Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 792
ISAAC M. ATKINS

Isaac M. ATKINS, one of the respected farmers of Washington Township, and at present a resident of section 17, has been a resident of Harrison County for thirty-eight years, coming in March 1853, about the time the county was being organized. At first he located near Little Sioux, but in march 1854 removed to Pottawattamie Count, where he followed farming until the spring of 1880, and then came to the site of his present home, which he bought as wild land, his first purchase being eighty acres.

Mr. ATKINS was born in Bradley County, Tenn., April 27, 1832, and when eight years of age left the Big Bend state with his parents, who emigrated to Putnam County, Mo., where he remained at home until 1851, and then came to Council Bluffs, which was then known as Kanesville, and from there moved to Little Sioux in 1853.

He was married in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, October 17, 1852, to Mrs. Hannah DOUGLAS, daughter of A. Q. BARNES, of Missouri, the widow of John DOUGLAS.

Mr. and Mrs. ATKINS were the parents of the following children:--Charles M., born December 26, 1854; Archibald, April 2, 1857; Ellen, April 1, 1860, and Isaac B., March 24, 1863.

Archibald died December 14, 1860 and his mother, Hannah (BARNES) (DOUGLAS) ATKINS departed this life October 13, 1868, and October 17, 1869, Mr. ATKINS married Miss Margaret C. SPEARS, and as a result of this union six children were born; George W., March 22, 1871; Sylvia J, December 2, 1873; Sarah M., November 15, 1874; Stephen A., November 23, 1875; Simeon S., February 16 1878; Oscar J., February 12, 1881, Sarah M. died August 5, 1875.

Margaret C. (SPEARS) ATKINS was born in Mercer County, Penn., February 1, 1838. Her parents came to Florence, Neb., in 1847, having lived seven years at Nauvoo, Ill., the place then being known as WinterQuarters. There they remained until the spring of 1849, and then moved to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, where she remained until the time of her marriage.

It should be added in this connection that the father of our subject was Charles ATKINS, and that he was born in Kentucky in about 1807, and died in Putnam County, Mo., in October 1846. The mother, Sarah (BREWER) ATKINS, was born in Tennessee, about 1813, and is now living in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, with her daughter, Ann BIRCHELL. Mr. and Mrs. Charles ATKINS were the parents of eight children, the oldest of whom was our subject. and his wife are Latter Day Saints.

When Mr. ATKINS came to the county in 1853 there were but few settlers anywhere in this part of the country. The spot where Magnolia now stands was graced by one double log house, in one end of which lived a family that of John W. COOPER, and in the other end was operated a small store. There was only one house at Little Sioux also. As our subject views Harrison County in its present state of perfection, with its four lines of railroads, its busy towns and cities, its numerous watercourses spanned by bridges of architectural beauty, great must be the contrast with that day in 1853 (nearly two score years ago) when he looked out upon that wild yet charming landscape.

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