John William Adkins1,2,3

ID# 19583, (1896 - 1973)
FatherHiram Adkins1,4,5 (14 Feb 1867 - 19 Apr 1940)
MotherDelilah Young1,6,7 (11 Apr 1867 - 13 Jun 1941)

Key Events:

Birth: 20 Mar 1896, Webville, Laurence Co., Kentucky8,9,10,11
Marriage: 7 Jan 1917, Genoa, Wayne Co., West Virginia, Rebecca Wilson (3 Mar 1903 - 21 Oct 1931)12,13
Marriage: Eva Spence (22 Sep 1910 - 1 Oct 2001)14,15,16
Death: 24 Jun 1973, Ironton, Lawrence Co., Ohio16
Burial: 27 Jun 1973, Cyrus Cemetery, Cyrus, West Virginia16

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     John William Adkins was born on 20 Mar 1896 in Webville, Laurence Co., Kentucky.8,9,10,11 He seems to have generally gone by a diminutive of his middle name, Willie, even on legal documents.17,18,19
     He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Lawrence Co., Kentucky, in the household of his parents, Hiram Adkins and Delilah Young.4
     He was working on the home farm at age 15.20 He appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Lawrence Co., Kentucky, in the household of his parents.5
     John married first Rebecca Wilson, daughter of Joseph Wilson and Elizabeth Hampton, on 7 Jan 1917 in Genoa, Wayne Co., West Virginia, with Rev. W. S. Walker officiating.12,13
     Willie and Rebecca claimed to be age 21 and 18 respectively when they applied for a marriage license when he was actually 20 and she was 13. Presumably they did so to avoid getting the consent of their parents since they were both minors.17
     John and Rebecca moved to Ohio in Mar 1917 after their marriage. He registered for the draft for World War I on 5 Jun 1917, while living at Delaware, Ohio, reporting he was employed as a farmer, in business for himself.18
     Willie and Rebecca appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Wayne Co., West Virginia, enumerated 2 May 1930, reporting that they were renting their farm, and did not own a radio. Their children William, Ray and Virginia were listed as living with them.19
     His wife died on 21 Oct 1931.21
     John married second Eva Spence, daughter of Henry Spence and Exer Murray.14,15,16
     John and Eva appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Wayne Co., West Virginia, enumerated 13 Apr 1940, reporting they were renting their home, for $4 per month. His children William, Ray and Virginia were listed as living with them.14
     He was a laborer. He was working with casting insulators in 1930. In 1940 he reported he was working for an insulator company and had worked 40 hours the last week of March and 30 weeks the prior year, earning $600.22,23,14
     John registered for the draft for World War II on 14 Feb 1942, while living at Rittman, Wayne Co., Ohio, reporting he was employed by B & W, in Barkerton, Ohio.3
     John and Eva moved to Ohio by 1950. They appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of Norton, Summit Co., Ohio, enumerated 1 Apr 1950, reporting they lived in a home that was not on a farm.24
     By 1950 he was working in construction, building concrete forms, for a boiler manufacturing company, reporting in the 1950 census he had worked 40 hours the prior week.25
     John died on 24 Jun 1973 in Ironton, Lawrence Co., Ohio, at age 77.16 He was buried on 27 Jun 1973 in Cyrus Cemetery, Cyrus, West Virginia.16

Children:
     Children with Rebecca Wilson:

Children:
     There were no children with Eva Spence

Citations

  1. [S5617] John William Adkins, Special Certificate of Birth and Affidavits.
  2. [S5542] William Henry Morris and Virginia Maxine Adkins, Marriage Record, shows name as John Adkins.
  3. [S12825] John William Adkins, Draft Registration Cards for Ohio, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947.
  4. [S5618] Hiram Adkins household, 1900 U.S. Census, Lawrence Co., Kentucky.
  5. [S5619] Hiram Adkins household, 1910 U.S. Census, Lawrence Co., Kentucky.
  6. [S5618] Hiram Adkins household, 1900 U.S. Census, Lawrence Co., Kentucky, shows him as the son of her husband and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  7. [S5619] Hiram Adkins household, 1910 U.S. Census, Lawrence Co., Kentucky, shows him as the son of her husband and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  8. [S5617] John William Adkins, Special Certificate of Birth and Affidavits, shows date, , with year as 1896, town, and county.
  9. [S5618] Hiram Adkins household, 1900 U.S. Census, Lawrence Co., Kentucky, shows month, year, as 1896, age 4, and state.
  10. [S12824] William Adkins, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, shows date, with year a 1896.
  11. [S12825] John William Adkins, Draft Registration Cards for Ohio, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947, shows date, with year as 1898, town, as Webville, and state.
  12. [S5608] Marriage Licenses, Wayne Co., West Virginia, 12:191, Willie Adkins and Rebecca Wilson, shows date, town, county, state, and officiant.
  13. [S5606] Willie Adkins household, 1930 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., West Virginia, shows married, with his first marriage at age 18 and hers at 14.
  14. [S5622] Willie Adkins household, 1940 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., West Virginia.
  15. [S12823] John W. Adkins household, 1950 U.S. Census, Summit Co., Ohio, shows married.
  16. [S5614] John W. Adkins, Certificate of Death.
  17. [S5608] Marriage Licenses, Wayne Co., West Virginia, 12:191, Willie Adkins and Rebecca Wilson.
  18. [S12824] William Adkins, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
  19. [S5606] Willie Adkins household, 1930 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., West Virginia.
  20. [S5619] Hiram Adkins household, 1910 U.S. Census, Lawrence Co., Kentucky, shows occupation as working out and industry as home farm.
  21. [S5610] Rebecca Adkins grave marker, shows date.
  22. [S5615] Virginia Maxine Adkins, Certificate of Birth, shows occupation as laborer.
  23. [S5606] Willie Adkins household, 1930 U.S. Census, Wayne Co., West Virginia, shows occupation as casting, industry as insulators.
  24. [S12823] John W. Adkins household, 1950 U.S. Census, Summit Co., Ohio.
  25. [S12823] John W. Adkins household, 1950 U.S. Census, Summit Co., Ohio, shows occupation as construction (concrete forms) and industry as boiler mfg.
  26. [S5615] Virginia Maxine Adkins, Certificate of Birth.
  27. [S5542] William Henry Morris and Virginia Maxine Adkins, Marriage Record.