Benjamin Hughes Adkins Sr.

  General Notes:

Benjamin was named for his mother's uncle Benjamin Belcher. The name Hughes is from the doctor that delivered him, Samual Edwin Hughes. Dr. Hughes (b April 1864) was a Physician in Danville, VA for over 30 years. Many of those years he lived at 706 Main Street with his wife Margarett Payne Hughes (Maggie-Dec 1871) and son Samual Edwin Hughes Jr. not far from the Adkins Family home. Ben was affectionately known in his family as Uncle "oogah", so called as he used to make a sound like an old car horn as a child. Family and friends shortened that to "Ooge" which followed him his entire life.

Later in life, Ben reflected with his son-in-law, Bo Hagen, the use of nick names ... when Bo "affectionately" referred to his 1st born baby boy as "Weazle", Ben calmly and unassumingly noted that "you might should picture that affectionate name you use for your son as what that name will sound like for a 28 year old man ... and proceed". "Weazle" was never spoken again.

Ben was always kind and had a great sense of humor with unassuming wisdom in his words. Honesty, Loyalty, and Determination was a way of life not only for his family and friends, but in his employment as well. He worked for Westinghouse for 42 years and was such a dedicated employee that he would never buy a GE product and advised that as well.

See general notes on his father, William T. Adkins, for 1920 and 1930 census facts.

The 1935 Bugle (VPI Yearbook) records the following about B. H. Adkins:
Junior Class Picture (it is out of abc order and is found on page 170)
Sergeant Company E (page 252)
Varsity Wrestling (page 291 & 292)
Intramural Wrestling Champion in 138 pound weight class (page 308)
Assistant Sales Manager for Bugle (page 327)
The American Institute of Electrical Engineers (page 345)
Monogram Club (Varsity Wrestling) (page 379)
Seminole Club (page 390)

The Class of 1936 "fostered the institution of the annual Ring Dance"(page 221) held April 27, 1934, in the Gymnasium. Ben and Ruth attended the very first Ring Dance at VPI.

The 1940 Federal Census for the Lee Ward, City of Richmond, Virginia, District 118-128, page 1620A, dated April 3, 1940 (image 1 of 38) records Benjaman (sic) Adkins (26 - VA) with his wife Ruth G. Adkins (23 - VA) and daughter Ruth G. Adkins (2 - VA) living at 3320 West Grace Street. They rent their home at $45/month. Benjaman has 4 years of college and is an Engineer Salesman for an Electrical Equipment Manufacturer. Ruth has 4 years of High School is not working. They indicate that they were living in Danville, VA as of April 1, 1935. Paul earned $2,066 working 52 weeks during the last year.

The 1941 Richmond City Directory on page 53 records:
B. Hughes Adkins (Ruth G) clk Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co h 3320-A W Grace

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Engineering Sales Representative, Westhinghouse Electric Co.

• Education: BS Electrical Enginnering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Class of 1936).

Benjamin married Ruth Coleman Garrett, daughter of Albert Earle Garrett Sr. and Mattie Sue Webb Blackwell, on 26 Oct 1936 in Danville, VA. (Ruth Coleman Garrett was born on 19 Oct 1916 in Danville City, Virginia (At Home), died on 4 Mar 2002 in Salem, VA and was buried on 9 Mar 2002 in Greenwood Memorial Gardens (West Patterson Ave.) Richmond, Va..)

  Marriage Notes:

Virginia, Marriage Records, 1936-2014
Name: Benjamin Hughes Adkins (single)
Residence: 128 Graville Avenue, Beckley, WV
Occupation: Surveyor
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 22
Birth Date: abt 1914
Marriage Date: 26 Oct 1936
Marriage Place: Danville, Virginia
Registration Place: Danville, Virginia
Father: Wm T Adkins
Mother: Lula Belcher
Spouse: Ruth Coleman Garrett (single)
Residence: 863 Paxton Avenue, Danville, VA
Spouse Gender: Female
Spouse Race: White
Spouse Age: 20
Spouse Father: Albert E Garrett
Spouse Mother: Susie Blackwell