The earliest Atchison ancestor in the family is Alexander Atchison, born in Ireland in 1725. Alexander married a Scottish woman named Mary Hamilton in 1760. The couple made their first home in Ireland, but eventually immigrated to the United States and settled in Pennsylvania. They had five children together: Hamilton and James (both born in Ireland) and Katherine, John, and William (all born in Pennsylvania). Hamilton is the next Atchison in this direct line and he was born on around 1770. He moved to Kentucky where he married Isabella Lane Denison, born in 1771 in Virginia. Hamilton and Isabella had four children: Rebecca, John, Malinda, and James. Malinda, born in Kentucky in 1801, married James S. Headley and from that point this branch continues with the Headley name with James and Malinda's son James Alexander Headley. James Alexander married Fanny Carter in 1852 and they were the parents of three sons, including Joseph Carter Headley. Joseph Carter would continue the family line with his marriage to Alline Higgins in 1884. Together Joseph and Alline would have two daughters, Elisabeth Higgins and Frances Carter Headley. Elisabeth married Charles Crain Garr and had two daughters of her own, Elisabeth Headley and Charlotte Russell Garr. Frances married B.F. Carruth and had two children, Frances Headley Carruth (Kerr) and Allen Higgins Carruth.
Though he is not a direct ancestor, the Atchison part of the family also provides a famous relative, David Rice Atchison. David was born in Lexington but moved to the then Missouri Territory where he became involved in politics, eventually representing Missouri in the United States Senate. He is famous for the controversial claim that he was President for a day in 1849. The town of Atchison, Kansas is named for him due to his involvement in it's development. He actually encouraged some of his Headley cousins to join his in the West, and James Alexander and William Headley, sons of James and Malinda, would do just that living in Atchison, Kansas for a few years in the 1850s and early 1860s, prior to the Civil War.
Documents
This letter from Daniel D. Atchison to his brother John and uncle James Headley was written while he was away at school.
This gallery contains scans of three documents related to the estate of Hamilton Atchison Jr., a brother of Malinda Atchison Headley. Hamilton passed away in May of 1842, and the documents date from later that year.
This gallery contains scans of documents that relate to the estate of Alexander H. Atchison, a brother of Malinda Atchison Headley. Included are his will, and estate settlements.
This gallery contains scans of legal documents relating to John Clark Atchison, a first cousin to Malinda Atchison Headley. Included are multiple deeds, and John's will.
Photographs
