Zachariah Alfred Wilkins & son James Decatur Wilkins

Submitted by: Carolyn Wilkins Doyle

Zach was born March 01, 1825 probably somewhere in North Carolina he died October 26, 1899 in Arkadelphia, Clark County, AR. He married a Sarah Williams (and the Williams part is not a certainty but I'm fairly sure about it and think she was born somewhere in TN. Evidentally she died in TN between 1854 and 1860 (birth year of James D. and the next census record where no wife is listed with Zach). Zach is shown as a wagon maker on the census records of Benton County, TN and somewhere along the line he moved to Arkansas to live with James D. and Thomas Ena until he died.

Submitted by: Carolyn Wilkins Doyle

James Decatur Wilkins was born August 7, 1854 in Benton County, Camden Area, TN and died September 12, 1945 in Malvern, AR. His father was Zachariah Alfred Wilkins. Some census records for James D. show that his dad was born in NC. One census record from TN has a Michel living with Zach and family and shows that Michal was born in NC. We do have many, many Michaels' in the current family so I figure Michael was Zacks brother (too old to be son.)

James Decatur Wilkins married Thomas Ena Bidwell in Franklin County, Illinois July 16, 1879, she was the daughter of Charles Bidwell and Mary Rutland. They had one child born in Illinois, Addie Mae. Information in the Bidwell Family History Volume 1, lists her as Ailine but we all knew her as Addie. Addie was born June 22, 1880. James and Thomas Ena had 10 children - the first son Zachariah Denman Wilkins was born, October 4, 1882 in Washington, AR.