Edwards and Childers Families:Information about William Devoid Aikman

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William Devoid Aikman (b. September 02, 1852, d. May 22, 1926)

William Devoid Aikman (son of Dubois Gilbert Aikman and Cora Zipporah "Zippy" Blagg) was born September 02, 1852 in Bluffton, Yell County, Arkansas, and died May 22, 1926 in Bluffton, Arkansas. He married Mary Blain Barmore on 1877, daughter of Barmore.

Notes for William Devoid Aikman:
How did William and Mary meet? There are two stories about how they may have met. One is that Will D. was a member of a land surveying party working in Northern Louisiana, nera Dubach when they met. Another possibility has Mary living with her family in Bluffton in the Swaim House (where Rick Nichols resides in 2009). It is not known if either of these accounts are accurate.

According to Homestead records filed in Washington, D. C. on May 9, 1885, William D. Aikman homesteaded 160 acres. The legal description of the land is the Northeast Quarter of Section 35, Township 3 North, Range 25 West of 5th PM. This land is located approximately 2 miles Southwest of Bluffton and borders the Ouachita National Forrest to the south. A two story house that sat on this land was part log and part lumber with a hallway between the two. This type of arrangement is identified in Arkansas culture as a "Dog Trot House." According to Henry Smallwood, a longtime resident of Bluffton, in a December 26, 1988 interview, Henry's grandfather hewed the logs to build the log side of the house. He said the house was constructed in the 1870's. This would have been before William officially owned the land. At some later date the half of the house made of lumber was added on, probably due to the large size of William and Mary's family. Henry Smallwood lived close to the Aikman house. He and young William Forrest (Bill) Aikman played together when Bill visited his grandparents. They would play ball, climb trees, play in the barn loft and play corncob jail, according to Henry. Henry said that William and Mary's daughter, Ada Emily, was married to ben Daniels on June 16, 1909, on the front porch of this house. After William and Mary moved away from this house circa 1920, the house was occupied for a short time by their sone, David Roscoe (Uncle Ros) Aikman and his family. David Roscoe married Henry Smallwood's sister, Mrytle Smallwood. Even later, Jack and Willie McConnel raised their large family in this house. Considering the large size of the Aikman and McConnell families raised on this site, could there have been something special in the drinking water?

This 160 acre site is located approximately one mile due west of the land thought to have been occupied by Zipporah Blagg Aikman until her death on February 8, 1879.

By 1921 their oldest son, James Edward Aikman, either bought or had built a house in Gravelly, Arkansas for them. The house still stands (in 2009) and is located on the right (North) side of Hwy 28 as you enter Gravelly.

More About William Devoid Aikman and Mary Blain Barmore:
Marriage: 1877

Children of William Devoid Aikman and Mary Blain Barmore are:

James Edward Aikman, b. June 09, 1878, Bluffton, Arkansas, d. August 10, 1942.
Luther S. Aikman, b. January 1881, Bluffton, Arkansas.
Ollie V. Aikman, b. March 17, 1883, Bluffton, Arkansas, d. July 25, 1980.
George Ingersol Aikman, b. September 20, 1885, Bluffton, Arkansas, d. 1960.
Chester W. L. Aikman, b. October 29, 1887, Bluffton, Arkansas, d. October 16, 1975.
David Roscoe Aikman, b. January 21, 1890, Bluffton, Arkansas, d. February 1969.
Ada Emily Aikman, b. March 09, 1892, Bluffton, Arkansas, d. November 22, 1983.
Ophelia C. Aikman, b. September 01, 1894, Bluffton, Arkansas, d. June 09, 1918.