Biography of W P Wilkins, St Francis County, AR

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Submitted by: Paul V Isbell
        Date: 22 Jan 2009
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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W. P. Wilkins was partly reared to farm life in Tennesee, where he was born, and
also in Kentucky, his parents having removed to the Blue Grass state when he was
twelve years of age. In 1847, he came to Arkansas and located in what was then
St. Francis (now Cross) County, within two miles of his present place of
residence, and was engaged for the next five years as a farm laborer. In 1852,
he purchased a quarter of section of land, since which time he has added forty
acres more, and now has over 100 acres under cultivation, with a good house,
buildings, and orchard, etc. In 1861 Mr. Wilkins joined the Confederate service
in McGee's Regiment, in which he served until the close of the war,
participating in the battles of Big Creek, Ironton, Mo., Wittsburg, and a number
of skirmishes. Mr. Wilkins was born in Tennessee, in 1827, as a son of William
and Nancy J. (Sutfin) Wilkins. The father was a prominent Tennessee farmer, and
in 1839 moved to Kentucky and settled in Jackson County, remaining there until
the year 1845, when his wife died. Returning thence to Marshall County, Tenn.,
he also died, at the age of ninety-six years. Mr. Wilkins served in the
Revolutionary War, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis. He was also
blessed with good health, and was never known to call a doctor in his life. He
had been married twice; first to a Miss Ellison, who was the mother of four
children, all deceased, and after her death to the mother of our subject, who
bore eleven children, three living: Isabella (the widow of William Trout), B. F.
(a resident of Yell County, Ark. ), and W. P. The latter was married in 1849 to
Mss Mollie Eldridge. They have a family of ten children, seven of whom survive:
P. P. ( resident of Wynne), Isabella (wife of P. Anderson), N. J., John, Molllie
L. (the wife of James Halk), Rufus C. and R. G. Mr. and Mrs Wilkins are members
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He is connected with the A. F. & A.
M., and is a member of the school board. Mr. Wilkins is a prominent man here-
abouts, and takes a active part in politics, having served as a constable of the
townhship. 

Goodspeed Memoirs and Biograhies-1890