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Jenkins Glass Company History

Jenkins Glass Company was named after D. C. Jenkins who was president of Kokomo Glass Manufacturering Company of Kokomo, Indiana. Kokomo Glass eventually became Jenkins Glass Company. The company's ware's were almost all crystal with the exception of a few pieces of green and an iridized amber carnival finish offered in the last years of the company's existence. Jenkins closed in 1932 after D. C. Jenkins died.

The following is information taken from the obituary of D. C. Jenkins as printed in the Kokomo Tribune & Dispatch, Kokomo, IN, 8-25-1930.

David Charles Jenkins, Jr., was born in Pittsburg, Penn. May 24, 1834. Son of David and Elizabeth (Evans) Jenkins, both of whom were natives of Wales. His schooling was obtained in Pittsburgh, where he grew to manhood and there he became connected with glass manufacturing. Taking his first job at the age of eleven in the flint glass factory at McKee Bros., in that city. From the day in 1845 on which he obtained his first employment in a glass plant, to the day of his death, Mr. Jenkins was continuously connected with the glass industry. On Jan. 4, 1876 at Pittsburg, Mr. Jenkins was united in marriage with Miss Anna Jones. To them were born two sons, Addison and Howard.

About 1886, Mr. Jenkins moved his family from Pittsburg to Findley, OH. There he erected and put into operation a glass factory. This plant was sold in 1891 to the United States Glass Co., the first of the large corporations in the flint glass business. From that company, Mr. Jenkins moved to Gas City, Indiana to superintend the construction of a new factory.

Mr. Jenkins came to Howard County, Indiana in 1893. He organized a company and erected a large flint glass factory in Greentown, IN. This concern operated with natural gas as fuel and quickly became an important factory in the flint glass trade of the company.

In 1899 the plant was bought by the National Glass Co., Pittsburg and for the next two years, Mr. Jenkins was back in that city as chairman of the executive committee and general manager of the company mentioned.

In 1901, Mr. Jenkins and his sons, with J.D.K. Kennedy and Edward Seeny Kokomo, organized The Kokomo Glass Manufacturing Co. and erected and put into operation a flint glass factory. This plant was destroyed by fire in 1905, and was rebuilt in 1906 and resumed operations as the D.C. Jenkins Glass Company.

In 1914, Mr. Jenkins started another glass factory in Arcadia, IN. Both plants were in operation until 1932.

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Date:	15.12.2009 07:52
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Added by:	David McInturff