I was shopping at the Goodwill Outlet store in Hillsboro, Oregon, when a bin full of books was brought out. There were many old books, and I grabbed some that caught my eye.
I saw an old tattered and falling-apart Bible, but passed over it ... until my daughter opened it and made me realize what a treasure it was ...
On the inside cover were four tags ...
"Rev. JT Elkin, TUSCOLA, Douglas co Ill"
"Rev. JT Elkin, WAXAHACHIE, Ellis co (worn off)"
"Rev. JT Elkin, MARION, Marion co Oregon"
"Rev. JT Elkin, CORVALLIS, Benton co Oregon"
Also a sticky note as follows:
"BIBLE - 1856
"Belonged to my Great-Grandfather (my Dad's Grandfather) used as he rode horseback through the countryside, as a Methodist Circuit Rider.
Lois Harvison"
The Bible itself is labeled "New York - American Bible Society" 1856
Between the Old and New Testaments was a section titled "Family Records"Marriages:
James T. Elkins & Jennetta F. Gardiner was married by Rev. Benjamin Darlington October the 27th 1859
Simon N. Grizzell & Nannie J. Elkin, January the 18th, 1882, Waxahachie, Tex {daughter}
George R. Maple & Ella E. Elkin, January the 18th, 1882, Waxahachie, Tex {daughter}
Births:
Kanawha co West Va, James T, son of Edley & Francis Elkin was born October the 31st AD 1826
Montgomery co West Va, Jennetta Francis Elkin, daughter of Alaxander & Nancy Gardiner was born December the 9th AD 1840
1. Putnam co West Va, Nancy Jane, daughter of James T. & Jennetta F. Elkin, was born August the 30th AD 1860
2. Camargo Douglas co Illinois, Emily Ellen Elkin, daughter of James T. & J. F. Elkin, was born April 3rd AD 1864
3. Tuscola, Douglas co Illinois, Leonard Haddington, son of J.T. & J.F. Elkin was born April AD the 10th 1867
4. Tuscola, Douglas co Illinois, Euretta Candace, daughter of Jas. T. & J. F. Elkin was born December the 16th, AD 1868
5. Tuscola Douglas co Illinois, Infant son - J.T. & J.F. Elkin, born July 22nd AD 1871
6. Tuscola Douglas co Illinois, James Clark, son of J.T. & J.F. Elkin born January 8th AD 1873, 8 oclock 15 min
Deaths
3. Leonard A. Elkin, September the 2nd AD 1868 12 oclock 25
4. Euretta C. Elkin, September the 4th AD 1869 7 oclock 35
5. Inf son of J.T. & J.F. Elkin, July 22nd AD 1871
Mrs. Jennetta F. Elkin, July 14th AD 1875, Marlin Falls co Texas, 8 oc 13 min
Rev. J.T. Elkin, ded, January 3rd 1889, Corvallis, Benton co Ore.
Simon N. Grizzell & Nannie J. Elkin, January the 18th, 1882, Waxahachie, Tex {daughter}
George R. Maple & Ella E. Elkin, January the 18th, 1882, Waxahachie, Tex {daughter}
Births:
Kanawha co West Va, James T, son of Edley & Francis Elkin was born October the 31st AD 1826
Montgomery co West Va, Jennetta Francis Elkin, daughter of Alaxander & Nancy Gardiner was born December the 9th AD 1840
1. Putnam co West Va, Nancy Jane, daughter of James T. & Jennetta F. Elkin, was born August the 30th AD 1860
2. Camargo Douglas co Illinois, Emily Ellen Elkin, daughter of James T. & J. F. Elkin, was born April 3rd AD 1864
3. Tuscola, Douglas co Illinois, Leonard Haddington, son of J.T. & J.F. Elkin was born April AD the 10th 1867
4. Tuscola, Douglas co Illinois, Euretta Candace, daughter of Jas. T. & J. F. Elkin was born December the 16th, AD 1868
5. Tuscola Douglas co Illinois, Infant son - J.T. & J.F. Elkin, born July 22nd AD 1871
6. Tuscola Douglas co Illinois, James Clark, son of J.T. & J.F. Elkin born January 8th AD 1873, 8 oclock 15 min
Deaths
3. Leonard A. Elkin, September the 2nd AD 1868 12 oclock 25
4. Euretta C. Elkin, September the 4th AD 1869 7 oclock 35
5. Inf son of J.T. & J.F. Elkin, July 22nd AD 1871
Mrs. Jennetta F. Elkin, July 14th AD 1875, Marlin Falls co Texas, 8 oc 13 min
Rev. J.T. Elkin, ded, January 3rd 1889, Corvallis, Benton co Ore.
Tucked between the pages of Family Records, was this well worn bookmark. It appears to be a peachy pink ribbon with scalloped edges, and a cross-stitched (on heavy paper) saying - "the blush of modesty" and a flower.
There was also a newspaper clipping about the Elkins family ...
including family crest and family history from medieval times through the 1600's.
Someday I will get enough information about this family to be able to track down the Reverend's descendants ... and return to them his Bible.
Until then, I am grateful that it ended up in our shopping cart ... instead of being sent off to be shredded and recycled (as do many of Goodwill's books that don't sell) ...
8 comments:
Now I know you are thrilled that you picked out this old Bible. I go to Goodwill in Greenville, Ohio. It seems to always have a good and interesting collection of stuff. Some stuff is worth bringing home.
My word, Sissy--I've been hearing about this find of yours. I am not surprised--as you have the gift of finding amazing things--but I am amazed. Amazed someone would not have taken the time to look inside the Bible before handing it off to the Good Will.
I LOVE the Goodwill--treasures can still be found. As Abe says, some stuff is worth bringing home!
Amazing find! How wonderful.
Greetings! I am a descendant of this Elkins family and came across this page in doing a general search on google. I would LOVE to see more of the bible if you're willing to share more pictures of pages that might be of some significance.
My email address is iberiansquaw@verizon.net. Hope to hear from you soon!
Dawn Welch
Powhatan, VA
Amazing. I live in Forest Grove and am a descendant of a line of Elkins - my grandmother is Helen Maxine Elkins, daughter of George Elkins, son of Joseph Elkins, son of Luther Elkins (an oregon pioneer and the first president of the Oregon State Senate). The names listed above don't sound familiar, but I will do some research. Thanks for posting your find! Pat Bellinger (bellingerpat@gmail.com)
Can you email me? I'd like to talk with you about this book.
David A. Grizzell
dgrizz@frontier.com
Hello My name is Edward Elkins . I live in Albany,Oregon next to corvalis. Linn/Benton county. My family came here to Oregon in 1852. Luther Elkins was Senator during the civil war and cast the deciding vote to make Oregon a union state. He also built a 400 mile road which he and some partners owned so that people could emmigrate to eastern oregon and settle. He built the albany,lebanon santiam canal so steamboats could come to the area . Then he convinced the railroad to come to the valley here. There is still an old Elkins mill in tact owned by a community college in Lebanon ORegon . They tore down the saw mill and kept the flour mill. My father says an Elkins came to ORegon in 1847 or somewhere around there before Luther. I dont know the exact relation maybe distant cousins or something. Luther came here from ohio. He was a magistrate and one of his employees burnt down his tobacco house so he packed up and moved to Oregon.http://jondolar.hubpages.com/hub/The-Story-of-Luther-Elkins
There are gravesites here in the valley of the Elkins family. Some in crook county also. What is believed by our family is brothers or cousins came over here with the mayflower and shortly after . There was an Elkins captain at an english fort before the mayflower came over. The Elkins was captain and co-owner of a ship called the white dove that came over 3 months after the mayflower. They traded with indians for a year lost their charter and the son of the captain came over on the white sail ships. but there was Elkins that came over with the mayflower and so its believed they were all related some how. no documents date back far enough to find out anything before the mayflower settlers. Its believed the Elkins name comes from king Aella the terrible. Kin of Aella is its most common belief. There was a Frank Elkins in the 1960's who was Portlands worst gangster ever. I dont know how he was related if at all but Elkins's were captains,colonels,and leutenants in the revelutionary war and their sons became the first of the leaders in the new world along with the other families.
ewrdmail@yahoo.com is my email is you want to contact me.
Post a Comment