ILJOHNSO-L Archives

From: "Connie MCKenzie" <>
Subject: [ILJOHNSO-L] ELKINS BIO
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 08:31:15 -0800

>In your information on Buncombe, there is a mention of a Elkins near there.
>I am a descendant of the Elkins that settled there in about 1809. I am
>woundering if you have any information on them in more detail than whats in
>the book " A History of Johnson County" by Mrs Chapman. John Elkins
settled
>there with his family after moving from KY, SC and NC. I have traced my
>family line to John through his son Richard, who lived his adult life in
>Johnson County. His son, Henry moved with his family to Texas.
Information
>on Richard has been very limited and an checking to see if you know of any
>sources that might help.
>
>Harlan Elkins

This bio is also posted on the Johnson Co. page in the bio section. This
bio does not mention a Richard. There is a second ELKINS bio. I'll post
that one next.

Connie



JOSHUA ELKINS

The Biographical Review of Johnson, Massac, Pope and Hardin Counties,
Illinois.
Biographical Publishing Company., Chicago, 1893

Retyped by Connie Kay McKenzie from pages 566 & 557, Nov. 1999

Surnames in this biography: GRAVES, GURLEY, WIGGS


JOSHUA ELKINS, one of the most successful citizens of Johnson County, Ill.,
was born on a farm two and a-half miles from his present abode June 1, 1818.
His father, WILLIAM ELKINS, was born in Georgia, and his father, JOHN
ELKINS, was born in Wales. Upon emigrating to the United States he at first
located in Georgia, but in 1809 he removed to what was then the Territory of
Illinois, and thus became one of the first settlers in Johnson County. He
secured quite a large tract of Government land upon which he resided a few
years, and then removed to Arkansas, settled near Little Rock, and lived
there the remainder of his days. WILLIAM ELKINS was a boy in his teens when
his parents removed to Illinois. A number of families came to this
Territory at the same time. Two years later earthquake shocks were felt
here, and a number of these families becoming alarmed, left for other parts
of the country. At that time Illinois was for the most part uninhabited
except by Indians, and all the land was owned by the Government.

WILLIAM ELKINS’ father had, as has been stated already, secured a large
tract of Government land, and of this tract when WILLIAM was married his
father gave him a liberal portion. Upon the farm thus obtained he erected a
log cabin, and in this cabin JOSHUA ELKINS was born. WILLIAM ELKINS cleared
up his farm, and lived upon it until his death, which occurred when he was
seventy-one years old. The maiden name of his wife was SARAH GRAVES. She
was born in Kentucky, and died on the home farm, in Elvira Township. She
reared six children. JOSHUA ELKINS was reared in his native township, and
lived with his parents until within one year of his marriage, when he
started out in life for himself, “even with the world.” He married when he
was twenty-one years old and settled on a tract of land, and began
housekeeping in a log cabin with a dirt floor. His mother and an aunt gave
him a few articles of household furniture, and he bought a bill of goods at
the store, costing $7, for which he got trusted. Thus with no capital, and
in debt, he began his married life. He worked out by the day and by the
week to earn money enough to buy provisions, and put in all his spare time
improving his own land. He held this land as a claim until 1844, before he
had money enough saved up to pay for it at $1.25 per acre. From that time
on he purchased other lands, until at the present time he owns upward of
eighteen hundred acres, all in Johnson County. He was married December 17,
1839, to AQUILLA GURLEY, a native of Tennessee, and a daughter of ANSON and
MARY (WIGGS) GURLEY. Mr. and Mrs. ELKINS have three children: WILLIS,
JACKSON C. and NEWTON. They are both members of the Missionary Baptist
Church, and MR. ELKINS is a Republican in politics.

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• [ILJOHNSO-L] ELKINS BIO by "Connie MCKenzie" <>