1925 Biography - Elkins
John Elkins, tradition says, was Welch and came originally from Wales, settled in North Carolina and removed to Tennessee, and finally to Illinois about 1809, settling somewhere near the Samuel Glassford home. His family consisted of a wife, Elizabeth Styles whom he married in 1798, and seven children; one son stopped in Kentucky of whom there is no history. The children coming to this county were William (2), Richard (2), Whit (2) Amy (2), Fanny (2) and Joshua (2). John Elkins lived in this county several years and moved to Little Rock, Ark. and his daughter, Fannie (2) who had married John Mansfield and his youngest son, Joshua (2; accompanied him. He died there at the age of ninety-four. William Elkins (2) married Sarah Graves, a daughter of John S., who his grandson, George Elkins, (now ninety-nine years old) says, served in the Revolution from North Carolina. Their children were John (3), Joshua (3), Catherine (3), George (3), Richard (3), Fed (3), Eli (3), Emeline (3).
John Elkins (3) married Betsy Dooley and had Sarah (4), Emeline (4), Samuel (4), Frank (4). Sarah (4) married John Gould and had John P. (5), Charles (5), Mrs. Fred Mullins (5), Willis (5), Carl (5), and Mrs. Carl Reeves. Emeline (4) married John Busby and lives in Ball Knob, Ark. Samuel (4) married first Narcissa (Suit) Scott and second Ann Elkins (4). John (3) married second Margaret Williams and had John (4) (called Bud.) John (3) married third Emeline Allen.
Joshua (3) married Acquilla Gurley, 1839 and their children were Catherine (4), Melissa (4), Louisa (4), Clarissa (4), George (4), Willis (4), Jackson (4), Isaac Newton (4). Catherine (4) married Richard Thomas and had Basil G. (5), Josephine (5), Rosa (5). Basil G. (5) married Mollie Orr. Josephine (5) married Jack Land. Rosa (5) married John N. Elkins, son of Hight. Melissa (4) married Dennis Stephens and had Marion J. (5), Charles (5) and Ella (5). Louisa (4) married Hiram Worley and had George (5) who married Miss Neibour and Vernilla (5) married Mr. Elderman and had two children. Both families resided in Union County. Clarissa (4) married Andrew Amburn and had Olive (5) who married Ambrose Stokes of this county. Florence (5) married Francis Thornton and has Lena (6) Francis (6) George (4) married Margaret Slack and they had Lee (5) and George L. (5). Willis A. (4) married Alice Lingle and has Maud (5), Fay (5), Fred (5). Maud (5) married John Wright and has Genevive (6); Fay (5) married Fred Wilburn and has Violet (6) and Lenten (6). Fred married Etta Primm. Newton (4) married Ellis Stokes and had Homer (5), May (5), Pearl (5), Lloyd (5), Newton (5). Homer (5) married Rosalin Roberts and hard one daughter. May (5) married Burton Bagby and has Burton Jr. (6). Lloyd (5) married Evelyn ____ and has Catherine (6). Jackson (4) not married.
Catherine (3) married Alfred (see Copeland); George (3) born 1825 and married first Martha Jones and had Mary (4) and James (4). Mary (4) married William Turley and had Lethia (5), James (5), Cordelia (5). Lethia (5) married B. S. Penrod and had Charles (6), Joshua (6), Ray (6). James (5) left the county years ago. He has a daughter who lives in Colorado. James (4) married Ella Taylor and had Pearl (5), who married first Mr. Bright and had John (6). Pearl (5) married second Dalton Baily and has one daughter, Mrs. Ed Broen of Keville, Ky. George (3) married second Martha Stewart and had Manzell (4), Nancy (4), Frank (4), J. Adolphus (4), Anna (4), Joshua (4). Nancy (4) married W. A. Stone and had Harrison (5), Jewel (5), Willis (5), Olin (5). Jewel (5) married Herbert King. Frank (4) lives at Jefferson City, Mo. Anna (4) married Samuel Elkins (4). Joshua (4) married Marie Martin and lives in Los Gatos, Calif. Manzell and J. A. (4) live on the home farm with their father. This county claims to have the oldest farmer in the United States, meaning a man who still farms and has lived on the same farm the longest period of time, in the person of George Elkins (3). He entered his land from the government and has lived and farmed on it continuously since. Uncle George doesn't manage his farm, but he always has a small field of corn, potatoes and a garden, which he actually cultivates. He will reach the century mark if he lives until April 5, 1925. His faculties are wonderful except his hearing, but his memory is almost perfect, especially about things that happened a long time ago. He hitches his horse to a buggy, and drives to Vienna, a distance of about five miles when the weather is suitable. He says he was ten years old the first time he went to Vienna and rode on horse back, and when he was old enough to vote he came to town, put his head in the window of the courthouse and called out who he wanted to vote for. He further relates that the section of the town where the jail now stands was covered with forest trees and that he doesn't remember but one store and that was kept by John Dunn. He was given a trip to Aurora, Illinois, two years ago in honor of his being the oldest farmer of the U. S., by the Central Illinois Fair Association. They paid his expenses as well as those of his daughter Manzell who accompanied him. He was entertained at a private home and enjoyed his trip, especially the live stock exhibits of the fair. In a joking way, he said last summer he only lacked seventeen months of being a hundred years old and he was going to live that long if he could. For a number of years the relatives, neighbors and friends of "Uncle George," as he is known, far and near, go and spend the day with him on his birthday. They take their dinners, and as the weather is usually pleasant at this time of the year it is spread on the lawn. These gatherings include visitors from many of the neighboring towns and reach the number of two hundred and fifty to three hundred. He looks forward to these occasions with a great deal of pleasure and seems to enjoy the meal as well as any of the guests. Uncle George has lived a long and useful life and has many friends who hope he may reach the goal of one hundred years. The improvements and inventions that have come under his span of life are manifold.
Richard (3) married Mary Thornton and had Sarah (4), Martha (4), Hosea (4) and Preston (4). Sarah (4) married John Lanom. Martha (4) first married Choate Lanom and third Milton Penrod. Hosea (4) married Ellen Heilman. Preston (4) is not married but lives on the old homestead. Fed (3) married Abby Gurley and had William (4). Eli (3) married Jane Anderson and had Mary (4), Rosa (4), Alice (4), Cora (4), Cordie (4), and Channas (4). Mary (4) married first Lowery Low and second a Mr. Vandiver. Rosa (4) married first James Key and second Mr. McDowell. Alice (4) married Charles Peterson (see Reynolds.) Cora (4) married D. D. Stewart. Cordia (4) married Alice Cagle and has Nell (5), Samuel F. (5), Everett (5). Samuel F. (5) married Althea Arnett. Channas (4) lives in Johnson City, Ill. Emeline Elkins (3) married Jefferson Morris and had James (4). Whit Elkins (2) married Kizzie, sister to Judge John Oliver, and had John (3), Young (3), "Pop" (3) (supposed to be Martha), and Champ (3). John (3), (called Big John) married Catherine (see Simpson). Young (3) was killed in Vienna. Ill., when a young man. Pop (3) married John H. (see Bridges). Champ (3) married, died and left a daughter Ellen (4), who married Milton Cochran. Amy Elkins (2) married William Barton (see Smith) Richard Elkins (2) married Sarah Gore, and as far as is known they had Waton (3), who married and had Alney H. (4), who was born and raised in this county, and served in the 31st Illinois Volunteer. He married Mary Stone, born 1847, and they had John (5), Clinton (5), Richard (5), James (5), Samantha (5) and Harrison (5).
Dr. George L. son of Joshua and Acquilla Elkins, was born in this county 1850. He acquired his primary education here and graduated from Rush Medical College, Chicago, 1868. He practiced his profession in Vienna until 1879, when he was appointed physician at the Southern Illinois prison at Chester. He died very early in his career being a little more than thirty years old. He married Margaret Slack and they had Lee and George L. Lee is a graduate of Bloomington Normal and was a teacher in the Chicago Schools for some time. Her husband, C. D. Stillwell was a prominent attorney of Harrisburg, Ill., where he served as city judge. He died 1923. George L., who was born and partially reared in this county is a graduate of Vienna High School, has large plantation interests in Porto Rico, making a specialty of growing and exporting grapefruit and pineapple. . He also has a residence in New Hampshire, where he and his mother spend the hot season. Mrs. Elkins, though widowed early managed to give her children the very best educational advantages and is enjoying the fruits of her untiring efforts in their behalf. George L. makes a pleasant home for his mother and sister.
Extracted 06 Feb 2017 by Norma Hass from 1925 A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, pages 369-372.
