Atkinson Cemetery

Contributed by Jean Wells

Additional information from Margaret Prowse Mason.

Atkinson Cemetery

Transcription with Notes

John Swann Atkinson Sr. & Lurana Bass Atkinson

John Swann Atkinson Sr. born about 1799 in North Carolina died 8 December 1866 age 67. (He is in the 1860 census age 61 and is not in the 1870 census.)

He was the son of Elisha Atkison and his Mother was believed to have been a Swann. He married 27 February 1834 in Christian Co., Kentucky to Lurana Bass.

Lurana Bass died 17 July 1862 age 45. She was the daughter of Jordan Bass and Nancy Webb.

They are buried at the Atkinson Cemetery, but do not have markers. Also concrete has been poured over their graves.

John Swann Atkinson Jr. & Rosaline Sarah Jerrdon Reddick Atkinson

Tombstone of J.S. & R.J. Atkinson

J.S. Atkinson
July 6, 1837 - January 18, 1920
R.J. Atkinson, his wife
September 22, 1851 - August 22, 1935
“It was hard to give thee up, but thy will, O God be done”

John Swan Atkinson was the son of John Swan Atkinson Sr. and Lurena Bass.

He married (1) 20 March 1862 Mary Jane Prowse, born 1836; died September 25, 1866, the daughter of George O. Prowse and Polly Wells. She is buried at the Prowse Cemetery.

He then married (2) Rosaline Sarah Jerrdon Reddick 22 January 1869. “Rozzie” was the daughter of Newton Blackburn Reddick (1809, Tennessee - 1877, Kentucky) and Mary Jane Wadley Parrish (1815, Tennessee - 1900, Kentucky).

Sandstone Markers on Walkway

2. Atkinson No dates

3. Atkinson 1860

4. Atkinson 1875

5. Atkinson 1874

No. 4 & 5 believed to be the children of John Swan Atkinson Jr. & Rosalind Reddick.

6. Stivers

7. Stivers

No. 6 & 7 believed to be the children of Jacob Stivers & Emma Atkinson. In the 1900 Muhlenberg Federal Census, Emma Atkinson Stivers was 29 years old. She had been married 15 years & had 6 children, 4 living.

Mary Ann Atkinson

Tombstone of Mary Ann Atkinson

Mary Ann, Daughter of John S. and Luraney Atkinson
Died July 16, 1855
Aged 16 Yrs., 8 Mos., 2 ds.

Emely J. Atkinson

Tombstone of Emely J. Atkinson

Emely J., Daughter of John S. and Luraney Atkinson
Died July 13, 1855
Aged 15 Yrs., 5 Mos., 5 ds.

Unmarked Graves

Information from Margaret Prowse Mason:

Raymond Eddie Atkinson supposedly had a child buried at Atkinson Cemetery. Notes are not clear if it was by his first wife, Gertrude Fox, or second wife, Laura Pettygrove.

Eddie Atkinson's and Emma Stivers' families moved to California.

Directions

From Greenville, Kentucky take Highway 62W to Highway 189. Turn left and go about 8 miles to Eli Lane, close to the Muhlenberg-Christian County Border.

Turn right on Eli Lane and go about .03 miles. Turn left on an old dirt road just after you pass two mobile homes on the left and before you get to a locked gate. You will have to park here and walk back into the woods. After you start walking, you will turn right at the next dirt road. After a few yards, you will turn right again. The cemetery is about ¼ mile from Eli Lane.

History & Condition

Elisha Atkinson settled this land about 1805. The land remained in the Atkinson family until sometime in the 1930's. There are several field stone markers scattered through the woods. It is believed that these stones are probably Elisha Atkinson's and John Swan Atkinson Sr.'s families.

Sometime in the 1940s, Eddie Atkinson, son of John Swan Atkinson Jr. and Rosaline Atkinson, had the cement poured for the walkway to enclose the stone for J.S., R.J. and six sandstone markers.

There are two other stones still standing.

This Cemetery is not listed in the Muhlenberg County Kentucky Cemeteries books compiled by Marian G. Hammers.

This transcription made by Jean Wells and Ann Lile Musial March 6, 2007. Ann is a great-granddaughter of John S. and Rosalind Reddick. Information on the cemetery from Ann's parents, Ned and Ruth Lile.