The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-12
MRS. A. D. ATKINSON
O|EO LAST NIGHT
City's Most Famous Hostelries,
Passes Away.
WAS WOMAN OF GREAT
BUSINESS SAGNCTTY
Was Uniformly Successful In All Her
Undertakings, Giving livery Detail
Her Own Close Personal Atten-
ton.

Mrs Addie Detroit Atkinson. sew
enty-six years old. president of the
Hotel Richmond Corporation. died
last night at midnight in her apart
ment at the hotel. after an illness OF
two weeks. For about six months she
had been confined to her room, but
1t was only a short time ago that her
condition gave alarm, and the end was
not unexpected. She was the widow
of John Marshall Atkinson, who died
a number of years ago.
Mrs. Atkinson was the guiding
genius OF the Richmond Hotel and Il
was through her effort and unusual
business ability that the present no.
tel. one of the handsomest in the
South, was built. She personally gave
every detail of the hotels manage
ment her attention, and 1t was only
when her health became impaired
during last summer, that she was
forced to relinquish her hold on the
affairs of the institution.
Four children. three grandchildren
and one great-grandchild survive
Her children are Mrs. P. P. Murray
and John NJ. Atkinson. of Richmond:
Mrs. Harry Woodruff. of New York
and Samuel T. Atkinson, OF this city.
The grandchildren are Miss Daisy
Morgan. Miss Eddie Erwin and Mrs
Raymond Massie, Little Margaret
Bowies is the only great grandchild.
Born In Amherst.
Mrs. Atkinson was born in Amherst
County in 1910. spending the early
part of her life there. She married
hotel experience was the management
OF the Warwick Hotel in Lynchburg.
In 1884 Mrs. Atkinson came TO
Richmond and assumed control OF
the st. James Hotel on Main Street
at which she continued until 1889.
In that year she took charge of the
American Hotel, now known as the
Lexington, and from a hotel that was
always a failure she built a hosiery
OF wide reputation. and managed it
successfully for about fifteen years.
Her experience in hotel manage
ment ripened. Mrs. Atkinson then de-
cided to build hotel of her own. and
in 1904 she constructed the present
building at the corner of Ninth and
Grace Streets. Her success with the
larger and more modern hosiery was
Immediate, and the patronage OF the
hotel grew to such an extent that in
1912 1t became necessary to erect the
addition facing Ninth Street at a cost
of about $4,000.
Her Great Ambition.
NAI0- AbhtuSoH WAS HI all tlInGB &C
lively engaged in the administration
Of the hotel. Its successful manage
Inent, and the desire to make 1t one
OF the most modern hotels in the
country, was her greatest ambition.
Few women in Richmond had the
recognized business ability as had Mrs.
Atkinson. Her success in the hotel
enterprise attracted attention on all
sides. She possessed unusual business
and this in connection with
the close attention that she gave the
of tie hotel. brought 1t
to the present high standard.
Although she was approached by
various patriotic, suffrage and other
bodies to become affiliated with them,
Mrs. Atkinson was always forced to
decline because Of the duties at the
hotel that kept her entirely occupied.
The suffrage leaders in particular
were anxious to have her become con-
nected with their organization. be-
cause OF the signal success she had
made in her business career.
Before she died Mrs. Atkinson ad-
vised the members OF her family that
she wished the hotel to continue Just
e. II 10 at present, and that she wanted
no outward sign of mourning shown.
She even requested that the orchestras
In the hotel continue the daily con-
certs. and that no crepe. or other
evidence Of her death. be placed on
the hotel.
Mrs. Atkinson was . member Of the
Second Presbyterian Church. While
the arrangements for the funeral have
not been made, II Is expected that they
will take place sometime tomorrow.
and will be conducted from tho hotel.
Tho burial will be made In Holly
wood Cemetery.