The Jenison family resided in Lansing, Michigan and included Nelson F. Jenison (born December 18, 1855; died November 3, 1907), his wife Alice Cowles Jenison (born October 4, 1860; died November 12, 1915), their son Frederick Cowles Jenison (born November 26, 1881; died February 12, 1939), and Frederick's second wife, Edith T. Jenison (nee Thompson) (born October 5, 1881; died April 21, 1938).

Nelson and Alice Jenison operated the Lansing Dry Goods Store at 121-123 N. Washington Ave. The Jenisons supplemented their income by means of investments, primarily in municipal bonds and some stocks. Frederick Cowles Jenison attended Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University) from 1902 to 1907, majoring in engineering. He maintained a lifelong interest in the college, which manifested in several ways, primarily by his financial support of the athletics program.

On January 2, 1909, Frederick married Amy Prudden of Indianapolis, Indiana. They resided at 800 N. Washington Avenue, Lansing, Michigan until 1917, when they moved to 403 Seymour. Frederick lived at this address until his death in 1939. In 1918, Frederick and Amy divorced. Two months after the divorce, Frederick married Edith J. Thompson.

A successful businessman, Frederick owned and operated the Frederick C. Jenison Insurance Agency of Lansing. The agency, staffed by Jenison and a secretary, sold general insurance and surety bonds, and was located in the Capitol National Bank Building (later called the Hollister Building). Jenison also managed the family property, the Jenison Building located at the corner of N. Washington Ave. and Ottawa St. The building was leased to the F.W. Woolworth Co. during the 1920s and 1930s. Both of these ventures proved profitable.

Following his death in 1939, Frederick C. Jenison, having no heirs, bequeathed his entire half-million dollar estate to Michigan State College. A portion of the legacy was used to pay for the building of the Jenison Fieldhouse. Another large portion of the estate was used to pay for the extensive remodeling of the President's House. Since the entire estate was presented in Jenison's mother's name, Alice Cowles Jenison, the President's home was named the Cowles House in her memory.

(Sources: Kuhn, Madison. Michigan State, The First Hundred Years; The MSU Press, 1957. East Lansing, Michigan; Lansing City Directory, 1938; This is Michigan State University 1975 Facts Book; Plaque in the Jenison Fieldhouse; Course Catalogs, Archival Documents.)