Also served the CSA in the Civil War
Came to Surry, NC in the 1840's with her children from East, Pittsylvania,VA.
Marriage Notes for William Thomas Adkin-Atkin(s) and Martha "Pattie" HALL-359649
Martha came to Surry County in the 1840's with her children, Thomas pascal, ruel, Maartha, Frances and Jeremiah. She came from East, VA, Pittswylvania Co. Oldtimers say the family came from Amelia Court House. It is believed that the Atkins family descended from John Atkins who came to America only a few years after Jmestown was settled.
Martha came to Surry County in the 1840's with her children, Thomas pascal, ruel, Maartha, Frances and Jeremiah. She came from East, VA, Pittswylvania Co. Oldtimers say the family came from Amelia Court House. It is believed that the Atkinsfamily descended from John Atkins who came to America only a few years after Jmestown was settled.
Will's grand-daughter, Grace Vaughn, wrote the following about Will: He often would take me to the graveyard where his infant daughter was buried. Whe way he so lovingly cared for the grave made a great impression on me as a very young girl. Often he would lead the way to another part of the graveyard and show me where his father, Abner Sutphin and his mother, Martha Jane Taylor Sutphin, was buried, and then he would point out the grave of his grandfather, Johnnie Sutphin. I can remember now seeing the graves lined up in rows which only had a native rock for a grave marker. He told me a little about his grandfather; he said he owned a large tract of land on both sides of Falkner Creek, running along side the graveyard and that the graveyard was part of his property; that his grandfather was the first person to be buried in this graveyard. He told me that his grandfather went out to walk one day when it was snowing. He went into a field of pines on a little knoll, near an old tobacco barn. Knocking the snow off with his foot, he said, "Here is where I want to be buried." My grandfather commented, "And you know what, he died before the snow was off the ground, and he was buried right there on the very spot" (almost under a big pine tree). He said from then on when a member of the Sutphin Familly died, they would have them buried along with all the others. The graveyard soon became known as the "Old Pines Graveyard." But later on, he said someone came up with a new name; it was then called the Sutphin Cemetery. He said that a relative of his inherited a track of land adjoing the cemetery as well as the land designated for the cemetery. I found out later that this person was Jane Taylor Midkiff. She was a cousin of William Abner. She was better known as Jennie Midkiff, wife of Columbus Midkiff, My maternal grandmother's sister-in-law. Because of the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918, seeing the need, Jane (Jennie) Midkiff assumed the responsibility of selling lots on her land adjoining the original site. I suppose because she was handling all the required details of the cemetery, the people gradually referred to the cemetery as the Sutphin-Midkiff Cemetery, and finally it became known as the Midkiff Cemetery. Since her death, various ones have taken over the supervision of the maintenance of this cemetery. The Flat Rock Ruritan club at one time took this as a project and made great improvement in its appearance. Now volunteer contributions are solicited each year to hire someone to keep the grass mowed.
Will's grand-daughter, Grace Vaughn, wrote the following about Will: He often would take me to the graveyard where his infant daughter was buried. Whe way he so lovingly cared for the grave made a great impression on me as a very young girl. Often he would lead the way to another part of the graveyard and show me where his father, Abner Sutphin and his mother, Martha Jane Taylor Sutphin, was buried, and then he would point out the grave of his grandfather, Johnnie Sutphin. I can remember now seeing the graves lined up in rows which only had a native rock for a grave marker. He told me a little about his grandfather; he said he owned a large tract of land on both sides of Falkner Creek, running along side the graveyard and that the graveyard was part of his property; that his grandfather was the first person to be buried in this graveyard. He told me that his grandfather went out to walk one day when it was snowing. He went into a field of pines on a little knoll, near an old tobacco barn. Knocking the snow off with his foot, he said, "Here is where I want to be buried." My grandfather commented, "And you know what, he died before the snow was off the ground, and he was buried right there on the very spot" (almost under a big pine tree). He said from then on when a member of the Sutphin Familly died, they would have them buried along with all the others. The graveyard soon became known as the "Old Pines Graveyard." But later on, he said someone came up with a new name; it was then called the Sutphin Cemetery. He said that a relative of his inherited a track of land adjoing the cemetery as well as the land designated for the cemetery. I found out later that this person was Jane Taylor Midkiff. She was a cousin of William Abner. She was better known as Jennie Midkiff, wife of Columbus Midkiff, My maternal grandmother's sister-in-law. Because of the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918, seeing the need, Jane (Jennie) Midkiff assumed the responsibility of selling lots on her land adjoining the original site. I suppose because she was handling all the required details of the cemetery, the people gradually referred to the cemetery as the Sutphin-Midkiff Cemetery, and finally it became known as the Midkiff Cemetery. Since her death, various ones have taken over the supervision of the maintenance of this cemetery. The Flat Rock Ruritan club at one time took this as a project and madegreat improvement in its appearance. Now volunteer contributions are solicited each year to hire someone to keep the grass mowed.