History of Bucks
County, Pa Volume 3 by William H. Davis
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T. HOWARD ATKINSON T. HOWARD ATKINSON, one of the most prominent farmers and business men of Buckingham township, Bucks county, was born in that township, May 14, 1848, being the son of Mahlon and Sarah (SMITH) ATKINSON of that township, both deceased. Thomas ATKINSON, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born on the old ATKINSON homestead in Wrightstown, 10 mo. 8, 1786. In early life he learned the blacksmith trade, which he followed for many years. He was an expert workman, and did a large and profitable business. He wrought the iron work for the jail built at Doylestown in 1812. On arriving at manhood he located in Buckingham, doing business for several years at Pineville, and later at other points in lower Buckingham. He was also a farmer, and became a very large landowner, and prominent business man. He married 10 mo. 16, 1811, Jane, daughter of Thomas and Eleanor SMITH, by whom he had nine children, viz: Mahlon, born 1812, died 11 mo. 6, 1879; Joseph S., born August 19, 1823, died 3 mo. 27, 1900; Sarah Jane, born 1825, died 10 mo. 9, 1899, who married Benjamin W. SMITH; and Mary, Martha, Ogborn, Eleanor, Thomas and Timothy, who died young. Thomas, the father, died in 1864, and his widow Jane in 1867, aged seventy-eight years. Mahlon ATKINSON, eldest son of Thomas and Jane, was born in Buckingham township and received a good common school education. He had a special talent for business, and was one of the most successful business men of his day in Bucks county. On attaining manhood he settled on his father's farm in lower Buckingham, and married Sarah, daughter of Thomas and Anna HICKS SMITH. He was one of the pioneer sausage makers and pork butchers in that section, hauling his product to Philadelphia. He was for very many years a director in the Doylestown National Bank, and did the banking business for his whole neighborhood. He became a large real estate owner, and conducted various business enterprises. He owned and operated for many years the agricultural machinery works at New Hope. He died at the home of his daughter-in-law, Anna C. ATKINSON, in Buckingham, 11 mo. 6, 1897. His children were: Albert, died in infancy; Charles S., born March 30, 1841, married Matilda R. MAGILL; Silas C., born September 20, 1843, died October, 1876, married Anna C. WOLLASTON; T. Howard, the subject of this sketch; Anna Jane, born December 24, 1849, died 1902, married Charles H. WILLIAMS. T. Howard ATKINSON was born on his father's farm in Lower Buckingham, May 14, 1848. He received a good education, and on arriving at manhood assumed charge of the homestead farm, where he lived until April, 1882, when he purchased the Anderson farms, near Buckingham village, his present residence and moved thereon. He is a successful farmer and business man and holds many positions of trust. He was elected justice of the peace in 1890, and has served continuously in that position since. He was elected a trustee and director of the Hughesian Free School in 1885; was a director of the public schools of Buckingham from 1886 to 1895; has been a director of the Bucks County Trust Company for many years; and is a director of the Buckingham and Doylestown and the Lahaska and New Hope Turnpike Companies. Politically he is a Republican, but has never held or sought other than local offices. He and his family are members of Buckingham Friends Meeting. He was married in 1868 to Mary, daughter of Edward and Phoebe Ellen (SCHOFIELD) WILLIAMS. They have been the parents of seven children, viz.: Alvan W., born September 22, 1869, now a successful physician in Trenton, New Jersey; Ellen, born December 1, 1870, now wife of Edward A. JENKINS, of Swarthmore; Anna, born April 7, 1872, now the wife of Richard C. SELLERS, of Swarthmore; Edith, born April 7, 1877, wife of Samuel P. GREEN, of Kennett Square, Chester county; Florence, born November 8, 1881, died November 22, 1886; Mahlon, born July 12, 1884, died November 15, 1885; and Emily, born July 28, 1888, residing at home. Text taken from pages 165and 166 of: Davis, William W. H., A.M., History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania [New
York-Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1905] Volume III Transcribed FEBRUARY 2001 by GRACE T. BURTON of PA as part of the Bucks Co., Early Family Project, www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/bucksindex.html Published February 2001 on the Bucks county, Pa., USGenWeb pages at www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/ |
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Page was last edited:
11/15/2008