Dear Elaine,

hi I am new at this. I have no idea of my lineage. My grandfather was Dewey Elbert or Elbert Dewey Adkins and he lived in Lawrenceburg Tn. His dad was John and died in 1929 in Tn. My gdad was born in Feb 1900. Any info on these by chance?

In response,

Its unfortunate that I’ve only found 3 families researching this line and from what I can tell, not very thorough, so I thought I’d share what I have on this line. You’ll need to order a few death certificates to verify. Just remember they do make mistakes, so you’ll need more than a few to that with. Note that mother Rena UNK Adkins is gone between 1920 and 1930. No death record found in Lawrence County, Tennessee for a Rena Adkins.

Name:     Elbert Dewey Adkins
Birth:     21 Feb 1900
Residence:     Lawrence, Tennessee
Other:     Lawrence County

After looking at his Military record, I was surprised by the blue eyes and light hair. He lived at 2 Lawrenceburg, Lawrence, Tennessee.  His father’s name was John Adkins.

Marriage
Name:     Elbert Adkins
Spouse:     Edith Martin
Marriage:     23 May 1921 – Lawrence

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1930 United States Federal Census
about Dewey Adkins
Name:     Dewey Adkins

Home in 1930:     District 5, Lawrence, Tennessee
Age:     29
Estimated Birth Year:     abt 1901
Birthplace:     Tennessee
Relation to Head of House:     Head
Spouse’s Name:     Edith Adkins
Race:     White
Household Members:
Name     Age
Dewey Adkins     29
Edith Adkins     28
James T Adkins     6
Dola L Adkins     3
Mathew C Adkins     3
Roicin Adkins (JR) listed as a son, no age.

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Social Security Death Index
about Elbert Adkins
Name:     Elbert Adkins
SSN:     259-07-0739
Last Residence:     30338  Atlanta, Fulton, Georgia, United States of America
Born:     21 Feb 1900
Died:     Dec 1970
State (Year) SSN issued:     Georgia (Before 1951)

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Georgia Deaths, 1919-98
about Elbert D Adkins
Name: Elbert D Adkins
Death Date: 12 Dec 1970
County of Death: Fulton
Gender: M (Male)
Race: White
Age: 70 years
County of Residence: Fulton
Certificate: 039347

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1920 United States Federal Census
about Albrt D Adkins
Name: Albrt D Adkins
[Albert D Adkins]
Home in 1920: Civil District 5, Lawrence, Tennessee
Age: 19
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1901
Birthplace: Tennessee
Relation to Head of House: Son
Father’s name: John H Adkins
Father’s Birth Place: Tennessee
Mother’s name: Rena Adkins
Mother’s Birth Place: Tennessee
Marital Status: Single
Name Age
John H Adkins 55
Rena Adkins 50
Albrt D Adkins 19
Joe Adkins 17
Noah Adkins 14
Leoma Adkins 12

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1910 United States Federal Census
about Duney Adkins
Name: Duney Adkins
Age in 1910: 12
Estimated Birth Year: 1898
Birthplace: Tennessee
Relation to Head of House: Son
Father’s name: James H Adkins
Father’s Birth Place: Tennessee
Mother’s name: Rena Adkins
Mother’s Birth Place: Tennessee
Home in 1910: Civil District 5, Lawrence, Tennessee
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Male
Household Members:
Name Age
James H Adkins 46
Rena Adkins 42
Carlert Adkins 17
Turney Adkins 16
Duney Adkins 12
Joe Adkins 8
Noah Adkins 5
Leona Adkins 3

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1900 United States Federal Census
about Dewey Atkins
Name: Dewey Atkins
Home in 1900: Civil District 8, Lawrence, Tennessee
[Lawrenceburg, Lawrence, Tennessee]
Age: 3/12
Birth Date: Feb 1900
Birthplace: Tennessee
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relationship to head-of-house: Son
Father’s name: John H Atkins
Father’s Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother’s name: Rena Atkins
Mother’s Birthplace: Tennessee
Marital Status: Single
Household Members:
Name Age
John H Atkins 35
Rena Atkins 30
(m)Acy J Atkins 11
(f)Bertha Atkins 9
(m)Edger C Atkins 7
(m)Pete T Atkins 5
(f)Ovie E Atkins 3 (born: Apr 1897) no other records found)
(m)Dewey Atkins 3/12

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1930 United States Federal Census
about John Adkins
Name: John Adkins
Home in 1930: District 5, Lawrence, Tennessee
Age: 65
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1865
Birthplace: Tennessee
Relation to Head of House: Head
Race: White
Name Age
John Adkins 65
Joe Adkins 26
Leomer Adkins 23
Gladis Adkins 14
Ethel Adkins 13

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Marriage Records
Lawrence County marriage records amount to more than ten thousand individuals in this database who were married between 1851and 1900. This county was created in 1817 from Hickman County and Indian lands.
Original data: Lawrence County, Tennessee Marriages, 1851-1900. County court records located at Lawrenceburg, Tennessee or Family History Library microfilm #0976259-0976261 and 0976306-0976314.

Possible …
Tennessee Marriages, 1851-1900
about Rena Judkins
Name: John Adkins
Spouse: Rena Judkins
Marriage Date: 3 Feb 1886
County: Warren
State: TN

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Brother
Asa Adkins 2 Jul 1887 Caucasian (White) Tennessee Lawrence, Tennessee
Marriage: Acie Adkins Emma Bennett 1 Aug 1919 Lawrence
Name: Ace Adkins
Birth: 2 Jul 1888
Death: Jun 1964
Civil: Tennessee

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Brother Edgar Corbet Adkins
Name: Edgar C Adkins
Birth: 1 Sep 1892 – Tennessee;United States of America
Residence: Lawrence, Tennessee
Other: Lawrence County
Marriage Corbet Adkins Callie Clayton 5 Sep 1915 Lawrence
Social Security Death Index
about Edgar Adkins
Name: Edgar Adkins
SSN: 414-01-6472
Last Residence:
Born: 1 Sep 1892
Died: Dec 1962
State (Year) SSN issued: Tennessee (Before 1951)
Adkins Callie, Mrs. 05-18-32 41 321 Tn. Sarcoma

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Brother
Pete Turney Adkins
[Peter Turney Adkins] 25 Jan 1895 Caucasian (White) Tennessee Lawrence, Tennessee
Marriage Name: Lurine Adkins
[Peter Turney “Pete” Adkins]
Spouse: Janie Bailey
Marriage: 12 Oct 1913 – Lawrence

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Sister
Bertha Atkins Ferman Jaco 2 May 1909 Lawrence
Name: Wiley Fermon Jaco
Birth: 20 Jul 1888 – Tennessee;United States of America
Residence: Lawrence, Tennessee
Other: Lawrence County

Name: Wiley T Jaco
[Wiley F Jaco]
Spouse: Bertha Jaco
Birth: 1889 – Tennessee
Residence: 1910 – Buffalo Road, Lawrence, Tennessee
Name: Wiley F Joco
[Wiley F Jaco]
Spouse: Bertha Joco
Birth: abt 1892 – Tennessee
Residence: 1920 – Civil District 5, Lawrence, Tennessee
Name: William F Jaco
Spouse: Bertha Jaco
Birth: abt 1896 – Tennessee
Residence: 1930 – Howe, Le Flore, Oklahoma

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Brother
Abt 1905 Lawrence Tennessee
Noah Adkins Nellis Grinnell 19 Nov 1927 Lawrence

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Lawrence County, TN  – Surname Adkins Death records:
Adkins Minnie V. 05-01-18 37 153
Adkins Shelby 07-13-18 37 129
Adkins William E. 04-27-24 37 347

Lawrence County, TN Early Birth Records
Adkins Ina Babe Robbie A n/a 04-01-1909
Adkins Mary Blanche A. J. Minnie A. 09-27-1910
* Note:  Several “Adkisson” in the area at this time. Other possible surname links for this area are Akin and Adams.

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NOTES

Nellie G. Adkins 27 Sep 1912 15 Mar 1997 Lawrenceburg, Lawrence, Tennessee
Geo Adkins Rebeca Jones 19 Feb 1890 Lawrence
Etta Adkins J A Willis 25 Dec 1899 Lawrence
Ocla Adkins Sam Miller 26 Apr 1903 Lawrence
G W Adkins Roby Winters 20 Sep 1903 Lawrence
Dossie Adkins Mahlon Phillips 20 Apr 1907 Lawrence
Elizabeth Adkins John Ray 27 Aug 1908 Lawrence
A G Adkins Minnie Olive 19 Dec 1908 Lawrence
Will Adkins Alice Finney 29 Sep 1916 Lawrence
George Anna Adkins Willie J Rose 21 Dec 1924 Lawrence
Clarence Adkins Bertha Tolle 4 Jul 1924 Lawrence

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A few links to get the ball rolling

• Lawrence County, Tennessee Genealogical Society: http://home.lorettotel.net/~lcarchives/lcgs.htm
• The Heritage of Lawrence County, TN: http://county-heritage.com/tn/lawrence/
•  Lawrence County Historical Society (931) 766-3646 233 Waterloo St, Lawrenceburg, TN 38464

I’ve said it a million times, the state of Tennessee has got to start releasing more public information. I realize that this takes a lot of time and resources, but it would pay off in the end. Have some of the local Historical Societies start releasing their information.

No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each others worth. ~ Robert Southey

 

Odis LeRoy Stump

updated.

I went through a lot of records this week and found a very startling divorce record for my Grandpa, in which I had no idea, nor will the family believe me so I thought it best just to post it.

Ohio Divorce Index, 1962-1963, 1967-1971, 1973-2007
about Odis L Stump
Name: Odis L Stump
Birth Year: 1916
Times Married: 1
Residence: Butler
Spouse’s name: Melva Stump
Spouse’s Birth Year: 1910
Spouse – Times Married: 1
Spouse’s Residence: Butler
Marriage Duration (Years): 10
Number of Minor Children: 0
To Whom Decree Granted: Wife
County of Decree: Butler
Decree Date: 2 Mar 2000
Cerificate Number: 10004
Volume Number: 8785

Now Grandpa was actually married 3 times prior to Mel so I don’t know why it only says Times Married: 1. This must have been some kind of age thing or Medicare, since they lived together in the nursing home. I really have no idea but was genuinely shocked to find it.

I’ve found others as well. His divorce from Deborah R Stump aka the Queen Bee as my Grandma Dorothy referred to her. Personally, I always called her the “horrible awful woman” and I still have no idea what her maiden name was. Granted if anyone needed a divorce – they did.

She took Grandpa for every dime he had (as the story goes) and he had to come to our house each day to eat. I don’t remember it to be honest, but my sisters do. I guess, he took a job delivering ice cream and would bring us ice cream everyday.

I can remember a lot about their marriage and still talk about it frequently. It was a nightmare for a small child. I’m thinking that its always there. And the pictures help. I still don’t know why my mom even took us over there.  She was so mean to us.  I’ll tell you about her someday, when and if I can talk about it without getting upset.

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Odis LeRoy Stump
Born: 8 Aug 1916 La Cygne, Linn, Kansas
Died: 23 Feb 2001 Middletown, Butler, Ohio

Married: Elvia Mae Fugate on 22 Jun 1935 in Harrisonville, Cass, Missouri by the Justice of the Peace. She past in 1965 and Grandpa’s divorce record from Deborah R Unk “Debbie” was on 9 Oct 1974 and they report 9 years of marriage. So it must have been immediately after Grandma Elvie passed away.

He then married Dorothy Ouida Gibbs Collier Perry Clarke aka Grandma Dorothy on Valentine’s Day 14 Feb 1975 in Middletown, Butler, Ohio. I was there, it was a nice little white church. They were married until Grandma died in 1986. She was a wonderful woman and made a huge impact on my life. She was so nice and she worked hard to make us feel welcome in the family.

After her passing,  he married Mel on 8 Apr 1989 in Middletown, Butler, Ohio and I guess the divorce was on 2 Mar 2000 as per the record. She wasn’t used to having children in her home, although she was a retired school teacher,  so she was a little short with the kids, but still nice in her own way. I think the Nursing Home may have played a part in their divorce, since we were never told about it, maybe medicare reasons. Who knows?

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The more records that are released will help aide in the family research. If it were up to me, I’d DNA test every child at birth and record every move they make.

Please keep diaries and/or scrapbooks for family members, this way we can hear it from you, and not find out in some court records all of the who, what, when, where and why’s. Why things unfolded as they did. I may be a big girl now, but when it comes to family, I’m just a kid at heart.

A child can ask questions that a wise man cannot answer.  ~Author Unknown

 

Rhoda Adkins

Virginia Marriages to 1800
about Adkins, Rhoda
Spouse 1: Adkins, Rhoda
Spouse 2: Peak, Jesse
Marriage Date: 29 Jan 1799
Marriage Location: Virginia
Pittsylvania County

Note: Little is known of Rhoda Adkins Peak.

 

Winston Adkins

Virginia Marriages to 1800
about Adkins, Winston
Spouse 1: Adkins, Winston
Spouse 2: Thacker, Molly Allen
Marriage Date: 14 Dec 1798
Marriage Location: Virginia
Pittsylvania County

Please note:

1. The “Allen” in Molly Thacker’s name. She may not have been a Thacker at all, but the widow of a Thacker. Its believed that she was since so many the Adkins’ married Thacker’s.
2. Winright the son of Winston Oliver Adkins called himself Winright JR. So its possible that this Winston was aka a “Winright” as well – no paper trail to offer proof.
3. Winright (1775-1854) s/o Henry and Rachel Houchins was married 1st wife Lucy Thacker (1785-1845) married in 1798 Pittsylvania, Virginia. 2nd wife: ADKINS, Winright MULLINS, Sally 05-JUL-1849 in Pike, Kentucky

 

Lewis Adkins

Virginia Marriages to 1800
about Adkins, Lewis
Spouse 1: Adkins, Lewis
Spouse 2: Kezee, Susanna
Marriage Date: 12 Feb 1799
Marriage Location: Virginia
Pittsylvania County

 

Parker Adkins

Virginia Marriages to 1800
about Adkins, Parker
Spouse 1: Adkins, Parker
Spouse 2: Leford, Mary
Marriage Date: 3 Jan 1792
Marriage Location: Virginia
Montgomery County