The “Aunts & Uncles” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database. The selected AI will used the RootsMagic Individual Summary from my Genealogical Software, Roots Magic. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46 years of research. Today's Biography of Lecty Huneycutt Atkinson (1874-1949) was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:
" Through Changing Times: Lecty Huneycutt Atkinson's Journey"
Early Life and Family Background
Lecty Huneycutt was born on November 3, 1874, in Stanly County, North Carolina, to James W. Huneycutt and Sarah Elizabeth Page. She grew up in a time when North Carolina was still recovering from the Civil War and Reconstruction, a period of significant change and hardship for many families in the region.
Lecty was part of a larger family that included several siblings. Her father James, born in 1833, worked as a farmer, which was the livelihood of most families in rural North Carolina during this era. Her mother, Sarah Elizabeth Page, was born in 1835 and lived a long life until 1915, allowing her to see many of her grandchildren grow up.
Childhood and Young Adulthood
As a young girl, Lecty appears in the 1880 census living with her family in Morven, Anson County, North Carolina. At age seven, she was listed as "Lecte Hunicutt" (spellings of surnames varied considerably in census records of that era) in her father's household, alongside her siblings including sisters Louvena and Amanda, and brother Allen.
By 1900, when Lecty was 25 years old, she was living with her widowed mother, Sarah Elizabeth, in Cole Hill, Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Her father James had passed away in 1896. During this time, the household also included Lecty's young niece, Emma J. Woodward, who was about 10 years old.
Marriage and Family Life
On May 8, 1902, in Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina, Lecty married Samuel Henry "Sam" Adkinson. The marriage record shows her father listed as "Jas Hunneycutt," reflecting another variation in the family surname spelling. Sam was born on April 22, 1867 (though some records show 1871), in Anson County, making him about seven years older than Lecty.
The couple settled in Albemarle, Stanly County, where they would spend the rest of their lives together. According to the 1910 census, they had been married for nine years and had three children, though only two were still living at that time.
Children
Lecty and Sam raised their family in Stanly County:
Emma J. Atkinson (born May 30, 1890, Chesterfield, South Carolina – died May 17, 1959, Albemarle, North Carolina) was actually Lecty's daughter from before her marriage to Sam. Emma married Gilliam Coble around 1906, and they made their home in the Albemarle area. Emma lived a full life of nearly 69 years and was laid to rest at Mountain Creek Cemetery in Albemarle.
William James Adkinson (born May 31, 1903 – died March 16, 1957) was born in Stanly County shortly after Lecty and Sam's marriage. He went by "Willie" and remained close to his parents throughout their lives. Willie married Annie Lee Coley around 1928, and they had children together, including daughters Gladys and Louise, and a son William H.
Life Through the Decades
The 1910s: Raising a Young Family
By 1910, the Adkinson family was well-established in Albemarle. Sam worked to support the family, and Lecty managed their household. Their son Willie was just five years old, and the family was navigating the challenges and joys of raising children in rural North Carolina during the early 20th century. This was an era before electricity was common in rural homes, and daily life involved considerable manual labor.
The 1920s: A Quieter Household
The 1920 census found Sam (listed as "Henry S.") and Lecty (as "Electa") still in Albemarle with their teenage son "Witlers J." (Willie), who was 15 years old. This decade saw significant changes in American life, including the aftermath of World War I and the beginning of Prohibition. Their daughter Emma had already married and established her own household with Gilliam Coble.
The 1930s: The Great Depression Years
The 1930 census shows Samuel H. and "Electy" Adkinson still living in North Albemarle. These were difficult years for most Americans, as the Great Depression brought widespread economic hardship. Families often had to pull together and rely on farming and local networks to survive. The Adkinsons, like many in their community, weathered these challenging times in their longtime home.
The 1940s: An Extended Household
By 1940, the Adkinson household had expanded to include multiple generations. Samuel (age 73) and Electa (age 65) were living with their son Willie J. (age 35), his wife Annie L. (age 38), and three grandchildren: Gladys (11), William H. (9), and Louise (7). This multi-generational living arrangement was common during this era and provided support for aging parents while helping younger families manage household expenses and childcare.
Final Years and Passing
Lecty Huneycutt Atkinson spent her final years at the family home in Palestine, a community in Stanly County. She had been ill for about two months when she passed away on Friday afternoon, March 4, 1949, at her home in Harris, Stanly County. Her death certificate lists her cause of death as a heart condition. She was 74 years old.
Her obituary in The Stanly News and Press noted that she was "the daughter of the late James and Elizabeth Page Huneycutt of Stanly County." Final rites were held Saturday afternoon, March 5, 1949, at 3:00 o'clock at the family home, conducted by Reverend Edwin Bailey. She was laid to rest in the Palestine Methodist Church Cemetery in Stanly County.
Lecty was survived by her husband Sam Atkinson, her daughter Mrs. Gilliam Coble of Albemarle Route 2, and her son Willie Atkinson of Eldorado. Her husband Sam outlived her by only about eight months, passing away on November 8, 1949, in Landis, Rowan County. He was buried the next day at Palestine Methodist Church Cemetery, reuniting the couple in their final rest.
Legacy
Lecty Huneycutt Atkinson lived through remarkable changes in American history—from Reconstruction through two World Wars and into the modern era. She witnessed the transformation from horse-and-buggy travel to automobiles, from kerosene lamps to electric lights, and from isolated rural communities to an increasingly connected world. Through it all, she remained rooted in Stanly County, raising her family and maintaining the bonds of community and faith that sustained families through both good times and hard. Her descendants continued to make their homes in the Albemarle area, carrying forward the family legacy she helped establish.
Lecty Huneycutt is my Great Grand Aunt.
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1. State of North Carolina, death certificate no. 6383 (4 March 1949), Mrs. Electa Honeycutt Adkinson; https://www.ancestry.com, Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina.
2. 1880 US Census, Anson County, North Carolina, population schedule, Morven, Anson County, North Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 002, Page 352A(stamped), Line 39, Dwelling #264, Family #282, Household of James Hunicutt; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 26 May 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T9, Roll 951.
3. 1900 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Cole Hill, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 0019, Page 1A/59(stamped); Line 15, Dwelling 4, Family 4, Household of Sarah E. HONEYCUT; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 28 May 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T623_1523.
4. 1910 U. S. Census, Stanly County, North Carolina, population schedule, Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 0116, Page 109B/109(stamped), Line 87, Dwelling 130, Family 131, Household of Samuel ATKINSON; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 28 May 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T624, Roll 1096.
5. 1920 U. S. Census, Stanly County, North Carolina, population schedule, Albemarle, Stanly County, North Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 146, Page: 193A(stamped); Line 32, Dwelling 640/299, Family 309, Household of Henry S. ATKINSON; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 28 May 2013); citing National Archives Microfilm T625, Roll 1323.
6. 1930 U. S. Census, Stanly County, North Carolina, population schedule, North Albemarle, Stanly County, North Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 17, Page: 141A; Line 28, Dwelling 263, Family 282, Household of Samuel H. ATKINSON; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 28 May 2013); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1721.
7. 1940 U. S. Census, Stanly County, North Carolina, population schedule, East and Southeast Albemarle, Stanly County, North Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 84-178, Page: 16B/269(stamped); Line 57, Household #288, Household OF Samuel ATKINSON; digital images, 1940 CENSUS (http://1940census.archives.gov : viewed 28 May 2013); citing NARA microfilm publication T627, roll 2975.
8. Mrs. Atkinson Taken By Death obituary, The Stanly News and Press, Albemarle, Stanly County, North Carolina, 8 March 1949, Page 7, Col 4..
9. State of North Carolina, death certificate no. 26524, (8 November 1949), Henry Samuel Atkinson.
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