Adkins families

Family notes for Boaz ADKINS and Nina Melrose BLAIR

Daniels, p.109.

Notes for Boaz ADKINS

Boaz was born at Millard, KY, at the mouth of Biggs Branch, as Peter and Louisa lived there at the time. Boaz's father, Peter was an ordained minister in the Baptist Church (now Primitive Baptist) and was away from home much of the time. The boys were in charge of the farming, and Boaz, later, liked to tell his children about things they did to relieve the boredom of work. He also told of 'scrapes' that he and John, the two youngest sons, got into.

One cold winter day, a number of preachers had gathered at Peter's home and spent the entire day discussing the Bible. John and Boaz were required to keep the fire going but had to sit in the back of the room where it was cold and they became very upset about it. After replenishing the fire several times, John suggested a way to move the preachers back from the fire. Boaz agreed to the plan and the next time they went to get coal, they mixed some black powder with it. The next time they were called to fix the fire, they threw the mixture of coal and black powder into the fireplace. Of course there was an explosion that threw most of the hot coals out of the fireplace and scattered them around the room. As Boaz told it, some of the preachers are still running from the explosion! The explosion almost resulted in the house being burned down and they were severely punished, but they remember the incident as fun.

When Boaz was in his twenties, it became necessary for him to join the army as he and several others had been active in the Ku Klux Klan and were caught. The judge offered all the chance to join the army or go to jail. All joined the army and finished up in the Philippine Islands, and fought in the Spanish American war.

After returning home, Boaz decided to sell his part of the farm in Letcher County, KY, to get money to pay his way through the University of Louisville Dental School. After completing the training for his chosen profession, he practiced dentistry in Letcher County for many years. A severe heart attack in 1941 forced him into retirement.

Boaz did not marry until he had finished dental school. He was 31 years of age at this time and chose Nina Blair to be his wife. It was ironic that the judge that forced him and the others to join the army, became his father-in-law!

Boaz and Nina lost their first two children. When the third son was born, the two grandfathers were given the honor of naming the child. He was given the name Blair, and has always said that his grandfather, Judge William Blair, saved him from being named 'Billy Peter', the name suggested by his grandfather Peter.

Nina and Boaz lost two more children in infancy but raised eight into adulthood.

Boaz was always very close to his children. He adored his daughters, and they felt the same way about him. He was a very strict father, but was fair, when disciplining his children, and they had great respect for him.

Boaz was a very patriotic man. He tried to enlist in the army in WWI, but was turned down because of his age. He wrote to the Secretary of War offering his services. The reply was that when they needed him they would send for him. He had three sons in WWII.

After his retirement in 1941, Boaz tried to stay as active as his health would permit. During WWII, he took the responsibility of delivering telegrams to the people in Letcher County that had sons reported missing or killed in the war. [55]

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