Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: User Home Page Genealogy Report: Descendants of Robert Atkinson

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]

Descendants of Robert Atkinson

Generation No. 2

2. CORNELIUS² ATKINSON (ROBERT¹) was born 1732 in Ireland, and died 1815 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He married MARY STEPHENS CROSS January 1757 in Dauphin County, VA - USA. She was born 1736 in Pennsylvania (Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 2, Ed. 1, Tree #0114, Date of Import: May 14, 1997 ), and died 1807 in Dauphin Co., PA (Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 2, Ed. 1, Tree #0114, Date of Import: May 14, 1997 ).

Notes for CORNELIUS ATKINSON:
Cornelius Atkinson is said to have been born in Ireland in 1732, a son of Robert Atkinson. He settled in a region colonized by fellow Scots-Irish Presbyterians. He was in active service in the French and Indian Wars as a frontier ranger stationed at Ft. August on the banks of the Susquehanna and later received a land warrant presumably because of this service.

Cornelius Atkinson is listed as a private in Capt. Joseph Shippen's company of the First Pa. regiment in April of 1756, and on April 20 was issued clothing consisting of one coat, two pairs of leather breeches, one white shirt, and 2 pairs of shoes. (Pa. Archives, 5th series, Vol. 1, pages 59, 66, 74, 80 & 84).

In January 1757 he married Mary (Stephens?) Cross in Northumberland Co., then a part of Lancaster Co. and within the next 3 or 4 years exercised his land warrant by settling on the south side of the Juniata River, just west of its junction with the Susquehanna where his immediate neighbors were the Baskins, Karl and Ellis families. This locality was then in Cumberland Co., but now in Perry Co., Pa. (See Pa. Archives 34d Series, Vol. 1, page 152)

Land records for 1774 show grants of land to Cornelius Atkinson of 320 and 120 acres under warranty. Survey dated June 20, 1774. Pennsylvania Archives. 3rd. Series Vol. 25 P. 56 f 854.67. In 1774, Cornelius Atkinson was granted two tracts of land under warrant in Northumberland Co. and probably moved his family there as they were residents of that county at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Cornelius Atkinson enlisted on January 14, 1776, as First Lt. in the First Co. of 2nd Batt. of the Northumberland Col Associates (See Pa. Archives, 3rd Series, Vol. 22, pp. 245, 338, 711, 797.

James and Charles Atkinson enlisted with their father, Cornelius. These boys started careers as frontiersmen patterned after that of their father and for the next 20 years or more were frequently engaged in military service, against the Indians or otherwise in defense of their country.

Later in the Revolution, another brother, William Atkinson, enlisted in the Pa. Militia, as member of Robinson's Rangers (Pa. Archives - 34d Series, Vol. 23, p 196). For other sources of information, see Cumberland Co. Pa. Deed and Orphan Court Records - Dauphan Co. Pa. Orphan Ct. records; Hains History of Perry County, Pa., DAR Book 140, page 235.

In the last years of the Revolution, Cornelius and his older sons were enrolled in the Cumberland County militia, and presumably returned to that county to live about 1781. Cornelius and some of his children continued to reside there until about 1800. After the Revolution, the older children of Cornelius married and founded homes of their own. Charles married Sara McKnight, But she died in childbirth, leaving a son, Henry Sebastian, who was reared in the home of his uncle, Cornelius, Jr.. This Henry Sebastian was not the famous US commander of an expedition in the so-called Black Hawk War.

Raymond Martin Bell reports that: On July 22, 1760, Cornelius Atkinson, wife Mary, son Robert were civilians at Fort Pitt - possibly trading with the Indians.

First Census of the United States shown Cornelius Atkinson located in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 1790.

How long he had been in the country is unknown, however some researchers suggest he arrived in Pennsylvania about 1750.

Cornelius Atkinson, St. remained on the Susquehanna in Pa. with several of his other children, including Cornelius, Jr. who had no children of his own, but he and his wife reared Henry Sebastian Atkinson, motherless son of his brother Charles. Keziah Atkinson and her husband, James Martin, lived near the original home site. Jane Atkinson Robinson and Rebecca Atkinson Clark lived in PA. too after their marriages.

Sometime after 1880, Cornelius, Sr. and his wife moved across the river to Halifax Township, Dauphine County, PA, where the wife died in 1807. Cornelius died in 1815 and his son-in-law, james Martin was appointed administrator of his estate. The following year his heirs sold Sheel Island at the mouth of the Juniata River, which he had owned from 1767 until his death. (Source: Catherine Fedorchak, Vol. II, p. 60-62 - furnished by Robert Guilinger).

More About CORNELIUS ATKINSON and MARY CROSS:
Marriage: January 1757, Dauphin County, VA - USA

Children of CORNELIUS ATKINSON and MARY CROSS are:

ROBERT³ ATKINSON, b. 1758.

Notes for ROBERT ATKINSON:
Died young. Note by Bob Guilinger

ii.

CHARLES ATKINSON, b. 1760, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; d. April 23, 1824, Cameron, Monroe Co., OH (Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 2, Ed. 1, Tree #0114, Date of Import: May 14, 1997); m. (1) SARAH MC KNIGHT; d. 1782, Northumberland County, PA; m. (2) ELIZABETH STEPHENS, December 04, 1787, PA (Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 2, Ed. 1, Tree #0114, Date of Import: May 14, 1997); b. September 12, 1769 (Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 2, Ed. 1, Tree #0114, Date of Import: May 14, 1997); d. December 14, 1841, Cameron, Monroe Co., OH (Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 2, Ed. 1, Tree #0114, Date of Import: May 14, 1997).

Notes for CHARLES ATKINSON:
In December of 1787, Charles Atkinson married Elizabeth Stephens. She was the daughter of Andrew Stephens, sometimes known as Steen, according to Dr. R. J. Bell of Washington College, Washington, Pa. He informed me (the author) in 1961 that Andrew Stephen was born in 1738 and died in 1798 in Green Co. Pa. He lived near the mouth of the Juniata River from 1763 to 1789. He had one daughter who married a man named Sturgeon; Elizabeth who married Charles Atkinson, Alexander; Andres; John; and also a son Elijah Stephens who also settled in Monroe County. Elijah settled in Monroe County, Ohio, Seneca Township about 1820. His wife was Majora Dearth, and they had a daughter Julitta, who married James Wells - born April 18, 1822 in Monroe C. Ohio, and a son Alexander, born December 12, 1824 in Seneca Township, Monroe Co. Elijah Stephens was an 1812 Soldier. This information on Elijah Stephens is from Hardesty's Historical Atlas.

Charles, James, Isaac and William together with their families emigrated from Pennsylvania and Virginia to the Marietta Lands in 1798-1799 and made with Vandewater, Henthorns and others the first settlement near the mouth of Sunfish Creek in what is now Monroe County, Ohio.

Charles Atkinson applied for a pension for his Revolutionary War service and in it he mentions some of the duties performed by him and his fellow rangers in 1779. James Atkinson was a witness attesting to his service.

Notes for ELIZABETH STEPHENS:
Family claims relationship (cousin) to Alexander H. Stephens, (1812-1883) V.P. of CSA and Governor of Georgia.

More About CHARLES ATKINSON and ELIZABETH STEPHENS:
Marriage: December 04, 1787, PA (Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 2, Ed. 1, Tree #0114, Date of Import: May 14, 1997 )

iii.

JAMES ATKINSON, b. Abt. 1762, Cumberland, PA; d. Abt. September 1841, Monroe, OH; m. MARGARET BROWN, Abt. 1799, OH; b. August 1778, Greene, PA; d. April 10, 1859, Wood, WV.

Notes for JAMES ATKINSON:
James Atkinson

Problem: Was the date of birth, 1762 or as Rose Abersold Dietrich has it, 1759
in PA? James Atkinson testified, at the Pension Hearing of his brother,
Charles, in 1832, that he was 70 years of age. Birth date calculated, Abt.
1762.

MILITARY:
James and Charles Atkinson, enlisted with their father, Cornelius Atkinson.
These boys started careers as frontiersmen patterned after that of their father
and for the next 20 years or more were frequently engaged in military service,
against the Indians or otherwise in defense of their country.

Later in the Revolution, another brother, William Atkinson, enlisted in the
Pennsylvania Militia, as a member of Robinsson's Rangers (Pennsylvania
Archives, 3rd Series, Vol. 23, p. 196) For other sources of information see
Cumberland county, PA Deed and Orphan Court Records; Dauphin Co., PA Orphan Court records; Hains History of Perry County, PA; DAR Book 140, p. 235.
(Source: Catherine Fedorchak, Vol. II, p. 60 - furnished by Robert Guilinger)

MILITARY:
Revolutionary War Service Records
Cornelius Atkinson and sons, James and Charles Atkinson

MILITARY:
Cornelius Atkinson served as a Lieutenant with the 2nd Battalion of
Northumberland County Pennsylvania Militia. Colonel James Potter was
the Commander.
1st Company. Arthur Taggert, 1st Captain.
Cornelius Atkinson, 1st Lieutenant
85 Privates

Cornelius Atkinson's sons, James and Charles Atkinson served
as Privates in the company. (Source: Pennsylvania Archives. 5 Series. Vol. 8, pp. 641-667-F85-F854-. 67.)

MILITARY:
The Atkinsons also served as Ranger on the Frontiers - Northumberland County,
Pennsylvania. 1778-1783.
Cornelius Atkinson 1778-1783; James Atkinson 1778-1783;
Charles Atkinson 1778-1780.
(Source: Pennsylvania Archives. 3rd Series. Vol. 23, pp. 245-338-343- 711.
[Note: REH found this information about the war records in the Data File of
Cornelius Atkinson at the DAR in Washington, DC.]

MILITARY: James Atkinson was a Sgt. in Capt. James Seal's Company for 265 days. Charles was a Pvt. in the same company.
(Source: Pennsylvania Archives, 6th Series, Vol. 5, pages 618, 630)
(Source: Catherine Fedorchak, Vol. II, p. 61 - furnished by Robert Guilinger)

MILITARY:
Recd. Washington 3d February 1795 of Jno. Wilkens Junr. sixty two dollars sixty seven cents in full for my services as a Sergeant in Capt. James Sealses company. of State militia also two dollars for the use of my gun in said service as
witness my hand
D 64-67 JAMES ATKINSON
Test
Thos. Gillispie.
(Source: Muster and Pay Rolls, p. 630 - furnished by Robert Guilinger)

EMIGRATION: About the end of the 18th century, ca. 1799, brothers Charles and
James Atkinson moved to the Northwest Territory and settled on Sunfish Creek in what is now Monroe Co., Ohio. There within the next 3 to 4 years they were
joined by their brothers, William, Isaac, Mitchell and their sister, Mary
Jones-Inghram.
(Source: Catherine Fedorchak, Vol. II, p. 61 - furnished by Robert Guilinger)

RESIDENCES: A Brief History of Adams Township, Monroe Co., OH Adams Township was organized on 6 Mar 1826. Sunfish Creek flows through the
middle of Adams Twp. Piney Forks is a tributary of Sunfish Creek. The
township is bordered by Sunsbury, Switzerland, Salem, Green and Center
townships.

Early settlers of Adams township were Charles and James Atkinson, Gilbert and
Mitchell McCoy, Elias Conger, Christian Hartline, Phillip Noland, Robert Norris, Samuel Bracey and the families of Mellott and Powell.

The village of Cameron was established in 1837 by James and Mary (Brown)
Atkinson. James was an early settler and a Revolutionary War veteran. Cameron was originally named Jamestown.

The first church in Adams Twp. was built near Cameron in 1825. Other churches:
Mt. Zion Chruch of Christ (formerly known as the Bracey Church), Goudy Church
of Christ, Mellott Ridge Church of Christ, Pleasant Grove Methodist Church,
Cameron Church of Christ.
(Source: The Navigator, Monroe County Chapter OGS, June 1991, Vol. 4, No. 2 -
furnished by Joyce Posey)

REFERENCE:
According to Hardesty, James Atkinson laid out the town of Jamestown on the
Sunfish creek, near the mouth of Atkinson's Run in Monroe Co., OH. The name of Jamestown was changed to Cameron, OH in 1860. [Note: Some list the year as 1837. REH]

BIOGRAPHY:
James [Atkinson], the son of Cornelius [Atkinson], was engaged with his brother
Charles in protecting the frontier at that time against Indian hostilities and
both emigrated to this State at the same time. James was a single man at the
time he came to this State, but soon afterward married Mary BROWN (usually
called Aunt Polly ATKINSON by the young people in earlier times) and shortly
after their union, moved to Licking county in this State among the Indians, but
remained there but a short time when they moved back to this county and settled
on Sunfish creek near the mouth of Atkinson's run, bought a quarter section of
land from the government, erected a house thereon, and laid out the town of
Jamestown (now called Cameron), and having lived there for many years, and
raised a large family of children, he died at a good old age, and his remains
were interred in the Cameron cemetery; his relict (Aunt Polly) lived in this
county several years after his death, and moved with one of her sons to Wood
county, West Virginia, and there died at a very old age.
(Source: History of Monroe County, Ohio; H.H. Hardesty & Co., Publishers,
Chicago and Toledo, 1882, 31)

EMIGRATION-RESIDENCES: James and Mary Atkinson moved to Licking Co., OH. Then they moved back and settled on Sunfish Creek near Atkinson Run, where they bought 1/4 section from the government. They erected a house and laid out the town of Jamestown (Cameron), OH. James died there. His wife moved to Wood Co., WV with one of her sons and died there are at a very old age.
(Furnished by: Delbert Henthorn)

MILITARY:
According to Ulysses Grant Ross, James enlisted in the American Army and served the entire time of the Revolutionary War.

RESIDENCES: Charles and James Atkinson were early settlers at Sunfish Creek, Salem Twp., Monroe Co., OH (Found in Monroe OGS Navigator, July 1994, page 56, no source citation)

EMIGRATION: According to Robert Guilinger, siblings, Charles, James, William
A., Mary, Isaac, and Mitchell Atkinson moved from Pennsylvania to Monroe Co.,
OH about 1799. He did not state his source for this conclusion.

CONFLICT-DEATH: Robert R. Guilinger lists the date of death as, Sep 1841.
Others have listed 1845 in Monroe Co., OH. In 1843 and 1845 Legal Notices were posted pertaining to his Estate Settlement.

James Atkinson married Mary Brown - he lived in Monroe Co. too. In the early 1790's Charles Atkinson went to live on Ten Mile Creek in Greene County, Pa. He and probably his brother James, also engaged in defense of the frontier against the Indians and lived in a stockade fort near the present city of Waynesburgh. They both served in the so-called Whiskey Rebellion. James was a Sgt. in Capt. James Seal's Company (Pa. Archives, 6th series, Bol. 5, pages 618, 630). Charles later served at Fort Henry on the present site of Wheeling W. Va.

About 1799, Charles and James Atkinson moved to the Northwest Territory on Sunfish Creek in what is now Monroe Co., Ohio, where they were soon joined by their brothers, William, Isaac, Mitchell and their sister, Mary Jones- Ingram, in the next three to four years.

James was the founder of Jamestown, now known as Cameron on Sunfish Creek in Monroe Co. William lived in Clarington, also in Monroe Co., Isaac was the first Associate Judge in the county, and Mitchell, the youngest brother was only 19 when he came to Ohio.

Notes for MARGARET BROWN:
Mary (Brown) Atkinson

AKA: Mary (Brown) Atkinson was known as "Aunt Polly."

CONFLICT: Robert R. Guilinger lists her name as Mary Brown, b. Aug 1778, Greene Co., PA and d. 10 Apr 1859 in Wood Co. WV. Others have listed, b. 1760, d. 1850 in Wood Co., WV. Mary Brown Atkinson has been confused with another Mary Brown in some researchers work.

Census: 1850, in Monroe Co., OH, Salem Twp., 223/223, 11 Sep 1850
Mary Ackerson, 73, f. PA [sic - Atkinson. REH]
Kiziah, 36, f. OH [surname, McCoy. REH]
William, 17, m. laborer, OH [surname, Lippincott. REH]
Amanda, 13, f. OH; Mary Ann, 9, f. OH [surname, McCoy. REH]
[Note: This census record is quite confusing. Mary Ackerson was Mary (Brown)
Atkinson, widow of James Atkinson. Kiziah was her daughter, Keziah Atkinson
who was widowed from William Lippincott. Keziah later married James McCoy
and the status of this marriage at the time of the 1850 census is unknown.
William, age 17 on the census record, was William Lippincott, Jr., born 1 Apr
1833 in OH, a son of Keziah's first marriage. Amanda, age 13 on the census,
and Mary Ann, age 9, were sisters, Amanda and Mary Ann McCoy, daughters of
Keziah's second marriage to James McCoy. Mary Atkinson was living in the house just after her son, Kinsey Atkinson, who was erroneously listed as Ackerson on the census. REH]

RESIDENCES: Mary Atkinson lived in Monroe county, OH for several years after
the death of her husband, James. Then, after 1850, she moved with her son
Kinsey Atkinson (Born: 1816 in Monroe Co., OH, Died: 22 Mar 1865 in Wood Co.,
WV) to Wood county, WV where she died at a very old age.

Also known as Mary and "Aunt Polly"

More About MARGARET BROWN:
Fact 1: April 1859, Wood, WV

More About JAMES ATKINSON and MARGARET BROWN:
Marriage: Abt. 1799, OH

iv.

WILLIAM A. ATKINSON, b. 1764, Cumberland, PA; d. Aft. 1840, Clarington, Monroe, OH; m. MARY MCCOY, WFT Est. 1797-1831 (Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #3526, Date of Import: May 15, 1997); b. Abt. 1769, Monroe County, OH; d. WFT Est. 1797-1863, Monroe Co., OH (Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #3526, Date of Import: May 15, 1997).

Notes for WILLIAM A. ATKINSON:
William Atkinson, married probably earlier in 1787 Mary Mc Coy, 18 year old daughter of Lieutenant Thomas Mc Coy, who had served in the 6th Pa. Battalion and been taken prisoner at Quebec. Mary's mother was Elizabeth Baskins, who was the daughter of James Baskins who operated the first ferry across the Susquehanna, where is now is crossed by U. S. Route 40.

William was a member of the 1st. Board of Commissioners of Monroe County, Ohio.

More About WILLIAM ATKINSON and MARY MCCOY:
Marriage: WFT Est. 1797-1831 (Source: Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #3526, Date of Import: May 15, 1997 )

	v.		MARY ATKINSON, b. 1765, Cumberland, Pennsylvania; m. (1) THOMAS MARTIN; m. (2) OLIVER INGRAHAM.
	vi.		JR. CORNELIUS ATKINSON, b. 1767; m. MARGARET MARTIN.

Notes for JR. CORNELIUS ATKINSON:
Lived in Dauphin Co, no issue. Per Raymond Martin Bell

vii.

MARGARET ATKINSON, b. July 05, 1769; d. December 09, 1814, Baskinsville, PA; m. MITCHELL BASKINS, Abt. 1788; b. October 06, 1754; d. April 10, 1809.

More About MITCHELL BASKINS and MARGARET ATKINSON:
Marriage: Abt. 1788

viii.

ISAAC ATKINSON, b. 1771; d. 1853, Monroe County, OH; m. MARGARET HOLMES; d. September 20, 1857.

Notes for ISAAC ATKINSON:
Isaac was the first Representative in the State Legislature, the second State Senator and an Associate Judge, Monroe County, Ohio.

ix.

KEZIAH ATKINSON, b. July 24, 1773; d. March 07, 1834; m. JAMES MARTIN, Abt. 1793; b. December 02, 1772; d. April 09, 1820.

More About JAMES MARTIN and KEZIAH ATKINSON:
Marriage: Abt. 1793

	x.		JANE ATKINSON, b. 1775; m. ? ROBINSON; b. Pennsylvania.
	xi.		REBECCA ATKINSON, b. 1777; m. DR. JOHN CLARKE; b. Pennsylvania.
	xii.		MITCHELL ATKINSON, b. 1780; d. West Virginia; m. ? YOUNG.

Notes for MITCHELL ATKINSON:
Mitchell was the first teacher in Salem township, the schoolhouse being on the farm of his brother, Charles. and the first County Surveyor of Monroe County, Ohio.

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]