Atkins, S. J.

ATKINS

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/11/2007 at 20:42:57

S. J. Atkins

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.268, York Twp.)
S. J. Atkins, farmer, P. O. Neola, was born in Morgan County, Tenn., May 19, 1838. He is the son of Charles and Sarah (Brewer) Atkins. His father was a farmer, born in Tennessee in 1807, and died in 1846. His (subject's) mother was born near Athens, Clark Co., Ga., in 1811. Our subject received a very limited education in the old subscription schools. He lived at home till he was twenty-two years of age, when he began farming for himself. He was but two years old when his father moved to Putnam County,Mo. He moved with his parents to Texas at the age of fourteen. In 1857,he returned to Missouri by himself. In 1860, he went to Arkansas, where he farmed until the opening of the war. He joined the First Arkansas Cavalry, Company F, and served until the close of the war. He was at the battles of Prairie Grove, Ark., Newtonia, Mo., and Fayetteville, Ark. He spent thirty-seven days with a scouting party, which went east from Fayetteville, which was almost daily engaged in spirited skirmishes. At the close of the war, he returned to Putnam County, Mo., and afterward to Saline County, Mo. He came to this county in 1870. His specialty is raising grain. HIs first marriage took place in Crawford County, Ark., where he was married to Nancy Childers, born in Indiana. She was the daughter of Joel and Dolly (Sizemore) Childers. His second marriage occurred in 1867, in Missouri. He married Nancy Young, born in Missouri in 1836. She is the daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Stump) Young, both natives of Kentucky. Mr. Atkins has sven children - Stephen, George F., John H., James H., Josephine, Annie and Nancy E. Mr. Atkins' last wife as two sons - Henry S. and Marion D.