Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-03-30
For the National Era.
WILLIAM FRANKLIN jenkins.


Died, at the Marlboro Hotel, Boston, Mass
March I'd, Of pulmonary consumption, w. F.
Jenkins, formerly Of Attiea, N. Y, aged 20
years.
Few and simple are the words that suffice to
record the exit of a good and true man from
this earthly sphere of his existence and infiu-
cnce. Few and simple are the facts recapitu-
lated in the brief memorials of q useful life,
which meekly commend themselves to the no
tice of tho public mind in corner OF some
newspaper, as farewell suggestion to the
living Of one who has passed away from their
midst The date of the departure, the name,
age, birth place, urial-place, and the disease
in which the last summons came, make up all
the obituary history Of thousands, whose lives
have been daily lessons Of love to God and
man. The walks Of such life leave few foot
prints to human eyes in the dew of those
sequestered fields of philanthropy which it
blessed with its secret labors of love. Bot
none the less for this, does the divine benedic-
ton attach to these labors, in all the fulness of
its promise, that they shall follow the humble
and devoted worker after lie is taken to his
reward, and live in beautiful and immortal
influence upon the earth. Few persons except
the most intimate friends Of w. +. Jenkins,
of twenty niue years for he seldom let his left
hand know what his right hand did for the
glory Of God and the good Of man and that
right hand, and the heart that moved it TO its
benevolent activities were ever busy and burn
ing with works and ideas Of human brother
hood. The first personal acquaintance made
by the writer with his departed friend, was
in connection with one OF his characteristic
schemes Of quiet beneyolence. He had large
number Of young men in his employ, for whose
moral progress, and intellectual and religious
development, he thought, watched, and labor
ed, with brothers care.
Oh the occasion 10 which we refer, he col
lccted them in the counting room of his estab-
lishment, to listen 10 few words OF counsel
and suggestion, which he asked ms to address
to them. Soon after this interview, we went
to Europe, where we spent several years, la
boring especially in the cause of peace. About
ten years had elapsed when we received a let
ter from him, referring to the little meeting in
his counting room, and requesting us 10 accept
the annual rent Of the establishment amount
ing to 5000, as his annual contribution to tho
cause we were ondeavoring to promote. IL was
in its day the most extensive blacksmith shop
in New England, in which the iron work Of
the frigate Constitution was wrought This
circumstance seemed to enhance tho pleasure
he felt in appropriating tho rent Of those an.
wills and walls that once rang and resounded
with the clangor Of that warlikc work, to tho
dissemination Of tho ideas Of peace and hui
man brotherhood among the nations Of tho
earth. IL partially realized in his view, the
beating Of "swords into ploughshares, and
spears into pruning hooks On our return to
America last autumn, we found him, TO our
great sorrow, in very delicate state of health
evidently near tho close of his young and be-
nevolent life. But his heart was full to over
flowing, of warm and earnest sympathics with
evcry enterprise Of true philanthropy.
He spoke OF tho pccuniary means he had 40
cumulated by industrious application, rs a sa-
cred trust which he held as a mere steward :
and which, while he lived, and after he was
gone to his rest, no was anxious should be de-
voted 10 the service Of Him who gave it. Tho
cause Of Pcacc, Anti Slavery and Of other dc.
partments Of human brotherhood, seemed to
grow dearer and dearcr 10 him ms he approach
cd his end He spoke Of their progress and proc
poets with the fervor Of earnest faith and hone.
even when il was difficult for him to enunciate
distinctly the words they inspired In his last
moments, he directed that the annuity TO those
operations ia which we had been engaged,
should be increased 10 $500--a sacred bequest
which, wc trust, will ever be appropriated &C
as to realize the dying wish Of his benevolent
heart. He was summoned suddenly to his resi-
and reward and 70 had not the melancholy
satisfaction Of being with him in hislast hours
We have lost in him truly friend and broth
or ; and we hope, on tho score Of this relation
and Of tho sentiments il inspires, his immedi