Andy Atkinson
IN THE DRAMA OF LIFE
Jailor Andy Atkinson Finds His Half-Brother.
BROTHERS LONG SEPARATED
Have Not Seen Each Other for the Period of Nearly Forty Years.
McKinney Courier, January 8, 1904
Truth is frequently stranger than fiction. In the shifting scenes of life’s drama, this fact often stands forth in all possible vividness of actual reality.
After a separation of 39 years, A. J. Atkinson and half-brother, Rufus , are about to be re-united. They lost all trace of each other many years ago, and during this long period of separation, more than equaling the average span of human life, each supposed that, in all probability, the other was dead. But they have just learned differently, and the manner of their finding trace of each other and learning differently is in itself rather strange and altogether accidental.
One of the very earliest settlers of Collin county was James J. Atkinson, who came here soon after Collin McKinney, and settled near Old Mantua, the vicinity in which that old pioneer took up his abode and for whom our fertile county and its thrifty capital were both named. He lived there from 1846 to 1852, when he moved to Washington county, Texas.
A. J. Atkinson saw his father last in 1856 at Brenham, the father later dying in 1864 while the son was absent, serving in the confederate army. At the close of that memorable strife, the son came home by way of Independence in 1865, where he last saw his half-brother, then a little child of six or seven, at the home of an uncle.
Uncle Andy came on back to Collin after the war, where he has remained, being one of our most respected citizens and present jailor and deputy sheriff. The brothers dropped out of sight of each other so completely that they were more than surprised to learn through a mutual friend that the other was still living. That friend was James R. Spradley, of Allen, who went to Williamson county recently to spend Christmas with his daughter, Mrs. Liles, and husband, Rev. Z. V. Liles, a Methodist minister, formerly from this county, but now filling a work in that portion of the state. Rev. Liles accepted an invitation of one of his members, Rufus Atkinson, at Liberty Hill, an appointment on his work, to dine with him. Mr. Atkinson called for his pastor in a carriage, met Mr. Spradley and took the latter out also, along with Bro. Liles, to his hospitable home. While at the dinner table, the host learned that Mr. Spradley was from Collin county, and through him that his half-brother was still alive and in good health. Mr. Spradley was in McKinney one day this week and called on Uncle Andy and broke the news to him. Uncle Andy was very naturally overjoyed at the news and wrote at once to his brother. As a result, no doubt, a meeting will soon be arranged between the long separated brothers, one of whom is now turning gray, and the other a man in the forties. Then they will have the pleasure of seeing each other for the first time since one was a mere prattling child and the other a vigorous youth who had just entered into mature young manhood.
Jailor Andy Atkinson Finds His Half-Brother.
BROTHERS LONG SEPARATED
Have Not Seen Each Other for the Period of Nearly Forty Years.
McKinney Courier, January 8, 1904
Truth is frequently stranger than fiction. In the shifting scenes of life’s drama, this fact often stands forth in all possible vividness of actual reality.
After a separation of 39 years, A. J. Atkinson and half-brother, Rufus , are about to be re-united. They lost all trace of each other many years ago, and during this long period of separation, more than equaling the average span of human life, each supposed that, in all probability, the other was dead. But they have just learned differently, and the manner of their finding trace of each other and learning differently is in itself rather strange and altogether accidental.
One of the very earliest settlers of Collin county was James J. Atkinson, who came here soon after Collin McKinney, and settled near Old Mantua, the vicinity in which that old pioneer took up his abode and for whom our fertile county and its thrifty capital were both named. He lived there from 1846 to 1852, when he moved to Washington county, Texas.
A. J. Atkinson saw his father last in 1856 at Brenham, the father later dying in 1864 while the son was absent, serving in the confederate army. At the close of that memorable strife, the son came home by way of Independence in 1865, where he last saw his half-brother, then a little child of six or seven, at the home of an uncle.
Uncle Andy came on back to Collin after the war, where he has remained, being one of our most respected citizens and present jailor and deputy sheriff. The brothers dropped out of sight of each other so completely that they were more than surprised to learn through a mutual friend that the other was still living. That friend was James R. Spradley, of Allen, who went to Williamson county recently to spend Christmas with his daughter, Mrs. Liles, and husband, Rev. Z. V. Liles, a Methodist minister, formerly from this county, but now filling a work in that portion of the state. Rev. Liles accepted an invitation of one of his members, Rufus Atkinson, at Liberty Hill, an appointment on his work, to dine with him. Mr. Atkinson called for his pastor in a carriage, met Mr. Spradley and took the latter out also, along with Bro. Liles, to his hospitable home. While at the dinner table, the host learned that Mr. Spradley was from Collin county, and through him that his half-brother was still alive and in good health. Mr. Spradley was in McKinney one day this week and called on Uncle Andy and broke the news to him. Uncle Andy was very naturally overjoyed at the news and wrote at once to his brother. As a result, no doubt, a meeting will soon be arranged between the long separated brothers, one of whom is now turning gray, and the other a man in the forties. Then they will have the pleasure of seeing each other for the first time since one was a mere prattling child and the other a vigorous youth who had just entered into mature young manhood.
