Rutherford Hamlet Adkins (1923 - 1998)

Born 24 Nov 1923 in Alexandria, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 6 Feb 1998 at age 74 in Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Rutherford Adkins is Notable.

Rutherford Adkins was born in Virginia.

2nd Lt Rutherford Adkins served in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II
Service started: 20 Jul 1943
Unit(s): 100th Fighter Squadron/332nd Fighter Group
Service ended:

Rutherford Adkins served as a US military pilot during World War II. He was one of the “Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen.” The Tuskegee Airmen were known for heroic combat service in support of Allied Forces in the European Theater. They served with the 332d Expeditionary Operations Group and the 477th Bombardment Group, both largely Black units of the United States Army Air Forces.

Rutherford Adkins was born in 1923. He was the son of Andrew Adkins and Mattie Hamlet.

In 1930 he was the third youngest child, living at 818 Queen St., Alexandria, Virginia. ^[1][2]

Tuskegee Airman

Rutherford registered for the draft at age 18 on December 26, 1942.^[3] He entered in the service at the rank of Private July 20, 1943.^[4]

Adkins began his college career at Virginia Union University, Richmond, Virginia in 1940 and later transferred to Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. While at Temple he was drafted into the United States Army during World War II.^[5] After receiving flight training at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he went overseas with the 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group. He flew 14 combat missions with the group popularly known as “The Tuskegee Airmen”. ^[6]

Graduation date: 16-Oct-44 ~~ Rank at graduation: 2nd Lt ~~ Class: SE-44-I-1 ~~ Graduated from: TAAF ~~ Pilot type: Single engine ^[7]

• Fact: Residence (1930) Alexandria, Alexandria (Independent City), Virginia, United States
• Fact: Residence (1935) Same House
• Fact: Social Program Application (Jun 1940)
• Fact: Residence (1940) Ward 3, Alexandria, Alexandria City, Alexandria City, Virginia, United States
• Fact: Military Draft Registration (26 Dec 1942) Alexandria, , Virginia, United States
• Fact: Military Service (20 Jul 1943) 2nd Leutenant, Pilot, 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group,Tuskeegee Airmen Richmond, Virginia, United States
• Fact: Residence (Dec 1954) Virginia, United States
• Fact: Obituary (07 Feb 1998) Oklahoma, United States
• Fact: Obituary (7 Feb 1998)
• Fact: Residence (07 Feb 1998) Nashville, Tennessee
• Fact: Obituary (08 Feb 1998) Oklahoma, United States
• Fact: Obituary (08 Feb 1998) Washington DC, United States
• Fact: Obituary (08 Feb 1998) Missouri, United States
• Fact: Obituary (08 Feb 1998) Florida, United States
• Fact: Residence (08 Feb 1998) Cancer
• Fact: Obituary (08 Feb 1998) Virginia, United States
• Fact: Obituary (8 February 1998) Kentucky, United States
• Fact: Obituary (11 Feb 1998) Florida, United States
• Fact: Obituary (14 Feb 1998) Baltimore, Maryland, United States
• Fact: Obituary (17 Feb 1998) Texas, United States
• Fact: Obituary (1998) Payson, Gila, Arizona, United States
• Fact: Burial (1998) Greenwood Cemetery, Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States of America
• Fact: Residence Alexandria, Virginia
• Fact: Previous Residence Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States
• Fact: http://familysearch.org/v1/LifeSketch TUSKEGEE AIRMAN and PRESIDENT of FISK UNIVERSITY

Affectionately known as "Lubby" to family and friends, Rutherford Adkins was born to Reverend Andrew Warren Adkins (a former pastor of the Historic Albert Street Baptist Church in Alexandria Virginia) and Mattie Hamlet Adkins. Lubby's first ambition was to be an auto mechanic, but his parents insisted that he attend college. In college, he discovered that physics was the basis of his earlier interests.

After serving in the military, Adkins returned to college and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA in 1947. He earned a master's degree in physics from Howard University, Washington, DC in 1949 and was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from The Catholic University, Washington, DC in 1955.

Dr. Adkins experiences in higher education touched many lives while he served appointments at Virginia State College (now university) Petersburg, VA; Tennessee State University (Nashville, TN); Fisk University (Nashville, TN); The United States Naval Academy (Annapolis, MD); Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA) and The Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA).

At Fisk University, Adkins also served as Associate Dean and Vice President and from 1975 to 1976 he served as Interim President. He then moved to Knoxville College, Knoxville, TN where he served as President from 1976 through 1981. He returned to Fisk in 1993 as professor of physics and later became director of the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Dr. Adkins was appointed Interim President of Fisk on July 1, 1996 and on February 14, 1997, was named President.

Dr. Adkins was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the American Association of Physicists, The National Society of Black Physicists and The American Baptist Men.

A funeral service was held in the chapel of Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee.

See more info on Rutherford at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutherford_H._Adkins

Research Notes

Paternity of James C Sanders III is based on DNA triangulation between Rutherford Adkins' niece & his grandson. Rutherford's relationship with James C Sanders & Frances Wright Sanders extends back to the 1950s at Virginia State University. Rutherford & Frances Wright Sanders worked together at Fisk University.

Sources

1. ↑ 1930 Census: "1930 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1930; Census Place: Alexandria, Alexandria (Independent City), Virginia; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0009; FHL microfilm: 2342200
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6224 #97209028
   Rutherford Adkins (5), single son, in household of Andrew W Adkins (46) at 818 Queen St, Alexandria, Alexandria (Independent City), Virginia, USA. Born in Virginia.
2. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
   citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T626; Line: 75; Digital film/folder number: 004955322; FHL microfilm: 2342200; Image number: 376; Sheet number: 5; Sheet letter: B; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03733-7
   FamilySearch Record: CVMT-BMM (accessed 4 November 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GR8N-93M2
   Rutherford Adkins (5), single son, in household of Andrew W Adkins (46) in Alexandria, Alexandria Township, Leavenworth, Kansas, United States. Born in Virginia.
3. ↑ The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 5.
4. ↑ National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 06881; Reel: 205
5. ↑ The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 5.
6. ↑ https://www.redtail.org/rutherford-h-adkins/
7. ↑ https://www.redtail.org/the-tuskegee-airmen/tuskegee-airmen-roster/

• Virginia Department of Health; Richmond, Virginia; Virginia, Births, 1864-2015 Source Information Ancestry.com. Virginia, U.S., Birth Records, 1912-2015, Delayed Birth Records, 1721-1920 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Virginia, Births, 1721–2015. Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia.
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 09 April 2023, 19:43), entry for Rutherford Hamlet Adkins (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:L1BB-KD4 ); contributed by various users.
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 09 April 2023, 19:43), entry for Rutherford Hamlet Adkins (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:L1BB-KD4 ); contributed by various users.
• Title1900 United States Federal Census Author Ancestry.com Publisher Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 18
• 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940"
  citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 75; Digital film/folder number: 005449096_003_M9XB-HK1; Image number: 53; Sheet number: 9; Sheet letter: B
  FamilySearch Record: VR12-TJS (accessed 4 November 2023)
  FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L9MR-SS3X
  Rutherford Atkins (15), single son, in household of Andrew Atkins (56) in Alexandria, Arlington, Virginia, United States. Born in Virginia.
• Military: "Virginia, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945"
  citing Affiliate Publication Title: World War II Draft Cards for the State of Virginia; Affiliate Publication Number: 2645537; Digital film/folder number: 102492528; Image number: 81
  FamilySearch Record: Q2WP-BSKX (accessed 4 November 2023)
  FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSZZ-F9S5-5
  Name: Rutherford Hamlet Adkins; Race: Black; Residence Place: Alexandria; Military Draft Registration Date: 26 Dec 1942; Military Draft Registration Place: Alexandria, , Virginia, United States; Birth Date: 21 Nov 1924; Birth Place: Alexandria, Virginia; Weight: 135; Hair Color: Black; Occupation Employer: Army Air Forces; Height: 5 8; Eye Color: Brown; Complexion: Light Brown; Relationship To Head: Father; System Of Record: SLS.
• National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Virginia, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 5
• The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 5
• Obituary. The Tennessean, February 8, 1998, Page 188. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean-tuesday-funeral-set-for-f/145461720/ : accessed April 16, 2024), clip page for Tuesday Funeral Set for Fisk's Dr. Adkins (Adkins-5468 on WikiTree) by user TaneyaKoonce
• Death: "United States Social Security Death Index"
  citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing)
  FamilySearch Record: VMYH-NZN (accessed 4 November 2023)
  Rutherford Adkins death 6 Feb 1998 (born 21 Nov 1924) residing in Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee.
• Death: "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007"
  citing Digital film/folder number: DI0001099
  FamilySearch Record: 6K3V-9VWL (accessed 4 November 2023)
  Rutherford Hamlet Adkins death 6 Feb 1998 (born 21 Nov 1924).
• Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007.
• Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
  Find A Grave: Memorial #7242881 (accessed 4 November 2023)
  Memorial page for 2LT Rutherford Hamlet “Lubby” Adkins (21 Nov 1924-6 Feb 1998), citing Greenwood Cemetery, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by Geri (contributor 46566166).