Lincoln County Genealogical Society Lincoln Lineage · Lincoln County Genealogical Society Lincoln...
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Lincoln County Genealogical Society Lincoln Lineage 2016 ▪ Volume 2 7999 Lynn Avenue Hamlin, WV 25523 The Missing Adkins The Only Adkins Not Identified in the Adkins Family Books If you peruse the Land of York to Beach Fork: The Adkins in America, or The Great Big Blue Book of Adkins, there is an omission. LCGS member Debbie Campbell has identified the missing-- Revolutionary War Soldier John Atkins (Adkins). Atkins was born in Henry County, Virginia between 1753 and 1755. In his 1834 pension claim [Pension Application of John Atkins R291 VA], Atkins states he was in a volunteer Militia Company for the County of Henry for a six month term in 1779 under the command of Captain David Harrison. The Militia marched south to Osborn’s Mill in Surrey County, North Carolina where the Tories and Indians were stationed. (This information was attested to by Thomas Kadle [Cadle].) Atkins reported the Militia then marched from Osborn’s Mill to Salisbury, North Carolina, where he was discharged. Atkins recalls remaining at Salisbury for some time, then re-enlisting in 1779 under Captain Thomas Henderson for the term of two years. Under Henderson’s command, he marched to Gilford, North Carolina. According to Atkins, the group arrived the day after the defeat of General Gates and assisted in burying the dead. They then continued their march to Ninety Six Fork in South Carolina, where they joined General Green. Atkins then reported staying at Ninety Six until the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. However, according to transcriptionist
Transcript of Lincoln County Genealogical Society Lincoln Lineage · Lincoln County Genealogical Society Lincoln...
Lincoln County Genealogical Society
Lincoln Lineage
2016 ▪ Volume 2 7999 Lynn Avenue Hamlin, WV 25523
The Missing Adkins
The Only Adkins Not Identified in the Adkins Family Books
If you peruse the Land of York to Beach Fork: The Adkins in America, or The Great
Big Blue Book of Adkins, there is an omission.
LCGS member Debbie Campbell has identified the missing-- Revolutionary War
Soldier John Atkins (Adkins). Atkins was born in Henry County, Virginia between
1753 and 1755.
In his 1834 pension claim [Pension Application of John Atkins R291 VA], Atkins
states he was in a volunteer Militia Company for the County of Henry for a six
month term in 1779 under the command of Captain David Harrison. The Militia
marched south to Osborn’s Mill in Surrey County, North Carolina where the Tories
and Indians were stationed. (This information was attested to by Thomas Kadle
[Cadle].)
Atkins reported the Militia then marched from Osborn’s Mill to Salisbury, North
Carolina, where he was discharged. Atkins recalls remaining at Salisbury for some
time, then re-enlisting in 1779 under Captain Thomas Henderson for the term of
two years.
Under Henderson’s command, he marched to Gilford, North Carolina. According to Atkins, the group arrived the day after the defeat of General Gates and assisted in burying the dead. They then continued their march to Ninety Six Fork in South Carolina, where they joined General Green. Atkins then reported staying at Ninety Six until the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. However, according to transcriptionist
C. Leon Harris (31 Dec 2014), in his petition Atkins confused the defeat of General Nathanael Greene at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse NC on 15 Mar 1781 with the defeat of General Horatio Gates at the Battle of Camden SC on 16 Aug 1781. The American troops left the siege at Ninety-Six SC on 19 June 1781, months before the Surrender of Cornwallis (19 Oct 1781). (See print below: Illman Brothers, engravers. “The surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown A.D. 1781,” ca. 1870. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-01668.)
Atkins reports being discharged in Yorktown, then returning to his father’s house
in Henry County Virginia.
Atkins affidavit further recounts that after the close of the Revolutionary War he
remained in Henry County another 20-25 years; he then moved to Montgomery
County, Virginia where he remained for 8 years, then on to Cabell County, Virginia
for 5-6 years). According to the affidavit, “he then moved to Fayette County
Virginia where he resided one year on new river he then moved to Coal River in
said County of Fayette where he now resides.”
Atkins made the claim for his pension in 1834 at the age of 78, but he may have
then returned to Cabell County by 1840. The 1840 Cabell County Census shows
John Adkins Sr., Revolutionary War Veteran, age 84, living with two sons’ ages
between 5 and 10 years old. (John Atkins’s pension claim was suspended “for
further proof and specification.”)
Debbie believes her third great grandfather John Adkins2 is one of these sons of
Revolutionary War Soldier John Atkins. John Adkins2 was married March 30, 1848
in Lawrence County, Ohio to Susan Bates, daughter of Moses Bates and his first
wife Betsy Smith. John Adkins2 and Susan Bates Adkins lived in Lawrence County,
Ohio when their daughter Elizabeth was born; she later died on Four Mile in Cabell
County.
They had the following living children:
Peter Charles Adkins
Henry Buffington Adkins
William Adkins
Florence Adkins
George W Adkins
Additional Reading
Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War
“In the course of trying to
identify who my Adkins
family is a couple of DNA test
were completed. They
showed a match to a Bartlett
Adkins, there was an Adkins
by that name in the 1815 to
1820 time period in Cabell
County.” Debbie Campbell.
Questions or comments?
Contact Debbie at
Favorite Photo
The Dean Boys-- Doug,
Charles and Mickey--
sons of Bernice Mae
Johnson and Fred Dean
of Branchland.
Do you have a favorite county
historic photo you’d like to share?
Be sure to share your favorite
photos and we may include it in
our next newsletter. Send to [email protected].
John Adkins, wife Susan and eldest son Peter.
The Old Hamlin Cemetery
In 1978 Maxine May Swango read the Old Hamlin Cemetery. Below is that
information.
Lincoln County Genealogical Society
Location: Hamlin-Lincoln Public Library, 7999 Lynn Avenue, Hamlin, WV 25523
Meetings: 2nd Saturday every month at 10 am
Members: $10 for individuals, $15 for families, $25 premium
Ideas: [email protected]
For more information, email Lula Yeager at [email protected].
www.facebook.com/groups/LCGSWV
