The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-06-13
An Able Progenitor.
fChicaeo Inter.ocean.1

(Chicago Inter-Ocean.1
The ablest forefather of the age
judged by the number of his descend
ants, has been discovered, fourishine
like green bay-tree on Turkey Cocl
Mountain in Pittsylvania County, Vir
ginia. This extraordinary individual
bears the name of Owen Adkin, and
made his first start in life on Christmas
day, 1882. While yet boy he ran five
miles in 26 minutes, and at the age of Ia
killed bear with a pocket-knife. He
scream louder than any other boy on the
prophesied that there was before such a
pressure usefulness. And yet they had
very imperfect conception of the tre-
mendous possibilities wrapped up in the
frame of the feet-footed young man.
Mr.. Adkin married in 1905, and settled
down within hundred feet of his
fathers cabin. There were no Mormons
then, but Mr.. Adkin held stoutly to the
theory, that man was justified in taking
as many wives as he could support. In
the course of a few years he built three
more cabins on his farm, and installed a
wife or concubine in each. His first wife
died in 1880, having borne him in twenty
five years nineteen children. He mar
ried again, and also took another concu-
bine. His second wife died in 1889, hav-
ing borne her husband five children. He
continued to live with his concubines
until the last one died, in 1856, and he
took another. He had by these forty
six children, and by wives and concu-
bines seventy children.
The children all settled in his imme-
diate vicinity, and &c of them are still
living. ALI that are married have large
families, and Mr.. Adkins offspring count
ing children, grandchildren, and great
grandchildren, number $50. Mr.. Adkin
has ruled among his descendants like a
patriarch of old, and up to the date of
the war, voted his family as his ideas or
whims Influenced him. He threw his
township solid for Andrew jackson for
President, and on another accession his
colony cast over 100 votes for John Ran
dolph for President. That gentleman
was not candidate, but Mr.. Adkin con-
cluded to vote for him and have his
friends vote for him, anyhow. He OPP
sion in 1861. Two of his boys enlisted
against his wishes in the Confederate
army, and both were killed in the battle
Nominally Mr.. Adkin was farmer,
but he made the money that supported
his large family in shooting matches,
foot races, horse races, etc. His great
foot race was that in which he ran eleven
miles in ffty-eight minutes. The old
gentleman is now SO years of age, and
points with pride to the fact that he is
the father of seventy children, while he
privately declares that there are ten or
twelve more whose names are not on the
records. ALI the children, grand-chil-
dren and great-grand-children resemble
their able progenitor, and the old man
of SO is proud of this fact. He is still
nimble of foot, can shoot as well as ever,
has every faculty in full play, is in no
way diseased, and has never been under
a doctors care. He has not been ten
miles from home in twenty-five years,
and his only ambition is to live until he
is 100 years old and die where he was
born. None of Mr.. Adkins children
inherited his peculiar notions as to the
marriage relation, which the head of the
family considers great weakness.