son of Arthur Atkinson - Dorothy C. Garner

Newton Atkinson married Clarissa Jane Evans on 19 July 1849 in Smith County, Texas. She preceded him in death.

Newton Atkinson married Elizabeth Susan Keith on 16 September 1863 in Black Spring, Texas.

Eli Atkinson was one of the oldest citizens of Jack county, one of the oldest settlers of this section of Texas, as well as one of the oldest members of the Masonic Order. He came to Jack County in 1863 when it was wild and sparsely settled, and when the Indians claimed the land as their own. Along with the hardy pioneers of that period, he built his home here and battled the Indians. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge. Mr. Atkinson was one of the jurors for the Indian Trials in the Warren Wagon Train Massacre in 1871. Newton Atkinson was a pioneer director of First National Bank of Jacksboro. He was a rancher and brought pure bred stock to Jack County for her cattle herd. The Atkinson home sat on its historic hill top. The mansion later became the home of Harry McConnell, grandson of Newton Atkinson. When his daughter, Laura Atkinson outgrew the school at Springdale where the family ranch was located, Newton Atkinson arranged for his daughter to live with the family of the doctor at Fort Richardson to go to school in Jacksboro. Laura's diary shows the school was in the east part of town, close to the creek, and their water dippers were dried gourds and sometimes the boys put spiders in the handles to frighten the girls. In 1855, the Atkinson family lived at Black Springs, Palo Pinto, Texas in a stockade for protection against the Indians. In 1856, Newton Atkinson moved to the land which would become the Atkinson ranch on the Keechi River, 10 miles south of Jacksboro. He was a progressive and successful cattle man. Newton Atkinson was in many tragic Indian fights as a citizen and was a Texas Ranger. He served under Captain John R. Baylor through the reservation fight in 1859 and later was in charge of Company 5, Jack County Ranger Force.

Contributed by Dorman Holub