The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-03-16
a MIGHTY Hun FER.
4 queer Character in the Mountains
OSHirgisia.

The story OF most remarkable char
scter, who nas lived the life o. Mormon
for sixty.:ix years in 3 dreary valley Of
Pntssylvania county, Va, between Iur-
KEY Creek mountains and PIney Peak,
and who to-day, a. the sge OF ninety re
;s'ns nearly all the wonderful powers %
mis- youth. has Just came 70 light. "Oli
Man Owen Adkins, IS ne Is now tamil
isriy called, although he came OF vulgar
aud iliiterste parents, snd himself grew
10 without the iesst education, yet de.
ve'Opet early il lite sCue very cecidei
traits OF character, which raised him tsr
above his surroundings. Though small
10 stature. he was the strongest boy II
The mountains and even before ne was
ten wears old supported MS fathers large
family by engaging IN and winning
wrestling and running matches, on
which his ialher bet freely. At the age
o. Y the Young champion ran i've Niles
against time IN twen,y-siz minutes, and
won q wager of $50. About this time,
too, while hunting, IN which pursuit ne
took great delight, be had terrible en-
counter with black bear, II Wn!cn, by
his se!f-pCSsessiOn and courage alone he
saved ais lie Having discharged h!s
| rifle Intellectually, he mad only Ms jack
| knife left with which TO detend himself,
| and with this ne cut his bssrships jusu-
| lar vein, even after the latter had taken
I aim into MS deadly embrace. This ex
plot gave the young hero great pres
/ tIge in all the country around.
In 1905, il his Z3t year he married,
and settled within 100 ysrds OF his birth.
Mace in the same house which ne now
Occupies, sad tor five wears MS domestic
! life was scene OF perfect conjGSat nap
/ piness. But when about 80, the great
| s,Llete took it into E!s head ths. ne
/ wanted more than one wife, and IN spit"
OF the protests Of his devoted companioud
/ srt lOcc before Joseph Smith proclaimed,
/ the pslvgau5us doctrine Of MOrmoalsm
/ N this country. this UntGtured child Of
/ nature, acting on impulse, took to him
! self three cCncubi ues, tor each OF whom
ne built comic rts6le houses within q
mile of MS own residence. HIS wife
hated thrse concubines as only az sg-
grisved woman woman can hate, anl
/ until her death, which occurred t"ehtT
wears lster, there was no peace IN the
family OF Adkins. She gave BIRTH -
nineteen children. a. OF whom are still.
living. snd her successor IS q Do,ygsmIs!s
lawful wife. bore five others. On the
Istter's death lie did not again marry,
but continued 10 support four concuoInes
VINO bore him forty children, making 3
total Of seventy, I'll but four Of whom
still survive aat reside IN the vicinity OF
hrRE na. IN q
called AtNIatow1. Nearly al o the
children are married slt EsVe raised
are families. and It 8 estimated that
the oi1 mans offspring number 90.
Of course the political influence Of so
large family in the community, even
# their votes slouc are considered, ls I'm
nausa, and As Adkins went with 70
marty constantly. but :. wsys threw his
iLhuance tor Eis personsi TRENDS, ne Was
much cultivated b. the politicians.
Anti be!l.n DAYS the influence OF Al
kirs s.wsvs decided tho elections IN
Pi,tsvlvanis county, but slace the war
the old man hiss lost his interest IN Things
p0l.ics. 80 we'll s. 70 some extent IN
morse racing. card p,,yIcg, ard fox hunt
ing. which, IN the prime OF his lie, oc-
cuniet much OK his tine. Probably the
most remarkable fes. OF his lite was sc
c5nplished in 1884, wien be was sixty
Two wears old. de ran racs OF eleven
miles. on the country turnp ke, against
voa7g man, snd easily woc, maSIn- the
distance II torty-one minutes, according
I 70 a report pub shed ~ tee time, though
the cd man avers tha: !: was 7ea.iy
fhy-ejght.
Adkins persc1sl appearance IL very
striking. He his = wide chest, wei
thrown out. snt stands strs'ght IS 81
s-rsw. Rolling white hsr lows towo
over his broad shoulders, reminding one
strongly Of rip Van WinSle.' HIS
,o-sbe.d. brosd snd iatei!ectus!, his blue
ewes deep set. lis thin. due.y-curved ups
e-mly shut. give HIM noble sad in
p-essive appearance. He has never oeeo
SICK a dsv. his memory continues strong,
and MS powers Of Ell iursace sre but 1T
.le sbs.et. he attributes MS long NE
and rood health 20 out door exercise and
wholesome TODD. He mss never been Sd
acted 20 s.iuulsnts. he Is passing MS
secIiniuc DAYS in peaceful contentment
With MS sole surviving ccncGo'ne, vho
I.oIl, s.tschAf TO him.