Adkins families

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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:

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:

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]

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