Person:Jacob Adkins (2)

From Adkins Family History: "On 28 March, 1791 in Franklin Co. Va. Jacob married Phoebe Bradshaw b ca 1771 d/o Susanna. Jacob and Phoebe left the Pigg River area very soon after the marriage along with other family members. They moved to Northern Montgomery Co. to an area of the Bluestone River that would become Giles Co. in 1806, Fayette in 1830, Raleigh in 1850, and West V irginia in 1863. Although the move was only to the next county it was a long move. The same trip today would take one through at least six counties. Jacob, Phoebe and most of the others did not tarry long at this place. Jacob and other family members had land grants much further West in an area of Virginia (Kanawha Co.) that would become Cabell Co. in 1809, and Wayne in 1842. Jacob's sister Nancy and her husband Littleberry Adkins were already living there and evidently had made very favorable reports of the area."

Jacob is recorded in Kanawha Co. as having land surveyed on the main Beech Fork in 1807 & 1808 and in renewing these surveys in CC in 1810. He had 300 acres surveyed 3 Dec. 1810, 100 of which had been entered Kanawha Co. in 1808 from part of a land office treasury warrant #8736 and 200 more on warrant #714 dated 17 March, 1780-CC survey bk 1 pg. 19. Jacob entered 300 more acres on 30 October 1811 from treasury warrant #7960. This land was adjacent to Jacob's brother Sherrod. Some of Sherrod's land surveyed Nov. 11 was taken from the same treasury warrant #7960 dated 16 Nov 1781. This land was choice with plenty of good bottom land. Hardesty's Wayne Co. states that the 100 acre plot mentioned above was to begin at "the lower end of the long bottom below the Stone Fort Park, so as to include what was then called Cedar Bottom." As with most of the original Adkins ancestors that came into Wayne Co. there has been much misinformation passed on to researchers and from researchers about Jacob and Phoebe. Such as: Jacob was the only child of Mary to reach adulthood: false. Jacob settled on Hart's Creek of Lincoln County: false. Phoebe's name was Bracher rather than Bradshaw: false. Jacob was born in Jamestown, Va.: false.

In Godspeed's "History of Northwest, Arkansas" the author in writing a biographical sketch of Jacob and Phoebe's grand son, Leander Elkins, states that "Jacob was born in Jamestown Colony Va. in 1758, that he d. 1862" and that "Phoebe was born about 1768." Misinformation such as the above has caused much delay in fathering the true history of the family.

Jacob appears on the first Cabell census in 1810 and on the 1820, 1830, and 1840 census of that county. He also is listed in the first Wayne Co. census in 1850 giving his age as 85 and Phoebe as 82.

Through Cabell Co. deed books the disposal of Jacob and Phoebe's choice land can be traced. As each of their children reached adulthood they were given 40 to 60 acres. Cabell deed bks 2,3,&4 record land transactions to Thomas Gilkerson, husband of daughter Nancy, in 1817, to oldest son Charles in 1820, to Jacob Jr. in 1823, and to Lewis in 1834. Jacob died 20 Sept., 1857 in Wayne Co.; in the 1860 Wayne Co. census Phoebe was living in the household of Reese Harvey Elkins, 3rd husband of daughter Mary. She was listed as 89 yrs. old. She died ca 1862.

Also from Adkins Family History: (pg. 22) "Jacob s/o Mary Adkins b ca 1762 in the Pigg River area of the Snow Creek District of Halifax Co., Va. This area would become Pittsylvania in 1767, Henry in 1776, and Franklin, as today, in 1785. There is no record of Jacob having served in the Revolution ."