Editing Jenkins County, Georgia (section)

==History==
Jenkins County was created on August 17, 1905, from portions of [[Bulloch County, Georgia|Bulloch]], [[Burke County, Georgia|Burke]], [[Emanuel County, Georgia|Emanuel]] and [[Screven County, Georgia|Screven]] counties, and named after the 44th [[Governor of Georgia]], [[Charles J. Jenkins|Charles Jones Jenkins]].<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/j.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030917141058/http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/j.pdf |archive-date=September 17, 2003 |url-status=live | title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=120 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref> The effort was spearheaded by Robert Gray Daniel (d. May 14, 1934), a director of the local Millen Bank, a 40-year member of the board of education and scion of the county's Daniel family who had large mercantile and farming enterprises.<ref>[https://genealogytrails.com/geo/jenkins/news.htm "Operation Fatal for R.G. Daniel Leading Millen Citizen]. Butler Herald (Butler, Georgia) May 17, 1934. Accessed via genealogytrails.com on April 26, 2023.</ref> The effect was to place the county seat of Millen in a position where the town could become a safe place for economic growth. But the first decade after formation was difficult due to lack of realistic economic planning and implementation. Local people were leaving for jobs in larger cities, and there were few new business start-ups.

During the [[Red Summer|Red Summer of 1919]], there was a [[Jenkins County, Georgia, riot of 1919|race riot on April 13, 1919]] in Jenkins County, in which white mobs attacked the black community. Prosperous and respected local farmer Joe Ruffin, whose family had historically been slaves working the plantations of the Daniel family, was almost impoverished by the costs of his legal defense and vindication.<ref>[https://genealogytrails.com/geo/jenkins/news.htm oe Ruffin Wins Vindication Savannah]. Cumming North Georgian (Cumming, Georgia) June 8, 1923. Accessed via genealogytrails.com on April 26, 2023.</ref>

Businesses in the county attract their workforce from throughout the area. Because the county population is relatively small, people notice that when jobs increase, the population increases. When an employer closes its business, the local population decreases as people seek opportunities elsewhere. For a number of years, the largest employer was [[Jockey International]] which employed manual and skilled laborers until reducing then closing operations in September 2007.<ref name=SH2007Nov19>[https://www.statesboroherald.com/local/business/plant-closing-devastates-millen/ "Plant Closing Devastates Millen"]. Statesboro Herald, updated November 19, 2007. Accessed April 26, 2023.</ref> MI Windows and Doors had a long presence in the county at its manufacturing plant, closing in December 2007.<ref name=SH2007Nov19/>

Jenkins County owns the Millen Airport, which was established to increase local and regional transportation flexibility. Annual assessments show the airport has provided consistent benefit to the people and businesses in the county.<ref>[https://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Aviation/GAAirportsDocuments/Individual%20Report_2J5.pdf Economic Impact Report for Millen Airport]. Georgia Department of Transportation. September 2020. Accessed April 26, 2023.</ref>