Atkinson-Fall Family Collection

Collection

Identifier: A-0333

Staff Only

Content Description

This collection consists of materials from the Atkinson and Fall families of Chireno, Texas. The bulk of the materials are land records (deeds, deeds of trust and warranty deeds), but there are also some business receipts, tax receipts, and a poem.

Dates

Event: Donated 7/16/2019
Creation: 1849-1917

Language of Materials

The collection is in English.

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research.

Biographical / Historical

Washington G. Atkinson was born October 11, 1806 in Virginia. Not much is known about him as a young man. He married Mary Newport Goss on Christmas Day 1828 in Newton Co., Georgia. Together the couple had five children-- Susannah, John, Joseph, Martha, and Benjamin—all of whom were born in Georgia. Atkinson decided to move his family and slaves to Texas in the mid-1840s, settling in Chireno, Nacogdoches County by 1848. Atkinson was a small planter and owned 18 slaves in 1850. He passed away June 1, 1875 and is buried in the Chireno Lower Cemetery.

Minerva N. Hankla married Joseph Henry Atkinson, the second son of Washington G. Atkinson. He died in 1863 and she remarried Dr. John Newton Fall July 16, 1865. Their only son was Randolph H. Fall, who was born May 29, 1866. Fall married Carrie Nancy Jacobs July 9, 1893. He was a successful businessman in Chireno for much of his life. Fall passed away August 11, 1935.

Biographical note paraphrased from information in the 1850 U.S. Census Slave Schedule; the 1860 U. S. Census; Bennie Jean Landry and Molly Gray Holke, "Atkinson, Benjamin Arthur,"Nacogdoches County Families (Dallas, TX: Curtis Media Corp., 1985), 142-143; and Mildred B. Sparks, “Fall, John Newton,” Nacogdoches County Families (Dallas, TX: Curtis Media Corp., 1985), 273.

Extent

0.05 Cubic Feet

Additional Description

Arrangement

This collection consists of 24 items described in one folder and one oversize bundle. The folder is housed with other collections in a banker's box. The collection is organized at the item level.