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Edward ATKINSON, stock dealer, farmer and notary public,
Fordyce, Ark. There was born in Christian County, Ky.,
in 1843, to Col. Thomas & Elizabeth (LAMUELS) ATKINSON, a son, whom we now
take as the subject of this sketch. He was the ninth of ten
children seven sons and three daughter sand received but very
little schooling. In 1861, when but eighteen years of age,
he enlisted in the Fifth Arkansas Infantry, Company C, and
served one year in Missouri, Indian Territory, Louisiana, and
Texas. He was in the fights at Black Bone Mountain, Fayetteville,
Pine Bluff, Poison Springs, Marks Mill, and all through Prices
raid through Missouri. His brother, James Polk ATKINSON, was
with him and was killed at Pilot Knob, MO. Our subject was
wounded at Poison Springs. He surrendered at Trinity River,
Tex., in June, 1865. The last year he sergeant. After the war
he returned to farm life, and was married in 1875 to Miss Belle
HARRISON, a native of Dallas County, and the daughter of Judge
Edmund & Eliza HARRISON, who were born in North Carolina.
From that State Mr. & Mrs. HARRISON emigrated to Kentucky,
there to Tennessee, and about 1850 to Dallas County, Ark.,
settling in the woods near Princeton. They afterward moved
to what is now Cleveland County, and there the Judge died in
August, 1865. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
as is his widow, who is now living. He was county judge of
Dallas County for some time, and was a member of the A.F.&A.M.
The union of Mr. & Mrs. ATKINSON resulted in the birth
of five children-four sons and a daughter. Since his marriage
Mr. ATKINSON has lived adjoining Fordyce, where he has about
500 acres of land. For some years he has been dealing in horses
and mules, buying in Texas and selling at home. He is a surveyor,
was justice of the peace a number of years, and is now notary
public. In politics he is a Democrat, his first presidential
vote being for Horace GREELEY, and socially he is a member
of the K. of H. at Fordyce. Mrs. ATKINSON is a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church,. Mr. ATKINSONs parents were born
in Person County, N.C., in 1791 & 1804, respectively, and
were married in that county. From there they removed to Tennessee,
and a few years afterward to Christian County, Ky., and thence,
on January 1, 1849, to what is now Cleveland County, Ark. There
they resided until 1860, when they moved to Dallas County,
and there passed the remainder of their days, the mother dying
on January 1, 1874, and the father on June 16, of the same
year. Both were among the pioneer settlers of this region,
and improved a number of good farms. Mr. ATKINSON was a great
hunter and took a prominent part of subduing the dangers of
pioneer life. He was a colonel of militia at an early day,
and was in the War of 1812, at the battle of Horseshoe Bend.
He had a brother, Henry ATKINSON, who was a great Indian fighter,
and died a great many years ago in Jefferson Barracks, Mo.
His father, John ATKINSON, came from England to America before
the Revolutionary War, and was married in North Carolina, where
he spent the rest of his life. His wife, whose maiden name
was Frances PARSONS, was born in North Carolina, and died in
Christian County, Ky., on the farm where the subject of this
sketch was born. The maternal grandfather, Josiah LAMUELS,
was born in North Carolina, and was of Scotch descent. He died
in North Carolina. His wife died at the home of her grandson,
Edmund ATKINSON, on September 3, 1875, at a good old age.