Granville was obviously named by his mother Fannie in honor of the great English Quaker Granville Sharp. It is equally indicated that she must have been a believer in Jesus Christ as a source of salvation.
granville sharp - Bing
We do not know the father of Granville Atkins or fathers of his siblings but assume they were together as a family unit long enough to establish sustaining relationships following release from slavery in 1865.
The 1880 census reflects that he worked as a farmer in Franklin County Virginia, but we are inclined to believe he likely would have worked as a laborer in the flourishing iron mining industry.
Facts are that tobacco share-croppers was not a profitable endeavor for Black farmers; albeit some did earn a good living growing and selling corn to feed livestock and make whiskey.
The size of the county had leaped by 37 percent over its population in the 1870 census, and with the railway improvements likely had labor requirements fostering support of families.