Eliza Jane VanGilder Jenkins Death Record

     Eliza Jane VanGilder, daughter of Jacob VanGilder, Jr. and Sarah R. McElroy, was born in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia in March 10, 1826. She married Francis Jenkins, son of Joseph and Catherine Jenkins, on May 10, 1860 at Grafton, Taylor County, (West) Virginia. Eliza is my paternal second great grandaunt.

     This week I located her record of death on the West Virginia Archives and History website. Eliza Jane VanGilder Jenkins died on October 21, 1900.

     Eliza and Frank raised two children, Mary M. Jenkins and Samuel R. Jenkins. Mary married her cousin, Henry Moore Leps, Samuel was a bachelor. There were no offspring from Mary's marriage.

Lesson learned: Keep going back and checking sites with records....more are added daily.

Grafton Sentinel
Grafton, West Virginia
Friday, October 26, 1900
page 1

     Yes, keep going back to check on missing information.  Eliza Jane's obituary was an important find.  Her death was front page news in Grafton.  She was very involved in her community and was well regarded by her neighbors.  The obituary also list Bluemont Cemetery as her final resting place.  

Updated:  January 2026

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