The Atkinson Family, The Yorkshire Migration

 

 

The Atkinson Family

Yorkshire, England to Nova Scotia to Florida

 

This was an exciting family to research. It began with the 1860 Census of Savannah, Georgia where I found my Great Grandmother Georgia Atkinson as a four year old.

 

Georgia C. Atkinson, was born January 7, 1856 in Savannah, Georgia. She was the daughter of Henry Atkinson and Caroline Phelps. She moved to Dawson, Georgia with her father after the Civil War.The family is shown on the 1870 census living in Dawson, Henry Atkinson head of household, children Georgia and Henry F and Rebecca Phelps, mother-in-law. Caroline Phelps Atkinson is not shown and it is presumed that she died before 1870. Georgia married William Greenberry Shores in Dawson on July 4, 1881, in Terrell Co., Ga. They moved to Florida soon after. She was listed as a resident of Orange County, Florida in the Terrell County Court records when she sold property she inherited from her father. There is a story that she inherited a trunk full of gold and it was shipped to her by railroad. When it arrived there was no bank close by, so it was locked in the safe of the local General Store for safe keeping. I don't know what happened to it. There wasn't any family fortune handed down. Georgia died in Lake County, Florida in 1934.

Georgia Atkinson Shores Family

left to right: Floyd Atkinson Shores, Florence Shores Marable, Father William Greenberry Shores, Eva Shores Jarrett, Mother Georgia Atkinson Shores, Myrta Shores Brantley

 

Henry Atkinson , born March 26, 1821 in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia. He was the son of George Atkinson and Letitia Ann Fulton. He attended school in Sackville, New Brunswick and was trained to manufacuter carriages. He sailed to the United States, arriving in Boston on November 6, 1843. From Boston he went to New York were he worked and saved and bought an interest in a shipping company. He then sailed to Savannah, Georgia where he arrived before 1850. In Savannah he worked for the C&RR Railroad as a patternmaker. He married Caroline A. Phelps on June 15, 1853. He was a member of the Chatham Artillery and during the Civil war was a foreman for the Savannah Arsenal. He and Caroline had only two children, Georgia born in 1856 and Henry F. born 1861. Caroline Phelps Atkinson died between 1862 and 1870.. Henry Atkinson was very active in the affairs of the city of Dawson. He was a member of the Dawson Brass Band, directed the Baptist Church Choir, ( his bass voice was of " well-nigh matchless power"he was county fair judge, member of the school board and member of the Drama Society. He was Superintendant of the Dawson Manufacturing Company. ( made railroad cars). He died February 6, 1878 in Dawson and is buried in the Cedar Hill Cemetery there.

His son Henry F. went to Florida along with his sister and lived in Brevard County where he once served as mayor of the city of Titusville.After studying law he was admitted to the bar in 1889 and practiced in Titusville until he moved south to Miami in 1897. He was a member of the committee which drew up the city charter of Miami, Florida and was judge of the Criminal court of Record from 1909 to 1916 and in 1923 was appointed judge of the Circuit court of Dade County where he served until his death. He was a highly respected citizen and judge of the Dade County community.

Judge Henry Fulton Atkinson, Pioneer of Miami, Florida

Link to Online transcription of Birth Records of Maccan (Southhampton) Nova Scotia

George Atkinson was born January 3, 1786 in Franklyn Manor, River Hebert, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, the son of John Atkinson and Frances ? He married Letitia Ann Fulton February 23, 1808. Their children were, Joseph Atkinson, James Fulton Atkinson, Philipina Emily Atkinson, John, Thomas, George II, Henry, and William.

Link to Online Marriage Records of Maccan (Southhampton) Nova Scotia

Nat'l Archives of Canada Birth Record

Photos of Joseph Atkinson and Family

John Atkinson, was born in 1729, in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England. He married Frances about 1767 in England and they sailed on the ship ALbion from Hull, Yorkshire England to Fort Cumberland Nova Scotia in March 1774 with his family. They arrived in Halifax on May 6 1774. John was 45 years old, Frances was 30. They had been tenants on the Wentworth Estate in Yorkshire. John came " to seek a better livelihood". Notes on the Albion" the 150 ton Brigantine "Albion". their destination was one of hope and one of desperation. The 53 day voyage was one of many hardships. they crowded the 154 passengers on a ship built to carry 75. They suffered through three weeks of major storms, out breaks of Smallpox that took many lives, and food shortages.

John and Frances had the following children: Charles born 1768 in England, Martha,born 1770 in England, Michael born 1771 in England, John W. born 1773 in England, Albion born April 1, 1774 in passage aboard the ship, Albion.,Ann born 2 Mar 1779 in Franklin Manor/River Hebert, NS, Hannah born March 17, 1782, Elizabeth Ann, born Dec 28, 1783, George , born January 3 1786 in Franklin Manor, River Hebert, and Joseph Atkinson born December 27 1788.

Map of Atkinson Country by Larry Bjarnson

Link to Yorkshire Emigration Information Site

 

Atkinson Surname on the 1881 census of Maccan, Cumberland Co., Nova Scotia

 

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