The third son of James Atkisson and Margaret Mendenall, "Preacher Billy," as he was known in later years, was born in Jefferson County, Illinois, most likely in the vicinity of Mt. Vernon. His family moved to Lee County, Iowa around 1849 and then to Wayne County, Iowa and Grundy County, Missouri. His mother died in 1858 in Trenton, and the father remarried a widow who had children of her own. With so many mouths to feed, several of James's children were sent to live with in-laws. Billy went east before 1860 to join his sister Sarah and her husband Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Cozad on their farm in Lewis County, Virginia. There he met and married Eleanor "Ellen" Elizabeth Ransbottom.
Virginia seceded from the Union on April 17, 1861, just days after Confederate guns fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. In response, the western counties of the state, including Lewis County, counter-seceded and petitioned for admission to the Union as the new state of West Virginia. On August 19, 1862 in Weston, Billy and his younger brother "Plez," who had since come east as well, enlisted for three years in response to President Lincoln's latest call for volunteers. They mustered into Company D, 15th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment, on September 8 in Wheeling. That February near Sir John's Run, Billy suffered a gunshot wound to the foot and was sent to Cumberland, Maryland for hospitalization. In June he was transferred to the U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps and remained in Cumberland for the rest of the war.
Billy and Ellen had at least seven children together between 1860 and 1876, a son named Prince Albert and five daughters: Martha Jane, Laura Ellen, Elnorai, Elizabeth Katherine, Geneva, and Olive. Ellen died sometime after 1880, and on October 23, 1895 in Gallia County, Ohio, Billy married Lucille "Lucy" May Custer. They had a son named Otie Howard, who died shortly after birth, and a daughter named Ruth Rebecca, whose written memories, along with her son Henry's, provide what few personal details remain of Billy.
For many years after the war Billy worked alternately as a farmer, a teacher, and a carpenter, among other jobs. His grandson Henry recalled that he may have run a sawmill somewhere in Kanawha County for a time. Billy suffered from severe arthritis, presumably from his war injury, and increasingly turned for solace to the Bible. At some point he decided to pursue a career in the ministry, perhaps inspired by the example of his father, who had been a Primitive Baptist lay preacher. On October 1, 1896, Billy was ordained by the Advent Christian Church in Caldwell, West Virginia and installed as a pastor in Caldwell and Sharon.
According to the memories of his grandson Henry, Billy was a "circuit rider" to a number of churches over the years, including some "that either had no minister at all or earnestly requested his preaching. Chief among those was Shiloh Chapel, belonging with the United Brethren Church. Shiloh was about a mile north of Leon." He also recalled that Billy "seldom prepared a sermon. Instead, wherever he went, before services he would ask around as to the troubles and problems the people were having at the time. His 'sermon' consisted of quoting the scriptures relating to such problems and discussing the Biblical possibilities of managing those difficulties in this present life. After services, the interested listeners would gather around him" and he would continue to go on for hours. Henry also recalled that his grandfather "possessed innate musical talent. He could read music and sing, but he played no instrument." He retired from preaching around 1915.
Billy's last name was originally spelled ATKISSON, but according to his daughter Ruth he changed it to ATKINSON as the result of a government clerical error that began in the Civil War and followed him for years after. His older brother John did the same. Billy's grandson George, however, used the original spelling and has many descendants in West Virginia to this day named Atkisson.
Virginia seceded from the Union on April 17, 1861, just days after Confederate guns fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. In response, the western counties of the state, including Lewis County, counter-seceded and petitioned for admission to the Union as the new state of West Virginia. On August 19, 1862 in Weston, Billy and his younger brother "Plez," who had since come east as well, enlisted for three years in response to President Lincoln's latest call for volunteers. They mustered into Company D, 15th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment, on September 8 in Wheeling. That February near Sir John's Run, Billy suffered a gunshot wound to the foot and was sent to Cumberland, Maryland for hospitalization. In June he was transferred to the U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps and remained in Cumberland for the rest of the war.
Billy and Ellen had at least seven children together between 1860 and 1876, a son named Prince Albert and five daughters: Martha Jane, Laura Ellen, Elnorai, Elizabeth Katherine, Geneva, and Olive. Ellen died sometime after 1880, and on October 23, 1895 in Gallia County, Ohio, Billy married Lucille "Lucy" May Custer. They had a son named Otie Howard, who died shortly after birth, and a daughter named Ruth Rebecca, whose written memories, along with her son Henry's, provide what few personal details remain of Billy.
For many years after the war Billy worked alternately as a farmer, a teacher, and a carpenter, among other jobs. His grandson Henry recalled that he may have run a sawmill somewhere in Kanawha County for a time. Billy suffered from severe arthritis, presumably from his war injury, and increasingly turned for solace to the Bible. At some point he decided to pursue a career in the ministry, perhaps inspired by the example of his father, who had been a Primitive Baptist lay preacher. On October 1, 1896, Billy was ordained by the Advent Christian Church in Caldwell, West Virginia and installed as a pastor in Caldwell and Sharon.
According to the memories of his grandson Henry, Billy was a "circuit rider" to a number of churches over the years, including some "that either had no minister at all or earnestly requested his preaching. Chief among those was Shiloh Chapel, belonging with the United Brethren Church. Shiloh was about a mile north of Leon." He also recalled that Billy "seldom prepared a sermon. Instead, wherever he went, before services he would ask around as to the troubles and problems the people were having at the time. His 'sermon' consisted of quoting the scriptures relating to such problems and discussing the Biblical possibilities of managing those difficulties in this present life. After services, the interested listeners would gather around him" and he would continue to go on for hours. Henry also recalled that his grandfather "possessed innate musical talent. He could read music and sing, but he played no instrument." He retired from preaching around 1915.
Billy's last name was originally spelled ATKISSON, but according to his daughter Ruth he changed it to ATKINSON as the result of a government clerical error that began in the Civil War and followed him for years after. His older brother John did the same. Billy's grandson George, however, used the original spelling and has many descendants in West Virginia to this day named Atkisson.
The third son of James Atkisson and Margaret Mendenall, "Preacher Billy," as he was known in later years, was born in Jefferson County, Illinois, most likely in the vicinity of Mt. Vernon. His family moved to Lee County, Iowa around 1849 and then to Wayne County, Iowa and Grundy County, Missouri. His mother died in 1858 in Trenton, and the father remarried a widow who had children of her own. With so many mouths to feed, several of James's children were sent to live with in-laws. Billy went east before 1860 to join his sister Sarah and her husband Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Cozad on their farm in Lewis County, Virginia. There he met and married Eleanor "Ellen" Elizabeth Ransbottom.
Virginia seceded from the Union on April 17, 1861, just days after Confederate guns fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. In response, the western counties of the state, including Lewis County, counter-seceded and petitioned for admission to the Union as the new state of West Virginia. On August 19, 1862 in Weston, Billy and his younger brother "Plez," who had since come east as well, enlisted for three years in response to President Lincoln's latest call for volunteers. They mustered into Company D, 15th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment, on September 8 in Wheeling. That February near Sir John's Run, Billy suffered a gunshot wound to the foot and was sent to Cumberland, Maryland for hospitalization. In June he was transferred to the U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps and remained in Cumberland for the rest of the war.
Billy and Ellen had at least seven children together between 1860 and 1876, a son named Prince Albert and five daughters: Martha Jane, Laura Ellen, Elnorai, Elizabeth Katherine, Geneva, and Olive. Ellen died sometime after 1880, and on October 23, 1895 in Gallia County, Ohio, Billy married Lucille "Lucy" May Custer. They had a son named Otie Howard, who died shortly after birth, and a daughter named Ruth Rebecca, whose written memories, along with her son Henry's, provide what few personal details remain of Billy.
For many years after the war Billy worked alternately as a farmer, a teacher, and a carpenter, among other jobs. His grandson Henry recalled that he may have run a sawmill somewhere in Kanawha County for a time. Billy suffered from severe arthritis, presumably from his war injury, and increasingly turned for solace to the Bible. At some point he decided to pursue a career in the ministry, perhaps inspired by the example of his father, who had been a Primitive Baptist lay preacher. On October 1, 1896, Billy was ordained by the Advent Christian Church in Caldwell, West Virginia and installed as a pastor in Caldwell and Sharon.
According to the memories of his grandson Henry, Billy was a "circuit rider" to a number of churches over the years, including some "that either had no minister at all or earnestly requested his preaching. Chief among those was Shiloh Chapel, belonging with the United Brethren Church. Shiloh was about a mile north of Leon." He also recalled that Billy "seldom prepared a sermon. Instead, wherever he went, before services he would ask around as to the troubles and problems the people were having at the time. His 'sermon' consisted of quoting the scriptures relating to such problems and discussing the Biblical possibilities of managing those difficulties in this present life. After services, the interested listeners would gather around him" and he would continue to go on for hours. Henry also recalled that his grandfather "possessed innate musical talent. He could read music and sing, but he played no instrument." He retired from preaching around 1915.
Billy's last name was originally spelled ATKISSON, but according to his daughter Ruth he changed it to ATKINSON as the result of a government clerical error that began in the Civil War and followed him for years after. His older brother John did the same. Billy's grandson George, however, used the original spelling and has many descendants in West Virginia to this day named Atkisson.
Virginia seceded from the Union on April 17, 1861, just days after Confederate guns fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. In response, the western counties of the state, including Lewis County, counter-seceded and petitioned for admission to the Union as the new state of West Virginia. On August 19, 1862 in Weston, Billy and his younger brother "Plez," who had since come east as well, enlisted for three years in response to President Lincoln's latest call for volunteers. They mustered into Company D, 15th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment, on September 8 in Wheeling. That February near Sir John's Run, Billy suffered a gunshot wound to the foot and was sent to Cumberland, Maryland for hospitalization. In June he was transferred to the U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps and remained in Cumberland for the rest of the war.
Billy and Ellen had at least seven children together between 1860 and 1876, a son named Prince Albert and five daughters: Martha Jane, Laura Ellen, Elnorai, Elizabeth Katherine, Geneva, and Olive. Ellen died sometime after 1880, and on October 23, 1895 in Gallia County, Ohio, Billy married Lucille "Lucy" May Custer. They had a son named Otie Howard, who died shortly after birth, and a daughter named Ruth Rebecca, whose written memories, along with her son Henry's, provide what few personal details remain of Billy.
For many years after the war Billy worked alternately as a farmer, a teacher, and a carpenter, among other jobs. His grandson Henry recalled that he may have run a sawmill somewhere in Kanawha County for a time. Billy suffered from severe arthritis, presumably from his war injury, and increasingly turned for solace to the Bible. At some point he decided to pursue a career in the ministry, perhaps inspired by the example of his father, who had been a Primitive Baptist lay preacher. On October 1, 1896, Billy was ordained by the Advent Christian Church in Caldwell, West Virginia and installed as a pastor in Caldwell and Sharon.
According to the memories of his grandson Henry, Billy was a "circuit rider" to a number of churches over the years, including some "that either had no minister at all or earnestly requested his preaching. Chief among those was Shiloh Chapel, belonging with the United Brethren Church. Shiloh was about a mile north of Leon." He also recalled that Billy "seldom prepared a sermon. Instead, wherever he went, before services he would ask around as to the troubles and problems the people were having at the time. His 'sermon' consisted of quoting the scriptures relating to such problems and discussing the Biblical possibilities of managing those difficulties in this present life. After services, the interested listeners would gather around him" and he would continue to go on for hours. Henry also recalled that his grandfather "possessed innate musical talent. He could read music and sing, but he played no instrument." He retired from preaching around 1915.
Billy's last name was originally spelled ATKISSON, but according to his daughter Ruth he changed it to ATKINSON as the result of a government clerical error that began in the Civil War and followed him for years after. His older brother John did the same. Billy's grandson George, however, used the original spelling and has many descendants in West Virginia to this day named Atkisson.
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