Summary about Silas Akers

(The brother of Elizabeth Akers Chance, who is the great-great grandmother of:

Margaret Van Ness Nelson, mvnelson@ix.netcom.com)

For this researcher, Abraham Aker will from Clay County, Indiana was the first document to name his son, Silas Akers as one of Elizabeth Akers Chance's brothers and sisters. However, the name Silas was not unfamiliar because Elizabeth Chance, who lived in Butler County, Ohio, had named a son Silas Chance.

Tracing Silas Akers required some searching because he was not living with his parents in Clay County, Indiana in 1850. A census search of Indiana and Illinois revealed that in 1850 Silas Akers lived in Hancock County, Illinois. He was a 28 year old farmer, born in Ohio, with real estate valued at $1,000. His wife and two children were; Elizabeth 31, born in TN; Abraham A., 02 born in Illinois, and John 6/12 born in Illinois. Also living with them were three Wills children born in IL: George M., 9, Sarah J., 7, and Samuel S., 5.

One Hancock Co., IL publication lists her name as Elizabeth Wells, married to Silas Akers 8 Feb., 1848. Another Hancock Co., publication of marriage records lists her as Wills. It gives three marriages for Silas Akers: 1.) Silas Akars/Elizabeth W. Wills 12 Sept 1847, Married by George Walker JP (License 1197); 2.) Silas Akers/Nancy Staley 28 Spr 1855 Vol. 2:29 (License 2457); 3.) Silas Akers/Mrs. Martha Ament 19 Apr 1857 Vol. 2:44 (License 2931).

This writer has yet to locate an 1860 census record for Silas and Martha. They are not listed in the 1860 IL index, but perhaps they were missed. Their youngest child, Silas Elmer Akers, was born 27 May 1861 in Quincy, (Adams Co.), IL. A further search is required.

By 1870, they were in Neosho Co., KS with their six Akers children but no Wills children. The Akers children, all born in IL, were: Abram A., 22, John W., 20, Catherine M., 18, Elizabeth M., 16, Anderson F., (Silas) Elmer E., 9.

All but one of these given names can be identified as a family name. Silas named two children after his parents -- Catherine and Abraham. Two are names of his siblings -- John and Elizabeth -- and one is named after himself, Silas. Perhaps Anderson's name has significance also? Maybe Martha's maiden name? The daughter-in-law of one of Anderson's children notes that name was Anderson Filmore Akers.

The 1870 census also tells us that Silas 47, was a farmer who could vote, with $500 real estate and $2000 of personal estate. Martha was 43, born in Indiana. The Neosho County Deed Index shows a deed dated 27 July 1871 from Silas Akers and wife to M. C. Caninger, Vol. E., page 15, for the north half of the northwest quarter of section 30, township 27, range 19. This writer looked but could not locate this deed in Book E., page 15.

The Neosho Co., KS grantor/grantee index page 177 received from the Chanute Historical Society President Dee Fouch shows that this deed is found in Vol. H., p. 15. The index also shows that Silas bought land from B. F. Fitzgarland (possibly Fitzgerald), recorded Vol. J., p. 356 and sold land to Jacob J. Burghart, (Vol. U., p. 328.) Other land records for Silas and Martha Akers include one in Clay Co., IN., in 1871, when they gave power of attorney to his brother Benjamin Akers to sign a quit claim deed.

In the 1875 state census, Silas 57, and Martha 46, lived in Tioga Twp., Neosho Co., KS with four children: Abe 26, a miner, Anderson 19, a farmer, Elmer 15, and Catherine 22, a teacher. Silas had $1000 in real estate and $500 in personal Estate. All of the family came to Kansas from Illinois, as indicated by the census.

The 1875 state agricultural census gives us a picture of their life. Silas had 160 acres under fence. His farm was worth $1000 with $100 worth of farm implements and machinery and $100 paid in wages, including board, the past year. He had 480 rods of rail fence and 480 rods of hedge fence. In the spring of 1874 he planted 35 acres of corn. In 1875 he planted 1/4 acres Irish potatoes, 1 acres sorghum, and 10 acres castor beans. Did they make castor oil?

Silas and Martha have not been located in the 1880 census. Without children age ten and under in their household, they would not be included in the SOUNDEX. However, at least two weddings took place in the early 1880's when Anderson Akers married Matilda Cummings 14 Jan 1883, and Silas E. Akers married Mary E. Boerstler, 3 Sept., 1883.

One other Akers who appears in the 1880 Kansas census is George Akers, 27, in Montgomery Co., KS. He lives next to Lewis and Margaret Chance who moved to Kansas from Clay Co., IN. Lewis is the brother of Emanuel Chance, husband of Elizabeth Akers Chance. No connection has been made between this George and the Abraham Akers family, but perhaps he is a cousin. Census records show that he was born in IL., to a father born in KY, and a mother born in Indiana. Further information comes from the funeral home: George William Akers, West Coffeyville, Parker Twp., KS., died 22 Dec., 1935. Born Jacksonville, Morgan Co., IL., 23 Oct., 1851. Married Ida Ann Phillips 18 Mar., 1876. His father was George W. Akers, a farmer, and his mother was Julian Harmon.

George (1851-1935) is buried in Robbins Cemetery, Coffeyville, KS. With his wife Ida Ann Akers (1856-1926), and sons Charles S. Akers (1879-1952) and Perry W. Akers (1885-1962).

The 1885 state census for Anderson Akers gives his age as 29, born in Illinois, with wife M. 23, born in Iowa, and Reny 1 (female). Apparently Anderson's first child died at a young age because no other records were found for him or for Elmer's daughter Reny.

The 1885 state census shows that Silas was 62 and Martha 56. Their daughter, Elizabeth Betty Jackson 31, is listed in the 1885 census with her husband, Charles A. B. Jackson, and their son Clarence was 10, daughter E. M. age 8 and Lucy Hawkins 35, perhaps a servant. Silas Akers apparently died without a will. Samuel C. Nye (husband of Catherine Akers) and Elmer Akers were executors of Silas Akers estate when he died before 23 July 1890. The sale record lists items sold, the price paid, and the names of the buyers who were usually relatives and neighbors. One different name stands out. A. P. Ernhart bought a red heifer ad calf for $15.25. This was the son of Silas sister, Julie Akers Ernhart who lived in Clay Co., IN. Did Arthur (A. P.) come just for the sale or did he move to Kansas? The sale netted $2,369.34 which included a 4 percent discount on $372.90 paid cash ($14.91).

The 1895 agricultural schedule for Anderson F. Akers allows us to compare his life with that of his parents. Anderson was 38, M. J. 33, Alice M. 8, Fred 4, and Orlando D. 10 months. Anderson owned 180 acres, with 35 acres under cultivation, 80 acres fenced. He had 80 rods of hedge fence and 200 rods of wire fence. He valued his farm at $1600 with $50 worth of farm equipment. He planted 5 acres of winter wheat, 38 acres corn, 35 acres oats, 1/2 acres Irish potatoes. He had on hand 175 bushels of corn as of 1 Mar., 1895. He sold $30 worth of poultry and eggs, 100 lbs. Of butter. He had 3 horses, 6 milk cows, 9 other cattle, 14 swine, and $350 value of animals, fattened and slaughtered or sold, 50 apple and 6 pear trees of bearing age, and one dog.

A 1906 map of Neosho Co., Tioga Twp., southeast corner, shows A. F. Akers with 80 acres of land in section 26, north half of the southeast quarter. Silas Elmer Akers with 160 acres in section 25, south 1/2 of southeast and southwest quarters, and Catherine Kate or Kittie Akers Nye, in section 25, with 80 acres above her brother Silas in the southwest quarter. C. B. Jackson (probably the spouse of Elizabeth Betty or Bettie Akers, sister of Silas Elmer) is shown with 160 acres, the northwest quarter of section 36, just below Silas Elmer Akers.

Anderson died interstate. An appraisal of his property listed his assets as $650, held by Clover and Filson; 10 acres in Neosho Co., KS., S3T28R18 with $700 mortgage, 160 acres in Major Co., OK., clear. Anderson died 30 Oct., 1911 at Neosho Co. His heirs were Delaney Akers, son, aged 17 years, Neosho Co., KS, and three granddaughters in Wonoka (probably Wewoka, Seminole Co., OK) Lola Davison, 8, Goldie Davison, 6, Tabotha (sic) Davison, 4. Mimome Cummings was appointed administrator of the estate. She was probably a sister-in-law, probably the wife of H. W. Cummings with whom Anderson lived, according to the 1910 census.

William Hudson, son of Tabitha Bitha Davison Hudson, said that Tabitha's parents, Alice Akers and Thomas Davison were married in Galena, Ks., and homesteaded in Oklahoma. Alice died in 1909 and is buried in Neelins Grove in Macksville., KS. Thomas Davison remarried Neosho Co., cemetery records show the Akers family death dates as follows:

p.1. Anderson F. Akers 1855 - 1911 and John L. 9 Nov. 1883 - 15 Aug. 1885 -- Leanna Cemetery: located east of Chanute on highway K-39, 7 1/2 miles, north 3 1/2 miles on east side of road. Big Creek Twp.
p.184 Greenwood Cemetery east of Chanute on K-39, 3 miles, south 1 miles, west side. The cemetery corp. formed 4 Oct. 1879. All graves north of main road are in original cemetery. Information in this record was told to Bernice, Bertha and Pearl Akers by their mother, Mary Elizabeth Boerstler Akers and was copied in the record book by Bernice Akers:

p.185 Frederick, Ada Akers 1876 - 1959 (Ada Akers Frederick was the widow of Willard Charles Akers, a son of Silas and Mary E. Akers).
p.186 Memorial Park Cemetery, Fourteenth and South Kay. Lucina Akers, 1895 - 1956 (Lucina Akers was the wife of Orlando Delany Dee Akers, son of Anderson Filmore Akers).