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KANAWHA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: ATKINSON, Col. James
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
SSpradling@aol.com
September 19, 1999
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History of Kanawha County
George W. Atkinson
1876
p. 292-294
COLONEL JAMES ATKINSON
James Atkinson, son of George and Sarah Atkinson, was born in Kanawha county,
Virginia, (now West Virginia,) May 27, 1811. His parents were poor, and
unable to properly educate their children; yet the subject of this sketch
managed to procure a fair English education, and thereby qualified him~elf
for nearly all branches of business. He spent the greater portion of his
earlier life upon a farm, as an ordinary laborer. After he grew to manhood,
he introduced himself into business circles as a constable. He very soon
established a reputation both for honesty and attentiveness to business, and
accordingly had all the collecting he could conveniently attend to. At the
age of twenty-five he commenced work at the carpenter's trade, which he
followed for several years. He was a good architect, and excelled as a
framer of large buildings.
About the year 1840, he, in conipany with two other gentlemen, loaded a large
barge with poplar lumber and floated it to New Orleans. At that place, and
other points on th Mississippi river, they spent nearly two years, working at
the carpenter's and joiner's trade. After his return to Kanawha, Mr.
Atkinson united in marriage with Miriam Rader, daughter of George Rader, of
Nicholas county, Virginia. Eight children were the result of their union;
all of whom are still living, except one, who died April 27, 1874.
In 1842 Mr. Atkinson engaged in the business of a boat-builder, which he kept
up for about three years, when he was compelled to abandon it, on account of
impaired health, superinduced by overwork. He purchased a farm on Elk river,
five miles from Charleston, and moved upon it, in the spring of 1845, where
he continued to reside until the time of his death.
Shortly after his removal to the country, he was elected a Justice of the
Peace; and was continued in that position, with occasional intermissions, for
nearly a quarter of a century. As a Justice he was universally liked. He
always heard the evidence on both sides of every case, and then dec:ded as he
thought right, without regard to technicalities of law and in ninety-nine
cases out of every hundred, he decided exactly right. If all of our Justices
would set aside technicalities, and decide as their judgment directs, they
would scarcely ever fail to do right, and render satisfaction to suitors.
He held the position of a deputy Sheriff of Kanawha county under Robert H.
Early, John Slack, Sr., and John Slack, Jr., and was high Sheriff in 1861-2.
In each of these positions he did his work honorably and well, and was
universally esteemed by all with whom he had busi-ness relations. During the
war he and the late Greenbury Slack were engaged in mercantile pursuits in
the city of Charleston, which, like most enterprises at that time, proved
lucrative. They continued in that business until the fall of 1865, when the
firm of Slack & Atkinson was dissolved by mutual consent.
In early life Mr. Atkinson connected himself with the M. E. Church, and
continued a true and valued member until the hour of his death. He always
gave more towards the support of the gospel than any half-dozen other men in
the community. His house was regarded as the regular stopping place for
ministers; and but few nights passed for many years without some preacher of
the gospel being sheltered under his roof.
On a sultry afternoon, in August, 1864, as he was riding down Elk river, he
called at a neighbor's house, who tendered him a glass of fresh cider.
Unfortunately, caustic soda was unintentionally given him for cider. He took
a swallow of it, and it was a miracle that it did not produce instant death.
After many months of confinement to his bed, he at last recovered strength
enough to walk around, but was never himself again. Instead of a stalwart
man of two hundred and twenty pounds in weight, his frame became shattered
and weakened-was in fact nothing but skin and bones. After this affliction,
he could never swallow anything but thin soups or gruel. In this condition
he lingered for two years, and on the uth of September, i866, in the 55th
year of his age, he departed this life in the triumphs of a living faith, and
is now an associate with the ransomed of the blessed.
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