Second Generation  

2. Benjamin Paul Atkins,^1,2 son of Robert Gordon Atkins and Tabitha Cassandra Gaskill Mrs. R.G. Atkins, was born on 4 Feb 1892 in Long Branch Community, Montague Co. Tx, died in Nov 1978 in Nocona, TX at age 86, and was buried in Nov 1978 in Nocona Cemetery, Nocona, TX. The cause of his death was Old Age. Another name for Benjamin was Paul.

General Notes: Benjamin Paul was the second child and first son of Gordon and Cassie. He lived on the family farm (in Long Branch community, Montague Co. Texas) and raised horses until the Great Depression of the 1930's, when he lost all his property. Paul married Ida Lura Harper around 1910. Her sister Dovie Harper Treadwell related her memories of Lura to me when I was in my twenties. Dovie spent summers with Lura and Paul. My favorite story is about the day they were doing laundry.

They had a big black cast iron pot simmering over a fire where they scrubbed the clothes on a washboard. Lura was hanging clothes on the line when Paul rode up on his horse, jumped off and grabbed Lura around the waist to kiss her. Dovie and Leon giggled, Lura started to pull away, but then shrugged at the kids and kissed Paul back. This was about a year before Lura died.

Paul stood about five feet five, in his boots, that is. I never knew him when his hair wasn't gray. Growing up, it never hit me what a special relationship we had. He was just 'Grandpa.' Until my parents divorced, Grandpa was as regular a part of my life as Mama and Daddy. I never missed him like I missed Mama's mother, because he was there. You can't miss someone you see just about every day. He wasn't the kind of Grandpa who just came to discuss business with his son. He'd take me for walks or we'd go visit the horses and he'd give me tips on riding and raising them. When he sat, it was always with me on his lap. I liked that. Liked the closeness.

From the tales he told me about his childhood, I can understand his love of closeness, too. Some of this was imparted to him via his own Grandpa, his mother's father. He once told me that when he was about nine years old, he came into the house and his Grandpa Jeff was sitting in the rocker. Paul ran over and climbed up in his Grandpa's lap and was messing around with his long white beard. Everyone in the room started giggling. Paul looked up and did a double take. 'His' Grandpa was standing in the doorway. They had a hard time convincing him he wasn't seeing double. It seems his Grandpa was an identical twin. Paul was sitting in his great-uncle Frank's lap.

Jeff and Frank Gaskill hadn't seen each other since the Civil war, yet they were dressed alike, wore their hair the same and had the same long white beards. I was told that everyone had trouble telling them apart. They grew up Illinois where everyone was split between the North and the South. Grandpa Jeff fought for the South (Texas Brigade) and Frank joined the Union Army (Illinois). After the war, they both went back to Grayson County, but never visited nor spoke to each other until 1900 when they reunited before Frank returned to Illinois.

My Grandpa said his mother (Tabitha Cassandra) was one of the sweetest people he ever knew. She was short like him. Grandpa's Dad was tall... very tall, about six feet five. The one picture I have seen of Gordon Atkins, he looked like Abraham Lincoln. My Aunt Lona, Paul's sister, said that she'd been told as a child that Gordon's mother ( ? Mann ) was somehow related to Abe. So far, I haven't found the connection, although several of my ancestors came from the same county where Abe was born.

Benjamin married Ida Lura Harper Mrs. Benj. Paul Atkins in 1910 in Montague County Texas. Ida was born in 1892 in Montague Co., TX, died in 1919 in Long Branch Community, Montague Co, TX at age 27, and was buried in 1919 in Nocona Cemetery, Nocona, TX. The cause of her death was Childbed fever. Another name for Ida was Lura.

Noted events in their marriage were:

• Alt. Marriage: Abt 1910, Montague Co., TX.

Children from this marriage were:

1         i.  Robert Leon Atkins (born on 21 Nov 1913 in Long Branch Community, Montague Co. Tx - died on 26 Jun 1974 in Nocona, TX)

         ii.  Andrew Jackson Atkins was born in 1915 and died in 1999 at age 84.

        iii.  Male Atkins was born in 1919 and died in 1919.

Benjamin next married Cora Whisenhunt, daughter of Dee Whisenhunt and Maggie Gaither, about 1922.

Children from this marriage were:

          i.  Edward Atkins Another name for Edward is Eddy.

         ii.  Louis Atkins was born in Montague Co., TX. Another name for Louis is Rusty.

3. Ida Lura Harper Mrs. Benj. Paul Atkins,¹ daughter of Andrew Jackson Harper and Mary Ann Whisenhunt Mrs. A.J. Harper, was born in 1892 in Montague Co., TX, died in 1919 in Long Branch Community, Montague Co, TX at age 27, and was buried in 1919 in Nocona Cemetery, Nocona, TX. The cause of her death was Childbed fever. Another name for Ida was Lura.

General Notes: Ida Lura died of childbed fever. Her child (3rd) died with her. One Cousin says that her mother (Ida's sister) said that Ida had a miscarriage. She also said that Ida was in love with a young man whom her father dispised. They did not marry, but not too long after, Ida married Benj. Paul Atkins

Ida married Benjamin Paul Atkins in 1910 in Montague County Texas. Benjamin was born on 4 Feb 1892 in Long Branch Community, Montague Co. Tx, died in Nov 1978 in Nocona, TX at age 86, and was buried in Nov 1978 in Nocona Cemetery, Nocona, TX. The cause of his death was Old Age. Another name for Benjamin was Paul.