Joseph Atkinson

    Joseph Atkinson, deceased, was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, February 3, 1813, a son of William and Ann (Anderson) Atkinson. He was reared in his native State, and was there married March 11, 1841, to Catherine Yensel, also a native of Pennsylvania. The same year they moved by teams to Blackford County, Indiana, and located on eighty acres of land on section 28, Licking Township. Very little improvements had been made on the land, the only building on the place being a little log cabin. Mr. Atkinson made this his home until his death, which occurred March 7, 1879. He became a prominent citizen of the county and assisted materially in developing its resources. He was a good manager of his own business interests, and at his death owned 740 acres of valuable land, much of which was well improved. He was a leading stockman, being one of the first in the county to give his attention to that industry. In politics he was a Republican. Mr. Atkinson's wife died August 27, 1842, and February 7, 1846, he married Miss Catherine McCormick, a native of Preble County, Ohio, daughter of William and Susannah (Wolverton) McCormick, natives of Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Her father was a Baptist clergyman. He moved from Pennsylvania to Preble County, and thence to Fayette County, Ohio, and from there in 1831 to Delaware County, Indiana, where he died in October, 1868, his widow surviving him about three years. Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson were the parents of twelve children, two of whom, Charles and Minnie, are deceased. Those living are -William Anderson, Eaton C., Newton W., Susan, Hugh C., Eliza Jane, Effie, Margaret Ellen, Ada M. and Almeda. William married Julia Ann Carmine, Eaton married Sarah E. Williams, Newton married Elizabeth E. Swift, Hugh married Mary C. McEldowney and Eliza is the wife of J.K. Hughes.

Source: Biographical and Historical Record of Jay and Blackford County, Indiana. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1887. Page 831.