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Below is a family biography included in The History of Dyer County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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Asa A. Atkins is a prominent citizen and enterprising farmer of the Ninth District, was born in North Carolina in 1848. His father, James M. Atkins, was born in North Carolina in 1818. His great-grandfather came from England and settled in North Carolina at a very early day. James Atkins received a limited education, and his parents moved to Weakley County when he was sixteen years of age, then moved to Dyer County, and settled where he now lives. At the age of twenty-five he married Miss Emeline Ballard, and they had fourteen children, twelve of whom are still living. At one time Mr. Atkins owned 800 acres of land in Dyer County and served a year as deputy sheriff. Mrs. Atkins was a native of North Carolina, born in 1823, and is still living. Asa A. Atkins, after receiving his education, married Miss Mollie, daughter of Samuel and Margaret Walker, who lived near Dyersburg, and they had five children, three still living: James S., Linnie May and Asa Allen. Mr. Atkins then moved to the Eighth District, after spending a year in the Ninth, and four years later moved to the Seventh District, and at the end of two years moved back to the Ninth, after purchasing 140 acres off of the original home tract of land, and has since lived there. It is two miles southeast of Newbern. He also owns 260 acres of valuable land in the Eighth District. Mr. Atkins is a hard working, energetic man; is a Democrat and a member of the A. O. U. W. Mrs. Atkins was born in Dyer County in 1852, and belongs to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
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This family biography is one of 128 biographies included in The History of Dyer County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed. The History of Dyer County was included within The History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley & Lake Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley, and Lake Counties of Tennessee
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