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Parents:
Winright ADKINS
(~1775 - 1854)
Stephen COLEMAN
 
Lucy THACKER
(1775 - 1845)
Sarah RANKIN
 

Married: 28 Feb 1828 [55]
Winston ADKINS
(1804 - )
Hannah COLEMAN
 
 bd.  1804
 dd.  Deceased, age not recorded
 brd.  Adkins cemetery at Winright, Kentucky
 res.  USA
 src.   [55],[72]
 bd.  
 dd.  Deceased, age not recorded
 brd.  Coleman cemetery on Marrowbone Creek, Kentucky
 res.  USA
 src.   [55]

Children (6):

Clarinda ADKINS (1828 - 1906)
Louisa ADKINS (~1830 - )
[Died in infancy]
Eli ADKINS (1832 - )
Peter ADKINS (1834 - 1916)
Stephen ADKINS (~1835 - 1902)
Winright ADKINS (1837 - 1918)

Family notes for Winston ADKINS and Hannah COLEMAN

Daniels p.65. Winston obtained several original land grants in Pike County, Kentucky, on Peter Creek, Greasy Creek and Big Sandy River, listed below:

07 Apr 1837: 100 acres at Peter Creek
05 Nov 1842: 50 acres on Road Fork of Peter Creek
29 Mar 1845: 100 acres on Russell Fork of Big Sandy River
27 Dec 1845: 50 acres on Russell Fork of Big Sandy River
04 Jan 1859: 25 acres on Adkins Branch
29 Feb 1860: 100 acres on Jesse's Branch
09 Feb 1868: 200 acres on Russell Fork of Big Sandy River [55]

Based on land grants and their dates it appears that Winston and Hannah lived on Peter Creek, prior to moving to the Big Sandy River at what is now known as Winright, Kentucky (named after one of his sons). There is [also] a Winston's Creek in this area that was named for Winston Adkins. [55]

Although no one living today saw Winston Adkins, and there are no existing photographs to my knowledge, I have obtained a brief description of him through the eyes of one of his daughters, Elizabeth, as related to my father, and thus related to me. He was described as being about 5ft 8ins tall and weighing about 180-190lbs and of very powerful build. His hair was completely white with a full head of hair. He had piercing blue eyes and a prominent nose.

We do not know the location where Winston and Hannah lived on Peter Creek, possibly on Road Fork, but when they moved to the 'river', he built a house at the mouth of what is now known as Winston's Creek. The creek is located about halfway between Pikeville and Elkhorn City in eastern Kentucky.

In the year 1865 a great flood came (comparable with those of 1957 and 1977). Ignoring advice to rope off his house and tie it to several large trees, Winston, feeling that his house would be safe, did nothing. The water rose higher than it had ever been before and the house broke up and washed down the Big Sandy River. No doubt a large part of our heritage went with the house!

Winston subsequently erected a large two-story log house far above the high water mark on the exact spot where Crit May (husband of Dulcie Adkins) built a modern house that is still standing [in 1988]. Don May helped to tear down the two-story log house built by Winston. It was torn down in the year 1918. Winright, son of Winston, lived in the log house after the death of Winston c.1885. This property was deeded to Winright Adkins, son of Winston, with the understanding that Winright and his wife, Louise, were to take care of Winston and Hannah as long as either one lived.

Don May described the Winston Adkins home as follows: "I slept in the second story of this house many nights. It had no stairway but was entered by a ladder from the back side of the house. A four foot square hole was cut out for the entrance. The house had a large rock chimney, located in the center of the house. The logs were Yellow Poplar hewed out and were about 15 inches high and six to ten inches thick. This house had porches upstairs and down stairs, front and back. It had oak riven shingles, gabled ends. It had twelve pain glass single hung windows". [55]

Essie Adkins White, now deceased, gives this description of this home. "My grandfather, Winright Adkins, lived at Winright, Kentucky. He had a farm house, with three large rooms upstairs, a front porch and back porch upstairs, straight across, English style, and a large back porch. He had a large barn, a large grainery (crib) with a driveway between the cribs, a pear and apple orchard above the barn. An apple house and root cellar were located below the barn. A large spring house was also on this property that you had to step down to get the water".

The spring house and spring are still there at this writing (1988). [55]

Winston Adkins, as were his sons, Peter and Joseph, were members of the Raccoon Creek Baptist Church and indicated in the church records in the year 1848. We assume these people rode horseback up Lower Pompey Creek and across the hill down into Raccoon Creek to attend church meetings. All three obtained their church letters and moved them to the 'river' at Millard, Kentucky, c.1851, where they helped to establish a branch or 'arm' from the Raccoon Creek Baptist Church. This church was a log house structure and was located at the mouth of 'Biggs Branch' or on the spot where the 'Pollyanna' drive in theater now stands [1988]. Land for this building was given by Peter Adkins.

Records show that all did not go well with the newly established church. Two of the elders or preachers engaged in a fight in the preaching stands or pulpit. The following poem/song is about the fight at this church. It is often referred to as the 'Conway Song', reported to have been written by some Justice [family] people that lived nearby. It became very popular with the local people at this time period:

"The Conway Song"

We had a fight the other day
Between Joe Slone and Conway
You ought to have heard old Tommy rare
When Joe began to pull his hair

Abner cried it wasn't fair
For Joe Slone to pull Tom's hair
But Blackburn said "Now pull away,
For Joe must whip old Conway"

Daniel Blackburn came running quick
As he held tight a poking stick
I'll kill you, Joe, I do declare
If you don't quit pulling Tommy's hair

Tom said "Joe, I'll take your life!"
And out he pulled his Barlow knife
Mitch said "Tommy, don't you know
You musn't kill the preacher Joe".

Old Mrs. Daniels began to cry
When she heard that Joe must die
Old Peter Adkins began to pray
And away went Flem with Tom Conway

Now the war is over, and Joe's not dead
But Tommy has a real sore head
A warning take by this, I say -
Don't wear your hair like Conway

Heaven's a high and lofty place
You can't get there without free grace
Tommy wants to go alone
Since he can't fellowship Joe Slone

Time is short - it won't be long
When Tom will join that ransomed throng
Put on his wings and he'll fly home
And leave behind poor Joe Slone

When Tom gets on his robe and crown
Oh, then, you'll see him strut around
For he'll tell Joe to stay away
Since it all belongs to [Tom] Conway [55]

Note on the poem:
Daniel Blackburn was a church member.
Mitch Slone was a church member and preacher.
Old Mrs. Daniels - was Elizabeth Adkins Daniels, a daughter of Winston Adkins and a sister to Peter and Joseph Adkins.
Peter Adkins was a church member and a preacher in this church.

The exact death dates of Winston ADKINS and Hannah COLEMAN ADKINS are not known. According to my grandmother, Elizabeth ADKINS, daughter of Winston and Hannah, Winston died about a year before my father and his twin sister, Eliza was born in 1886.

Winston is buried in the Adkins cemetery at Winright, Kentucky, just above my grandmother, Elizabeth. Hannah is said to have died c.1888, and is buried in the Coleman cemetery on Marrowbone Creek.

Neither of these two people have permanent stones or markers to indicate their final resting places. [55]

Sources

55.  Book, Joseph T Daniels, 1988, Adkins of Eastern Kentucky and surrounding areas, Private publication, Library of Congress LC control #:88194814
72.  Email, Sarah Dawn, 4 January 2007

Family record last updated: 21 March 2023

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