brookin adkins
1898-aft. 1950
Life Story
Early Life in Beat 4, Newton County
Brookins Adkins was born on February 15, 1898, in Newton County, Mississippi, to George Adkins and Sallie Thompson Adkins.
He appears in the 1900 U.S. Census at age two, living in Beat 4 within the large Adkins farming household. Even at that young age, the census lists him as able to read (likely an enumerator’s marking error, as he was only two).
By 1910, he was recorded as “Brookens Adkins,” age 12:
- Attending school
- Able to read and write
- Working as a farm laborer on the home farm
Like his older siblings, Brookins was part of a generation raised in a household that valued literacy despite the limited educational infrastructure available to Black children in rural Mississippi.
World War I Draft Registration
Brookins registered for the draft during World War I (1917–1918) in Newton County. His registration lists:
- Birth date: February 16, 1900 (slight discrepancy from 1898 census record)
- Physical build: Medium
- Hair: Black
- Eyes: Black
- Mother: Sallie Adkins
Given that he was listed as age two in 1900, the 1898 birth year is the more consistent date. Age discrepancies of one to two years were common in early twentieth-century records.
Marriage and Move to Leake County
By approximately 1918–1920, Brookins married Bertha (Birtha) Chapman.
Unlike several of his siblings who remained in Newton County or migrated north, Brookins relocated east to Leake County, Mississippi, settling near Walnut Grove and the Sebastopol area.
The 1930 Census lists him as:
- Age 39 (birth year estimated incorrectly as 1891)
- Married
- Head of household
- Farmer
- Working on his own account
- Literate
His household included:
- Bertha Adkins
- Lorene
- Lucile
- Will
- T. J.
- Maria
- Maggie
By 1940, he was still farming in Leake County, now listed as owning his farm (valued at $75), working 52 weeks a year, and completing up to the 8th grade.
The surname appears in this period as Atkin, another common enumerator variation.
World War II Draft Registration
In 1942, Brookins registered for the World War II draft in Walnut Grove, Leake County. This card provides the clearest physical profile:
- Height: 5’6”
- Weight: 142 pounds
- Complexion: Black
- Hair: Black
- Eyes: Brown
- Employer: Self
- Next of Kin: Birtha Chatman
This registration confirms his February 15, 1898 birth date and firmly ties him to Leake County.
The 1950 Census and Name Confusion
The 1950 Census lists him as Brookins Adkinson (misindexed by Ancestry as “Davis”).
Important clarification:
- The original census entry reads Adkinson.
- The surname Davis is an indexing error.
- This is consistent with prior Adkins/Atkins/Atkin variations.
In 1950, he was:
- Age 52
- Living on Mt. Lena & St. Damascus Road, Leake County
- Working as a sawmill worker
- Employed 40 hours per week
His children remaining in the home included:
- Dorothy J.
- Buford
- Luther
This shift from farming to sawmill labor reflects the economic pattern common in East Mississippi during mid-century—agriculture supplemented by timber industry work.
Family and Household Pattern
Across census decades, Brookins and Bertha raised a large family, including:
- Lorene / Laure
- Lucile / Idea
- Willie
- J. T.
- Angie Lee
- Mildred
- Dorothy Jean
- Buford
- Luther
- Maggie (possibly stepchild or relative in some enumerations)
Like his parents before him, Brookins maintained a rural household rooted in land-based labor.
Surname Evolution
Brookins’ records reflect multiple spellings:
- Adkins
- Brookens Adkins
- Brooks Adkins
- Brooke Atkin
- Adkinson
These variations reflect common enumerator inconsistencies rather than identity changes.
Importantly, unlike some siblings whose surnames shifted due to marriage or migration, Brookins maintained continuity of the Adkins name across decades—even when spelled differently.
Generational Significance
Brookins represents the third generation in the Atkins → Adkins line:
Thomas Atkins (born likely enslaved)
→ George Adkins (literate farmer)
→ Brookins Adkins (farmer and sawmill worker)
Unlike siblings who:
- Migrated north
- Became employers in Newton County
- Took on guardianship roles
Brookins carved out his own agricultural path in neighboring Leake County.
He represents the branch of the family that expanded outward but remained rooted in Mississippi soil.
Legacy
Brookins Adkins lived through:
- The collapse of Reconstruction’s gains
- World War I
- The Great Depression
- World War II
- The early stirrings of the Civil Rights era
He transitioned from farm boy in Beat 4 to independent farmer and later sawmill worker in Leake County.
While some siblings stayed in Newton County and others migrated north, Brookins built his legacy in rural Leake County—maintaining the Adkins name in a new geography while preserving the agricultural foundation laid by his father.
Resting Place
Unknown
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1900, 1910, 1930, 1940, 1950 Federal Censuses
- U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
- U.S., WWI Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918
- U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
- The Saginaw News, Angie Lee Santos Obituary, Wed, Oct 25, 1995 ·Page 35
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
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