Elkins Family
This surname is usually of English/Scottish origin.

Related Surnames: Baber, Givens, Hair, Odom, Smoak, Williams and others



Will of Drury Elkins

There have been Elkins family members in the area of Barnwell/Bamberg counties of South Carolina for over two hundred years. The first with this surname in the area were Drury Elkins, John Elkins, Joshua Elkins and Shadrack Elkins. All four men were in Barnwell/Winton County records of the 1780s. John, Joshua and Shadrack left the area for Kentucky around 1800, but Drury stayed behind. In fact, in 1790 Drury was the only Elkins listed in the Orangeburg District of South Carolina. With him was his wife, Winifred, at least two children and maybe a brother. (The first name 'Drury' may have come from a mother’s or even a grandmother's maiden name. There were several Drury families in Virginia in the 1700s).

By 1800 the name of the part of Orangeburg District where the Drury Elkins family lived was officially changed to Barnwell. Drury owned land and slaves there. His land bordered the Edisto river at South (or Snake) Fork, and Drury's four known slaves included: Lucy, Adeline, Darius, and Elsey.


The following is Ole Drury Elkins family:

Husband: Elkins, Drury
Born: About 1767,
Died: About 1832, Barnwell, South Carolina

Wife: Unknown Maiden Elkins, Winiford
Born: About 1772,
Died: About 1840, Barnwell, SC

Child 1: Elkins, Unknown female *uncertain
Born: About 1788,
Spouse: Lee, Levi (Son? of Abraham Lee)

Child 2: Elkins, William
Born: 1790, South Carolina
Died: About 1856, South Carolina
Spouses: 1. First wife unknown
2. Baxley, Sarah (c1820-?)

Child 3: Elkins, Martha (Patsy)
Born: About 1794, South Carolina
Died: 1835, Barnwell, SC
Spouse: Baber (Barber), John *moved to LA with second wife (1794-1864)

Child 4: Elkins, Mary? Ann
Born: About 1799, Barnwell District, SC
Spouse: Odom, Arnold L (?-)

Child 5: Elkins, Temperance
Born: About 1803, Barnwell, SC
Spouse: Williams, Thomas G. (c1799-)

Child 6: Elkins, Winifred
Born: About 1804, Barnwell, SC
Spouse: Givens, James A. *moved to GA and AL (c1803-)

Child 7: Elkins, Josiah *moved to Alabama
Born: About 1805, Barnwell, SC

Child 8: Elkins, Drury (Andrew) *moved to GA
Born: About 1807, Barnwell, SC
Spouse: Watson?, Cela (c1812-)

Child 9: Elkins, Delilah
Born: About 1810, Barnwell, SC
Spouse: Shipes, David (c1795-)

Child 10: Elkins, Levi
Born: About 1812, Barnwell, SC
Spouse: Unknown Maiden Elkins, Mary (c1812-)

Child 11: Elkins, Sarah
Born: About 1815, Barnwell, SC

Ole Drury died in 1832. The following is known about his sons:

William, the oldest son, took over the family farm and it is from him that many Barnwell/Bamberg area Elkins descend. This William Elkins had at least ten children from two? marriages. Known names of children include: Martha?, Mary, Samuel?, Willis D, Charles, and Joseph. (A second William Elkins in the 1830 Barnwell census may have been another son of William Elkins, but evidence is inconclusive)

Levi Elkins, who appears to be Drury Sr's youngest son, also remained in Barnwell. He died in younger years but not before leaving his widow with four small children: Ann, Samuel, Mary and Ellen.

Josiah Elkins moved in the 1840s first to Georgia?, then Alabama, and was listed with the Givens (his sister's family) in Henry County Alabama in 1850 census.

Drury, Jr. (also spelled Andrew) moved to Marion County, Georgia after his father's death. There he married and had children: Mary, Salphonia, Elizabeth, James, Georgia and possibly others.

Notes:

Drury Elkins' father may have been a William Elkins of Old Camden District. A William Elkins of SC was a participant in the American Revolution. Drury's brothers 'might' have been David, Jonas, John, Joshua and/or Shadrack.

A Joshua Elkins served in the American Revolution and was in numerous engagements with the Tories. He was listed as a resident of Winton County (earlier name for Barnwell County). In 1788, his land along Snake Fork of Edisto river bordered that of Drury Elkins, and John Elkins. Johsua and John moved to Kentucky after the war.

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