21. During this term, he was sent to England to report to the King about the status of boundary disputes in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. When he returned to Rhode Island he was re-elected and served as deputy-governor, 1722-1727. Upon the death of Governor Cranston, in 1727, he was elected governor of the colony, and held office until 1732.
He married, first, Martha Brown, and, second, on Feb 3,1727, to Alice (Smith) Dexter, the widow of John Dexter.
Children(by first marriage): Joseph Jenckes, Nathaniel Jenckes, Martha Jenckes Andrews Cook, Obadiah Jenckes, Catherine Jenckes Turpin, Lydia Jenckes Mason, John Jenckes, Mary Jenckes Herrenden, and Esther Jenckes Bucklin.
Inscription
Joseph Jenckes
"ye 15th Day of June A. D. 1740, in ye 84th Year of His Age"
