John Francis Adkins

   Cause of his death was Lobar Pneumonia.

  General Notes:

Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:50:40 -0800 (PST)
From: JOEY KENT <therulingclass@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Another Adkins line...
To: lhagen@vt.edu
Bo:
I was given your email address and website by Don Chamberlayne who thought you might could help me in my quest. I, too, come from Adkins, an offshoot from your line. We branch off with Eliza Jane Minter, who was my great-great grandmother. She was married to John Francis Adkins and had twelve kids, the first of whom was my great-grandfather, William Henry Adkins - the OTHER William Henry Adkins! He shares the same birth year and month as your William Henry Adkins, but this one married Lillie Bell Nunn and had two kids, my grandfather Herman and his brother Roy.
I am preparing a beautiful fan chart for my newborn daughter for Christmas and the only date I lack for the chart which goes back five generations, is the death date for my William Henry Adkins. I can find no info anywhere. I have just written to the Henry Co. Clerk of Court to see if they can find any succession records but, other than that, I'm at a dead end, so to speak. Lillie Bell died in 1953. Both lived and died in Henry County.
Not sure if you have any info on the "other" William Henry Adkins but I thought I'd update you on our line anyway so you can add us in. I'll have Ancestry.com send you an invite to my tree where you can see all the info and picture for yourself. Let me know if you'd like copies of any of the photos for your collection. Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Joey Kent
Son of David Kent (formerly Herman Adkins, Jr. of Roanoke)
Shreveport, LA


By 1920 John is a widower living with his son, Grover:
The 1920 Federal Census for Reed Creek District, Henry County, VA, District 117, page 236A taken March 24, 1920 records the widower John F. Atkins (73) living with his son Grover C. Adkins (35) and his wife, Marnie L. (35), and their children Effie (8), Dover C. (6), Viola M. (5), Mildred L. (4 11/12), and Wilton H. (2).

The 1910 Federal Census for Reed Creek District, Henry County, VA, District 71, page 162A taken May 4, 1910 records John F. Atkins (62 - VA) and his wife Eliza J. (60) and son Grover C. (24) and his wife of 2/12, Mary L. Adkins (24), and daughter Mancy (sic) A. (24) [Nancy Anne] and son Earnest (19). A grandson is listed as Adkins Adkins (3) and is most likely the son of Grover and Mary. John is a farmer and has been married for 41 years and has had 12 children of which 11 are still living.

The 1900 Federal Census for Reed Creek District, Henry County, VA, District 55, page 169A taken June 27, 1900 records John F. Atkins (Jan 1848 - VA) and his wife Eliza J. (June 1849) and children Hattie C. (April 1873), Lucy J. (June 1877), Mike J. (May 1879), Annie N. (Feb 1881), Etta R. (July 1883), George C. (March 1885), Grover D. (Aug 1887), and Earnest (Nov 1891). John is a farmer and has been married for 32 years and has had 12 children of which 11 are still living.

The 1880 Federal Census for Martinsville Township, Henry County, VA, District 130, page 98B taken June 18, 1880 records John Atkins (30 - VA) and his wife Eliza (27) and children William (10), John (8), Cornelia (6), James (4), Lucy (3), and Joseph (1). John is a farmer.

The 1870 Federal Census for Martinsville Township, Henry County, VA, Martinsville P.O., page 108B/109A records John F. Adkins (21 - VA) living with his parents John (54 - VA) and taken August 18, 1870 Lacinda (54 - VA) Adkins. Also in the household is Elizabeth Adkins (17 - VA) and Lacinda Adkins (14 - VA). The Adkins are farmers. Elizabeth is listed as "Keeping House" and since Eliza Jane Minter is not listed in her parents home in the 1870 census, she is most likely the wife of John F. Adkins. Since John and Eliz do not list a son here, then their 1st born, William, must be born after August 1870.

The 1860 Federal Census for Henry County, VA, page 53 records John Atkins Jr. (12 - VA) living with his parents John (45 - VA) and Lucinda (46 - VA) Adkins and siblings Martha (21 - VA), Agnes (9), and Lucinda (4). John is a farmer with real estate valued at $700 and a personal estate at $265. Martha is listed as an "idiot".

The 1850 Federal Census for Henry County, VA, page 10B records John Atkins (2 - VA) living with his parents John (33 - VA) and Lucinda (34 - VA) Adkins and siblings Martha (11 - VA).


An email from Desmond Kendrick on February 6, 2008 in response to an inquiry about John Francis Adkins:
From: Desmond Kendrick <hcarchivist@gmail.com>
Subject: John Francis Adkins
To: lhagen@vt.edu
Hello Bo
I hope you are doing well. It has been a while since I have heard from you.
Yes, I am familiar with John Francis Adkins and Eliza Jane Minter. She was the daughter of Silas Minter, Jr. and his wife, Jane Abigail Eggleston Minter. Silas Jr. was a son of Rev. Silas Minter, Sr. and Nancy Stultz. Those names should be familiar to you. I do not know a lot about John Francis Adkins' father, John Adkins. I would think that he was a son to one of Owen Adkins' brothers, probably William. I will check into it. I have several photos of John Francis Adkins. He is the only Civil War soldier that was buried in Roselawn Burial Park in Martinsville, Virginia. He died in 1938! William Henry Adkins, his son, served on the Roanoke Police force with my great-grandfather's brother, William Johnson Rigney. I own an "annual" of the Roanoke Police Dept from my uncle that has several photos of Mr. Adkins in it. I also still have my uncles patrol cap. He died in 1932. The photo that you sent is a familiar one to me. But, I do appreciate you sending it.
I do not know much about William Henry Adkins. I do not even have a wife or children listed for him. I would love to talk with the grandson, if you could send me his contacts.
Thanks for the contact. I would be happy to sit down with you on your visit. Please let me know before your arrival so that I can "set aside" time to meet with you.
Looking forward to your reply! Have a good day!
Desmond Kendrick
Archivist, Henry County, Virginia
hcarchivist@gmail.com <mailto:hcarchivist@gmail.com>

  Research Notes:

U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963
Name: John F Adkins
Service: Private, Company A, 5th Virginia Infantry
Date of Discharge" April 10, 1865 - Received Pension
Death Date: 7 Mar 1938
Cemetery: Roselawn Cemetery
Cemetery Location: Martinsville, Virginia
The above application was for the UNMARKED grave of a Veteran. The applicant was Mrs. T. E. Gravely, 410 Church St., Martinville, VA, Nov 29, 1938

  Medical Notes:

Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014
Name:John Francis Adkins (widowed)
Residence: Martinsville, VA
Occupation: Retired Farmer
Gender:Male
Race:White
Age at Death:90
Birth Date:24 Jan 1848 in Henry Co., VA
Death Date:7 Mar 1938
Death Place:Shackelford Hospital, Martinsville, Henry, Virginia
Burial: March 9, 1938 at Martinsville, VA
Registration Date: 21 Mar 1938
Father: John Francis Adkins
Mother: Don't Know
Informant: Mr. Earnest Adkins of Roanoke, VA

John married Eliza Jane Minter, daughter of Silas Abner Minter and Jane Abigail Eggleston. (Eliza Jane Minter was born on 14 Jun 1849 in Dyers Store, Henry Co., Va, died on 6 Apr 1914 in Reed Creek, Henry Co, Va. and was buried on 8 Apr 194 in Minter Burial Ground.) The cause of her death was Gastro Hepatic Catarrh [bilious attack] / Apoplexy.