My Adkins branch,

I will start with my first Adkins, Mary Elizabeth "Polly" Adkins (1829-1883) who is my second great grandmother on my mother's father's side. Her parents were Edward Adkins, 1803-1833 and Nancy Jane Bartram, 1804-1875.

It is Edwards line that has an interesting story in it and one that I hope is true as it would give me an Earl of Oxford in my line, pretty cool! Ok, back to Edward, his parents were Sherrod Adkins, 1765-1854 and Sarah Lucas, 1771-1844. I don't have much on Sarah's family beyond her. Sherrod's parents were Jacob Harley and Mary Adkins.

Notice he has his mothers name and not his father's. Jacob Harley is the said to be Earl of Oxford son of the third Earl of Oxford who came to America as a tax collector and met Miss Mary Adkins and they had a common law marriage. When trouble started brewing between the colonies and England, Jacob headed back across the pond never to return leaving Mary and several children behind. What a cad! He did however leave money in the will for his son Jacob but it was never collected. Mary and her children headed west and settled in Wayne County, WV. This information is referenced in History of Ancestors, Families, and Descendants of Paris Patrick Comisford - pg 266 by Bill Comisford - History - 2007 - 419 pages.

I like that story but I am still looking for some juicy tales in history, maybe one day....