Elisha Atkinson




	ELISHA ATKINSON, son of THOMAS ATKINSON SR. and SARAH BOLIN was born on September 20, 1877 in Newton County, Arkansas. He married MAGGIE D. DWIGGINS on May 3, 1908 in Vendor, Arkansas. Elisha and Maggie spent part of their married life in Arkansas, and then moved to Parker, Oklahoma. Around 1928 they moved to Blanchard, Oklahoma to join Elisha's brother, John Atkinson, who was making a living farming cotton. Elisha decided to try farming as well. Soon after they arrived in Blanchard, the Great Depression came and Elisha's family of five girls and six boys had a very hard time. The family share cropped and the older boys worked on the Government Work Jobs like W.P.A. and Public Works Administration. Elisha was a Pastor of a small Freewill Baptist Church. The Church did not pay salary but would sometimes give money or food to us. Elisha was a good Pastor and loved the Lord very much. He worked hard to instill good morals in all of his children. During World War II, Elisha became ill and died December 28, 1943. His funeral was at the first Baptist Church in Blanchard, Oklahoma. All of the people who attended could not get inside and even with the cold weather, the church opened its windows and people stood outside. He is buried in the Blanchard Cemetery in Blanchard, Oklahoma. After Elisha's death, the family moved to Wasco, California. Maggie passed away in November 1969 in Wasco, California and she was buried next to Elisha in Blanchard, Oklahoma. (Information provided to Marion Bishop by J.C. "Jay" Atkinson on May 13, 1985. Elisha is the half first cousin of my Great Grandmother, Sarah Elizabeth Bolin Garner)