Illinois: Scoundrels and Scandals

Are you the type of genealogist who loves a good scandal or black sheep discovery in your family tree? Or are you the type who dreads that you might find it?

For one very English mother, the dread was real. When British genealogist Sue Talbot first started researching her great-great-grandfather John Jenkinson, she was thrilled to discover he'd been mayor of their town, a Methodist preacher, and a successful jeweler. She proudly reported these findings to her mother, who was delighted. Her aunt Jean would be so pleased to know they came from “good stock.”

But the very next day, Sue returned to the records office.

What she found there would change everything she thought she knew about her family and eventually lead her on an unexpected journey from Victorian England to the streets of Chicago, Illinois.

The Unraveling of a Respectable Life

"I've come to the conclusion that he just liked being in the newspaper. He liked being center of attention."

Sue laughed with equal parts exasperation and fascination as she recounted the impressive life John Jenkinson built in Retford, Nottinghamshire. By the 1880s, he was running a thriving jewelry and watchmaking business inherited from his father, who had established four shops across the county. He'd served as mayor. He preached Methodist sermons. He lived in a six-bedroom villa with four acres of pleasure grounds.

Then, in February 1884, it all came crashing down.

In this week's episode, Sue shares how one shocking discovery led to another, each revelation more jaw-dropping than the last. There's crime. There's betrayal. There's a mysterious disappearance that left an entire town in uproar. And there's a tragedy so devastating that Sue could barely speak about it when she first uncovered the truth.

And this story doesn't end in England.

An Unexpected American Connection

When Sue set out to research her English family tree, she never imagined she'd find herself tracing ancestors to Chicago. But John Jenkinson's story takes a sharp turn across the Atlantic. And when it does, things get even more complicated.

He didn't travel alone. The people who accompanied him to America, the business he set up on West Madison Street, the scandals that followed him even in his new life? It all reads like a Victorian crime novel, except it's all documented in court records and newspaper archives.

"To really connect to the story, you have to go and visit the places where the people lived," Sue reflects. She's planning her first trip to Chicago, hoping to walk the streets where her great-great-grandfather reinvented himself after leaving everything and everyone behind.

The Whole Story

If you haven't already heard Sue's remarkable journey of discovery, take a moment to watch:

Prefer audio only? Click here to listen on your favorite podcast app.

🎧 Listen to the full episode to discover:

• The childhood moment when Sue's grandmother revealed a family secret that had been buried for decades
• How Sue's research transformed from pride to shock in just 24 hours
• The devastating impact of John's choices on multiple generations
• Why Sue believes her great-great-grandfather was addicted to attention and scandal
• Why John Jenkinson ended up in Chicago—and who came with him
• The surprising full-circle moment connecting Sue's family back to America 250 years after its founding
• What Sue discovered about the family members who didn't follow John's path—and what their choices reveal about resilience and integrity

The Power of One Story

John Jenkinson's story is uncomfortable. It's not the kind of family history we hope to find. But Sue's willingness to face these difficult truths head-on reveals something profound about the genealogical journey.

"I think for the family, the interesting thing is that my great-grandfather John Jr. must have been a good person. He resigned his position, he looked after his younger sibling, he maintained connections in the community even after everything his father had done."

Sometimes the ancestors who shock us most teach us the deepest truths about resilience. About how some family members choose integrity even when others choose scandal. About how the bonds of family can survive even the most devastating betrayals.

Sue's story also reminds us that family history isn't just about collecting names and dates. It's about understanding the full humanity of our ancestors. There were triumphs and failures. There is respectability and scandal.

Your Story

Think about the surprising discoveries you've made in your own family tree. Have you found ancestors whose reputations don't quite match the family lore? Stories that got buried because they were too uncomfortable to tell?

Remember, every family tree has its share of scoundrels and saints. The question isn't whether difficult stories exist—it's whether we're willing to tell them honestly.

Story Seeds 🌱

Plant these conversation starters and watch your family stories grow.

1. For Parents/Grandparents: "Were there any family members whose names were rarely mentioned when you were growing up? What little do you know about why they became the 'lost' branches of the family tree?"
2. For Aunts/Uncles: "What family stories did you hear growing up that seemed too scandalous to be true? Looking back now, do you think those stories might have been accurate after all?"
3. For Siblings/Cousins: "If you could ask our grandparents one question about a family mystery or a relative no one talks about, what would you ask and why?"
4. For Extended Family: "Have you ever discovered something surprising about our family history that changed the way you understood who we are? What was it and how did it affect you?"

Story Sparks 🔑

Unlock your family's hidden stories with these research techniques.

1. Search bankruptcy and court records. When ancestors seem to disappear from regular records, don't stop there. Check bankruptcy proceedings, civil court cases, and criminal records. These "scandalous" records often reveal the most complete picture of someone's life and explain why they might have relocated suddenly or why family stories went silent.
2. Follow newspaper trails across locations. If an ancestor moved between cities or countries, search newspapers in both locations. Sue discovered John Jenkinson's Chicago activities by searching American newspapers, not just British ones. People who made headlines once often made headlines repeatedly, even in new locations.
3. Map out business connections alongside family relationships. Business partnerships, apprenticeships, and employer-employee relationships often explain migration patterns and unexpected traveling companions. Create a timeline that tracks not just who your ancestors married, but who they worked with and for. These relationships frequently led to major life moves. Use Ancestry Networks to keep track of everyone.
4. Use the Ancestry Card Catalog to locate specialized records. Filter by location and date range, then look beyond the standard vital records. Search for business directories, professional licensing records, church membership rolls, and society publications. These collections often contain details about your ancestor's daily life and community standing that census records won't reveal.

The uncomfortable truth is this: John Jenkinson's crimes, Annie's decision to join him, Frederick's willingness to scheme—these aren't just historical footnotes. They're part of Sue's story. They shaped her family's trajectory, influenced who married whom, determined which children grew up where, and ultimately contributed to the person Sue is today.

But so did John Jr.'s integrity. So did his choice to care for his younger sibling after their mother's tragic death. So did his decision to maintain community connections despite his father's betrayal.

Our ancestors weren't heroes or villains. They were humans making choices—some noble, some terrible, most somewhere in between. And in their stories, if we're willing to look honestly, we often find unexpected truths about resilience, redemption, and the unbreakable bonds that connect families across generations and oceans.

Ready to discover more stories like John Jenkinson's? Subscribe to Stories That Live In Us wherever you get your podcasts. And if this episode made you think differently about the "difficult" ancestors in your own tree, please leave us a rating and review. It helps other family story seekers find us.

© 2025 Crista Cowan. All rights reserved.