John Atkison (also spelled Atkinson) was born on November 12, 1815 in Kanawha Co.,Virginia (now West Virginia). He was the son of Robert Atkinson and Catherine Koontz. Both his father and mother were from Virginia. John was the oldest of at least five children, with two sisters and two brothers known at this time. His father died in 1835 and his mother with the children moved to Ohio.
On June 18, 1840, John married Hannah Catterlin. Hannah was born in Ohio on November 3, 1821. She was the daughter of David Catterlin and Eleanor Knox. Sometime in 1841 their first child was born to them and it appears this child died before October 1850. On October 25, 1843, their second child, Mary Jane, entered their world. Both of these children were born in Ohio. While in Ohio, John was elected and served as a Justice of the Peace. 1844 was an eventful year for the Atkisons. They moved to Cooper County, Missouri in a two-horse wagon, settling near Otterville, and their third child, David M., was born. On July 23, 1847, Lucy Amanda was born, and on December 3, 1849, Robert Alexander was added to the family.
John, Hannah and their children appear three times on the 1850 Cooper Co, Missouri Federal Census. One census was enumerated on October 11 while two were enumerated on October 12, and all by the same individual. Each listing is a little different:
1850 Census 1 (Oct. 12) 1850 Census 2 (Oct 11) 1850 Census 3 (Oct 12)
John….. Age 35……Va John…….Age 35…..Va John…….Age 35….Va
Hannah..Age 30……Oh Hannah…Age 28…..Oh Hannah…Age 26….Oh
Mary…..Age 8…….Oh Mary……Age 7……Oh Mary….. Age 4……Oh
David….Age 6…….Mo David…..Age 5……Mo David…..Age 6……Oh
Lucy……Age 2…….Mo Lucy…….Age 3……Mo
Infant…..Age 1…….Mo Infant……Age 6/12..Mo
Although the county history, and a later census indicated that John and Hannah had a total of thirteen children, the records I was able to locate provided information on only three additional children, thus making a total of eight. Sarah Elizabeth was born on March 1, 1851, Emily Susan was born in 1856, and Dora was born in1859.
According to a Bates County history, John and his family moved into Bates County on March 28, 1860 and settled in the town of Pleasant Gap. The 1860 Census listed John as a farmer with a Real Estate Value of $1,500 and a Personal Estate Value of $1,000. Within the household were Hannah, six children ranging in age from sixteen to ten months, and they had a seventeen year old farmhand living with them. Although John had been born in Virginia and had lived for several years in Cooper County, since he came from Ohio, he was “regarded by the Pro-Slavery men of this section with suspicion”. One of the fellow residents of Pleasant Gap shot at John twice in an attempt to scare him out of Bates County. John went to Sedalia for help, and found Federal troops there. He then recruited thirty men and was elected the 1st Lieutenant. He joined Captain Slocum’s Co., Missouri State Militia which subsequently became Company H of the 7th Missouri State Militia Cavalry.
When he enlisted at Sedalia on February 3, 1862, John had dark eyes, gray hair, a dark complexion and was five feet nine inches tall. On August 16, 1862, only Company H of the 7th MSM was present at the Battle of Lone Jack. John was with his company in that fight. He managed to survive the battle although he was injured in a fall from his $110 horse. Both returned to Lexington, but by November, John’s health was such that he felt it necessary to resign. The resignation was accepted effective on November 18, 1862 and he went back to civilian life.
Shortly after being discharged, John was appointed captain of a company of Home Guards and served as a Judge of the County Court. For a time just after Order No. 11 was issued the Atkison family moved to Clinton, in Henry County, and according to the county history, “kept most of their clothing and all of their bedding hidden in a box under the floor” because of the raiding parties from both armies. In the Fall of 1864, he was elected Sheriff of Bates County while he was still living in Henry County. He was reelected in 1866 and served another term. For a couple of years after the war, John conducted the Ohio House.
According to the 1870 Census John, Hannah and five of their children were living in Butler and they had a Circuit Judge living with them. John was a farmer, his Real Estate Value was $30,000 and his Personal Estate Value was $3,000. On July 24, 1879, John filed for a Veteran’s Pension and was issued Certificate No. 237609. By the 1880 Census, John, Hannah and only two daughters remained in the home in Butler. John was a Grocer by trade.
On April 24, 1900 John died and was buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Butler, Missouri. Hannah filed for a Widow’s Pension but she died on June 29, 1900 and was buried along side her husband of 60 years.