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Sheriff of Lincoln County

The grandfather of "Little" Aaron Adkins was Elias Adkins. Elias was the son of Hezekiah Adkins, the well known Revolutionary War Veteran from Giles County, Virginia (later Wayne County, West Virginia). During the 1780's, Hezekiah moved to the Beech Fork area of Wayne County to accept his land grant as reward for his military service. I try to remember it this way: The first battle of the Revolutionary War was fought October 10, 1774 and Hezekiah Adkins moved to Beech Fork about 10 years later. The story is documented in the Ronnie Adkins "Adkins Book".

{satellite view of Wayne Co.}

Elias, son of Hezekiah, moved from the Beech Fork area of Wayne County to the Little Harts Creek area of Lincoln County in about 1835. This happened about the time his son Allen Adkins, turned 20 years old. This story is also documented in the "Adkins Book".

Allen and his wife, Fannie (McNeely) Adkins, were both 39 years of age when they disappeared in 1859 on a trip to Logan County, never to be seen or heard from again.

No continuous West Virginia newspapers were in existence during 1859, time of the disappearance of "Little" Aaron's parents, according to the West Virginia Cultural & History Center state archives which is located in Charleston. It would be nice to know what really happened to them, so if anyone can shed some light on this part of the story, please feel free to do so and let me know.

"Little" Aaron Adkins, son of Allen, was wounded 3 times during the Civil War. I believe this happened at Gettysburg. This story was told to me by Billy Adkins of Big Hart's Creek last year. "Wild" Bill was also my West Virginia history teacher at Hart's High School back in 1975.


Col Witcher
Camp #1863

Military Service
129th. Virginia Military Militia CSA

AARON ADKINS "Little Aaron" - Ha - Pvt. - Capt. Barnett Carter's Company - 1st Battalion. 129th Regiment Virginia Mounted Rifles - and - Company D - 34th Virginia Cavalry Battalion - CSA. [which later became 1st. BN Virginia Mounted Rifles and later redesignated Witchers Battalion. [ref.] Also part of Jenkins' Brigade (Brig. Gen. Albert G. Jenkins) {photo}. "Little Aaron" enlisted in Capt. Barnet Carter's Co. 27 Aug. 1861,served for three days and left sick. He returned to duty 26 Aug. 1862 and served until 1 Dec. 1862. He served from 1 Dec. 1862 until either 1 Feb. or 15 Apr. 1865 in Company D of the 34th Virginia Cavalry Battalion. Altogether, Aaron was supposed to have served 3 years and 5 months. He fought at Gettysburg and was wounded three times--in arm, leg and body. Family tradition says that he was sent out to forage for food during the war and that he came back to camp with a dead hog on his back. The 1890 Special Census Schedule lists his discharge date as "15 Apr. 1865", his disabilities incurred as "shot 3 times; in arm, leg, and side," and that his post office address was "Hart Creek, "Lincoln County, WV."

more 34th. history...

Mosby´s Gray Ghosts of Virginia

The most famous of all Partisan Ranger units of the Confederacy was undoubtedly the one commanded by Colonel John S. Mosby, the 43rd Virginia Cavalry Battalion. It is so famous that I will not go into details here today. I will only point out that these around 800 men in effect was a small army and operated so effectively that even General Lee, who was no friend of partisan and guerrilla warfare, at one time exclaimed: "Hurrah for Mosby ! I wish I had a hundred like him".

Let me only quote General Sheridan by the end of 1864 on the result of the guerilla warfare in Virginia: "The crow that flies over the Valley of Virginia must henceforth carry his rations with him". {ref}

"General Lee {photo} stated that the members of the Jenkins {photo} command were affected by a spirit of localism. In presenting a reorganization plan for the cavalry, Lee said he had not separated these men, since they claimed to have been raised for special service in Western Virginia." [ more....]

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ADKINS BOOK

"Little" Aaron, along with his 6 brothers and sisters, were raised by their aunt, Armintha Adkins. Aaron was the oldest in the family, 14 years of age, at the time of his parents' disappearance. Four of the children were under the age of 4 years old. I believe Armintha was the sister of Aaron's father, Allen, and this is also the direct lineage of Ronnie Adkins, publisher of the "Adkins Book".

Born 15 Aug. 1845, near Harts, Cabell County, VA (now Lincoln County, WV), Aaron was the son of Allen and Frances "Fannie" (McNeely) Adkins. In Wayne County, WV on 13 Aug.1868, Aaron married Caroline "Frances" b. 26 Dec. 1851 - d. 19 Jun. 1932 a d/o of James and Nancy (Gillespie) Toney. Aaron and Francis lived on Little Harts Creek of Lincoln County, WV. Aaron and Francis are buried in the Mann's Family Cemetery, Lincoln Co., WV. "Little Aaron" was a fiddle player.

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1920 census
Harts Creek District House #131
Aaron ADKINS b. Aug 1845 d. 1929 m. Francis TONEY d. Jun or Jul 1932


The Children of Aaron Theron and Frances (Toney) Adkins were: Delia Ann b. 27 Sept. 1870, d. 1946 married(1 Thomas Jefferson Marrs, and married (2 Robert Gilmore Adkins (the family later spelled their name Atkins ; David Kay b. 12 Aug. 1873 - d. 22 Mar. 1962 married Martha Tennessee Fry b. Aug. 1878 - d. 28 Nov. 1937, d/o Ishiah (Isaac) and Susan (Nester) Fry. David and Martha lived on Little Harts Creek of Lincoln County and are buried in the Adkins-Fry Cemetery near Harts in Lincoln County; William Talbert b. 11 Aug.1876 - d. 6 Mar. 1908, never married; Moses B. "Dude" b. 4 Sept. 1879 - d. 22 Dec. 1911 married Mary Moore; Thomas J. "Tommy" b. 14 Sept. 1884, d. 23 Mar. 1973, married #1 a Keyser, d/o Dave Keyser, and married #2 Delphia Fry a d/o Henry Harden & Elizabeth A. (Gartin) Fry with no Issue; Robert E. "Big Bob" b. 9 Jul. 1889, near Harts, Lincoln County, WV - d. 1 Feb. 1967, married #1 Spicy Fry, b. ca 1884 d/o Anthony Fry, and married #2 Bernice (Farley) Adams a d/o Lewis Washington & Mahala (Pridemore) Farley; George Henderson "Boss" b. 29 Jun. 1893 - d. 19 Sept. 1960, never married (1890, 1870, AB, SK)

Courtesy:

CIVIL WAR VETERANS OF THE LAUREL HILL & HARTS CREEKS DISTRICTS

Harold Ray Smith

PO Box 346

Ranger, WV 25557

(304) 778-7705


The official record of Witcher's Battalion and the 34th. are located at the West Virginia Cultural & History Center [WVCHC] located in Charleston, West Virginia. Click here to learn more.



My father still resides on that same farm today. It is thought to be the oldest continuous settlement in the Little Harts Creek area and possibly in all of Lincoln County.

An obituary and death certificate for "Little" Aaron Adkins will be placed on-line and on this page soon. Be sure to bookmark this home page!

"Little" Aaron Adkins playing the fiddle & Major Adkins.

This photograph can be viewed full screen with greater detail by simply clicking the right mouse button over the photograph then follow the instructions. Here's another version with Aaron standing alone.

Technical history of the photograph can be read here!

To purchase a copy of this photo printed on high quality industrial printing equipment, please mail a $10 check or money order to the following address:
9027 South K St., Tacoma, WA 98444

If you would just like to make a contribution send an email message to atkins@mail.org.

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Collection: Confederate Pension Rolls, Veterans and Widows, Rosters, Units & Locals

Aaron Adkins
grave marker

Pedigree Charts

Library of Congress
Selected Civil War Photographs, 1861-1865

Return to Atkins Family History

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  From Freedom to SlaveryThe Rebirth of Tyranny in America by
  Gerry L. Spence