In the spring of 1835 he went to Round Grove, which by-the-way received its name
from him, and Mr. Stakes, with the intention of settling there, and in accordance with one of
the rules in vogue at that day, "jack-knifed," a claim. As soon as this was done,
he started to Henry or Rock island county to get a team for breaking purposes, and on
his return found that he had been ousted by Messrs. Pilgrim, Nance, Jones, and others, who
had broken patches all around the grove during his absence. There was nothing to do but submit,and
he left there, and in company with J. W. Stakes, made claims to a large amount of land on both sides
of Rock creek, in what is now Union Grove and Mt. Pleasant townships.
After leaving Round Grove he that summer broke the first seven or eight acres where Morrison now stands. As the claim, or rather
claims, made by Messrs. Atkinson and Stakes covered considerable territory, a division was made in June, 1836, Mr. Atkinson taking the part on the west side of Rock creek, and Mr. Stakes the part on the east side.
Mr. Atkinson commenced making improvements on his claim, located in what is now Union Grove township, in the summer and winter of 1835, and
built the first cabin in the township, and from the fifth to the eighth in the county In July, 1836, he moved his family to the claim, and
continued to reside there until his removal to Geneseo, Henry county, in 1875. He has the honor of making the first prairie or breaking plow
in the township, and perhaps in the county. He was assisted in the iron work by Mr. Hubbard, brother of Alexis Hubbard, of Lyndon, and in the wood work
by C. G. Woodruff, of the same place. The timber for the plow, was cut in Union Grove, and considerable trouble occasioned in finding a tree of the right
twist for the mound board. The land side bar of the plow was between four and five feet long, and the share between three and four feet, the plow turning a
furrow from thirty-two to thirty-six inches. This unique implement of husbandry was constructed in 1836. Mr. Atkinson also brought the first reaper into the county.
It was one of McCormick’s first manufacture, and was bought in 1837 or 1838.
At the election held in the fall of 1836, the first one held in the county after its
preliminary oganization by the General Assembly, Mr. Atkinson was elected Justice of the Peace, and James Heaton, Constable.
Mr. Atkinson was ordered to take the returns of the election to Galena, Jo Daviess county, a trip which consumed about four days time, at a cost of eight
to ten dollars, for the customary fee of one dollar and fifty cents. He had to qualify as Justice of the Peace at that place, Whiteside county being then yet
attached to Jo Daviess for judicial purposes. Mr. Atkinson was always one of the first to assist in pushing forward any enterprise which looked to the development
of the township county of his adoption, and when the project of building a railroad through the county from Dixon to Fulton, was started, he entered at once heartily into the work and used all of his influence to obtain aid to construct it. He was elected
one of the first Directors of the Company, which was then known as the Mississippi & Rock River Junction Railroad Company. The efforts of this company, strange to say,
met with strong opposition from many along the proposed line, some urging one objection, and some another, while still others contented themselves with throwing ridicule upon
it. One settler of influence said the road would not help to raise any more corn, pork or beef, and another, that it would be time enough fifty years afterwards to talk about
building rail roads. These objectors are now beneficiaries of the road to a large extent, and would gladly give their thousands rather than have it destroyed, or have the track moved
to a different location. Mr. Atkinson took a very prominent part in township and county affairs from the time he first became a resident of Whiteside, and being a man of more than
ordinary ability and activity wielded a wide influence in shaping them for the best interests of the people. After the organization of the township under the township organization law, he
represented Union Grove in the Board of Supervisors for seven successive terms, and has also held other township offices.
He was married in 1831 to Miss Emeline Little, of Plymouth, New Hampshire.
Their children have been Anna K; James W.; Sarah L; Josiah L.; and George L.
Of these, Josiah L. died in Union Grove in 1849, and George
L. died in Colorado, in 1876. Anna K married B. P. Keyes, and lives in
Boston, Massachusetts. James W. married Miss Sarah M. Savage, daughter of the late W. J. Savage, of Morrison, and lives in Moline, Illinois.
Sarah L. resides with her parents in Geneseo, Henry county.
In a letter to the publishers of this work, Mr. Atkinson says: "The intercourse of over forty years with the citizens of Whiteside county has been friendly; their interests, and those of the county, have been my interests. May the future of Whiteside be as prosperous and happy as its past has been energetic and patriotic."
Bent & Wilson History of Whiteside County Page 476-477
** Joshua Atkinson (born 09 February 1810 the son of William and Anna
(Little) Atkinson) died in Geneseo, Henry Co IL 28 May 1894
Joshua T Atkinson was born in Newburyport, Essex county, Massachusetts in 1810, and has resided
only in that State and Illinois. He came to Whiteside county in November,
1834, and passed the following winter above the mouth of Coon creek, in old Prophetstown,
occupying a part of a log cabin with J. W. Stakes and family. This was known as the
McClure cabin, and was built by Bigelow & McClure, of Peoria, who had established a ferry
on Rock river near the old Lewiston trail ford on that stream, it being the first ferry
between the one at Dixon, and Van Ruff’s at the month of the river. During a part of the same
winter, in addition to the family of Mr. Stakes, and Mr. Atkinson, Messrs. Baxter, Benson,
Bennett, and Charles Atkinson, with their families, made a home in the cabin. They had
plenty of Indians for neighbors, but they were peaceable and friendly, and fond of fun and trade. Notwithstanding their limited
quarters, Mr. Atkinson represents that all passed a pleasant winter, the only drawback being now and then a short
allowance of provisions which would necessitate a journey to Fox river, or to Knox county.
