The A. A. Atkison Family

Facts by Nan Atkison Wiley

Albert A. Atkison, only child of Maria Coker Atkison and Allen A. Atkison, was born October 14, 1859, in Cherokee County. During early childhood, the family lived in Pierce's Chapel Community, where he attended grade school. There he met Amanda George, his school sweetheart, and they were married January 1, 1880, in Jacksonville.

They continued to live in Pierce's Chapel community, where they farmed, and belonged to the Methodist Church, until 1889, when they moved to Jacksonville. At this time, they transferred membership to First Methodist Church. Albert A. Atkison then was buying timber and operating one of the first sawmills in the county.

In 1895, with modest education and no financial assistance, he bought machinery for a planer mill, and built on East Commerce Street, adjacent to the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks. It was known as the A. A. Atkison Lumber Company. He continued to operate sawmills, using teams of oxen to haul logs out of river bottoms and wooded sections.

Ten children were born to this union. Three died in infancy, and the oldest child, Willie, who married Dave Casey, died in childbirth. The six others lived to have families of their own. Two daughters survive and live in Jacksonville. They are Minnie (Mrs. Loss) Starnes and Nan (Mrs. Frank) Wiley. Deceased are Joe, Robert, Annie Atkison Priestley, and Adelia (Mrs. J. H.) Staton.

Seven grandsons survive, including James A. and Joe Bob Staton of Jacksonville; Chas. J. Casey, Lufkin; Sam Priestley, California; Buddy Priestley, Longview; Joe A. Atkison, Jr., and Robert R. Atkison, both of Austin. Eight granddaughters survive, five living in Jacksonville.

For many years, the Atkison family home was on North Bolton Street, site of the present Bowen Grocery Store. Prior to Mr. Atkison's death in 1928, he often boasted of his perfect teeth—never having had a cavity or lost a tooth—and attributed this to his non-use of alcohol, tobacco or coffee.

A few days prior to the marriage of Amanda George and Albert A. Atkison, Amanda's father married Albert's mother, which made an interesting fact of double relatives by marriage.

Atkison home on N. Bolton at corner Pine, about 1910, with four generations on porch.

Minnie Atkison Starnes is shown below on wagon in 1909 photo on a Jacksonville street. Oxen were used by her father, A. A. Atkison, to haul logs to his mill.