Notes for Dr John ADKINS Snr John was the sixth and youngest child of Peter ADKINS and Louisa BELCHER, being
born on Briggs Branch, at Millard, KY. When John was three years old, c.1880, his
father, Peter, sold the property in Pike County, KY, (consisting of approximately
100 acres) and moved to Letcher County, where he bought a large farm on Rockhouse
Creek. Peter had been ordained as a Minister in the Old Regular Baptist Church
(later Primitive Baptist) before this move and this function kept him away from
home much of the time. As a result of this, Louisa and the children, five boys and
one girl, did much to keep the farm going. As a very young boy John spent many
days working on this farm.
John received his primary education in one of the small schools in the area and
later attended in Hindman in what was known as the Hindman Settlement School
taught by Professor Clark. His father, Peter, nearing retirement, divided up the
farm, giving each child a portion.
On July 14 1900 John married Eliza Collins, a daughter of Henry P and Clara
Bowman Collins of Tillie, KY, a small community nearby. John built a cabin on his
part of the farm and started his married life there.
Early in 1907, John sold his part of the farm and applied for admission to the
Louisville College of Dentistry, which later became part of the University of
Louisville. Before selling his property, however, John tried his hand in the
lumber industry doing logging with his cousin, Morgan ADKINS, around Chehalis, WA.
John returned to Letcher County in 1903 and taught school in the county system
for a short time. After completing his dental studies, he received his degree and
returned to Pike County, where he practiced dentistry from 1910 until 1950, except
for a brief period from 1916 to 1918 when he was at Burdine KY, near Jenkins.
John was a staunch Democrat and served on the Pikeville City Council as well as
the City School Board. He was an avid fisherman, slipping away from the office
whenever the fishing was right but never took a vacation as such. He was very
active in Masonry, having served two years as Master of Thomas C. Cecil Lodge
No.375, F&AM in Pikeville, and following this, 25 consecutive years as its
secretary. He contributed much to the elevation of his profession and to the
betterment of his community and area. Honest and upright to an infinite degree,
John was admired and respected by the many who knew him.
Dr John Adkins Snr. died at his home near Pikeville on July 14, 1955. Eliza,
his wife, continued to live in Pikeville until the home burned down in 1959. She
then moved to Ashland KY with her daughter, Ethel, where she stayed until April
1967 and then to another daughter, Alma, in Roanoke VA. She died a few months
later on December 16, 1967 and is buried beside her husband in the Sword Cemetery
on Island Creek, near Pikeville KY. [55]
Family notes for Dr John ADKINS Snr and Eliza COLLINS Daniels p.112
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