Lake County Ohio GenWeb

William T. Atkinson

This biography is taken from Biographical History of Northeastern Ohio, Embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake; Lewis Publishing Company, 1893.

Transcribed and submitted by Becky Falin, 1996.

William T. Atkinson, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser in Willoughby township, Lake county, Ohio, was born in Sackville, New Brunswick, October 4, 1829, son of Robert Atkinson, a native of the same place, born in 1797. Grandfather Robert Atkinson, a native of Yorkshire, England, emigrated to New Brunswick and here engaged in farming. His son Robert was also a farmer by occupation. The latter moved to Ohio in October, 1833, and settled on a farm on which his son William T. now lives. This farm had been partly improved before he located here, having three log houses upon it and a portion of the land being cleared. He spent the rest of his life here, and died in 1877, at the age of eighty years. He was a man of some prominence, and held various local offices. Of his life companion we record that her maiden name was Jane E. Huggard, and that she was born near Belfast, Ireland. When she was eight years old she came with her sister to America, and was reared in New Brunswick. She died in November, 1891, at the age of eighty-four. Both she and her husband were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They had seven children, of whom William T. is the oldest and only son. All are still living, the only death among the descendants of these parents being one great-grandchild.

William T. Atkinson attended the district school and was a student for one term in the high school at Chagrin Falls. It is now nearly sixty years since he came with his parents to the farm on which he lives; will be sixty years in October, 1893. His present residence he built in 1855. The farm comprises 110 acres of land, and is devoted to general farming and stock-raising. For the past fourteen years Mr. Atkinson has given considerable attention to the breeding of thoroughbred cattle, raising and selling them for breeding purposes. His herd are all eligible to registry, with one exception. He has an excellent assortment of fruit on his place, - a fine vineyard and choice apples and pears.

Mr. Atkinson was married in 1855 to Elsie J. Brott, who was born in Mayfield, Cuyahoga county, and was reared in Willoughby. Her parents, Reynold and Malona Brott, natives of Connecticut and New York respectively, were married in Mayfield. Her father was only thirteen when he came to this country. He blazed trees on his way here. Both parents died in Lake county, the father on November 15, 1874, and the mother on May 24, 1877. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Six of their eleven children are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson have one child, Howard E., born March 3, 1856; married Jane Cummings; has had three children: Arland C., Ralph H., and William C., the last being deceased.

Mr. Atkinson and his wife, following in the footsteps of their honored parents, are identified with the Methodist Church, he being a Steward and Trustee in the church. In politics he votes with the Republican party.