Rev. jesse adkins
1874-1941
Life Story
Early Life and Parentage
Reverend Jesse T. Adkins was born on September 1, 1874, in Newton County, Mississippi. He was the son of Thomas Atkins and Fannie Lewis Adkins.
His father, Thomas, was born around 1812 and likely entered life enslaved before becoming part of the first generation recorded as citizens after the Civil War. His mother, Fannie Lewis Adkins, born about 1840, represents the bridge generation between slavery and freedom. Census records show her living in Jesse’s household in 1900, illustrating the strength of multigenerational family bonds.
Jesse grew up in Beat 4 of Newton County during the Reconstruction and Redemption eras — a time when Black families were striving to secure land, literacy, and stability amid tightening Jim Crow restrictions.
By 1900, Jesse was recorded as literate, able to read and write — a meaningful achievement for a Black man born in rural Mississippi in the 1870s.
Marriage into the Whitehead Family
On January 03, 1899, Jesse married Janie Whitehead, daughter of Andrew Dowel Whitehead and Sena Nelson Whitehead of the Lawrence community.
The Whitehead family was well established in Newton County. Through this marriage, Jesse became connected to another respected Black farming lineage, strengthening community ties between two Reconstruction-era families.
The 1900 census records:
- Jesse Adkins, age 25
- Janie Whitehead Adkins, age 22
- Infant daughter Alma
- Fannie Lewis Adkins, age 68, living in the home
The presence of his mother in his household illustrates continuity across generations — from a woman born before Emancipation to a son serving as landholder and minister.
Farmer, Landowner, and Employer
Jesse spent his adult life farming in Beat 4, Newton County.
- 1900 – Renting farmland
- 1910 – Owner (mortgaged), listed as Employer
- 1920 – Owner (mortgaged), working on own account
- 1930 – Owner, classified as Employer
- 1940 – Owner of a farm valued at $530
Across four decades, he progressed from tenant to established landholder.
Despite the economic pressures of Jim Crow Mississippi and the Great Depression, Jesse maintained property ownership and worked the land 52 weeks per year according to the 1940 census. (The 1940 Ancestry indexing error listing his occupation as “housewife” is incorrect; the original record clearly shows he was a farmer.)
Ministerial Calling
During World War I draft registration (1917–1918), Jesse was recorded as:
“Reverend Rev. Jessie Atkins.”
Although census records list him as a farmer, both draft and newspaper evidence confirm that he held a recognized ministerial role.
A 1941 obituary in the Echo reports that:
“The death angel visited the home of Reverend J. T. Adkins on Tuesday, June 10th and summoned his soul to the great beyond.”
The obituary further describes him as:
- A faithful pastor to his churches
- A faithful member of Jerusalem M.B. Church
- Loved by a large number of friends
In 1931, he was also recorded conducting the funeral service of Bob Cole at Shiloh Colored Baptist Church.
Like many rural Black leaders of his era, Jesse served in dual capacities:
- Agricultural provider
- Spiritual shepherd
The Black church in Newton County functioned as the center of education, organization, and leadership. His title reflects moral authority and community respect.
Family and Survivors
Jesse and Janie Whitehead Adkins were parents to:
- Alma Adkins
- Velma Adkins
- Addie Adkins
- James Adkins
By 1940, daughter Velma remained in the household.
According to his 1941 obituary, Reverend Adkins was survived by:
- His wife, Mrs. Janie Adkins
- One daughter, Mrs. Velmer (Velma) Hudson of Lawrence
- One brother, Grant Adkins of Jackson
- One sister, Mrs. Lizar Jane Basket of Memphis
- A host of relatives and friends
These details expand the documented family network beyond census records and confirm sibling connections.
Death and Burial
Reverend Jesse T. Adkins passed away on June 10, 1941, after several months of declining health. The obituary notes that although he had been in ill health, he was not confined to his bed.
His remains were laid to rest in Union Chapel Cemetery in the Lawrence community — the same sacred ground that holds many members of the extended Adkins and Whitehead families.
Education and Literacy
Jesse was consistently recorded as literate. The 1940 census lists him as having completed one year of high school — uncommon for Black men born in 1874 in rural Mississippi.
His literacy strengthened both:
- His farming enterprise
- His ministerial leadership
Generational Significance
If Thomas Atkins represents emancipation,
and Fannie Lewis Adkins represents maternal endurance across slavery and freedom,
then Reverend Jesse T. Adkins represents institutional stability —
the fusion of land, literacy, and faith.
Through his marriage to Janie Whitehead, two Reconstruction-era Black landholding families were united, reinforcing social and economic stability in the Lawrence community.
Legacy
Reverend Jesse T. Adkins stands as an example of steady rural Black leadership in Newton County:
- Son of Thomas Atkins and Fannie Lewis Adkins
- Literate landholder
- Pastor and faithful church member
- Husband to Janie Whitehead
- Patriarch rooted in Beat 4
He remained in the Lawrence community through Reconstruction’s aftermath, Jim Crow consolidation, the Great Depression, and into the early years of World War II.
His life reflects not migration, but rooted strength.
His grave at Union Chapel marks the resting place of a farmer, a minister, and a man who helped anchor his community for nearly half a century.
Resting Place
Union Chapel United Methodist Church
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1900 – 1940 Federal Censuses
- U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
- U.S., WWI Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918
- The Echo, Jesse Adkins Obituary, Fri, Jun 20, 1941 ·Page 4
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