Arthur Akin and Elizabeth Pleasant

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Husband Arthur Akin

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 1809 - Chesterfield Co., Virginia
         Buried: 

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         Father: William Akin (      -Abt 1794)
         Mother: 

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       Marriage: 13 Jul 1796 - Chesterfield Co., Virginia 1

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   Other Spouse: Unknown (      -      )

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   Other Spouse: Mary Lockett (      -Bef 1808) - 23 Sep 1797 - Chesterfield Co., Virginia 1

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   Other Spouse: Nancy Ann Dockett (      -      ) - 15 Dec 1808 - Chesterfield Co., Virginia 1

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Wife Elizabeth Pleasant

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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Children

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1 M Pleasant Akin

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           Born: Abt 1797 - Chesterfield Co., Virginia
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1850
         Buried: 

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General Notes: Husband - Arthur Akin

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CENSUS:

<pre>1810 Chesterfield Co., Virginia
Nancy Akin 00000 -- 41100; 4 slaves
male female
<10 4
10-15 1
16-25 1
26-44
>45 </pre>

She is in the sequence Pleasant Akin, J. Akin, Nancy Akin, Josiah Lacey, Edith Lockett, Magdaline Lockett.

<pre>1820 Chesterfield Co., Virginia
Ann Akin 000010 -- 12210; 2 in agriculture; 7 slaves
male female
<10 1
10-16 2
16-18
16-26 2
1 26-45 1
>45 </pre>

She is in the sequence James Akin, x, Ann Akin, Josiah Lacey, x, Edy Lockett.

LAND:

In April 1791 William Akin of Chesterfield Co. gives his son Arthur a tract of 150 acres in Chesterfield Co. being part of the tract on which he now lives and adjoining the lands of James and Joseph Akin and Swift Creek. (Chesterfield Co. Deed Records 12/35)

On March 10, 1798 Francis Lockett, Sen'r of Chesterfield Co. "for and in consideration of the Love and affection that he hath for his Daughter Mary Akin" gives to Arthur Akin and Mary, his wife, daughter to the said Francis Lockett, a Negro man slave by the name of Sam, about 35 years old. (14/301)

CHESTERFIELD CO. TAX RECORDS:

Land tax records are available from 1791 onward. I have seen them through 1810. Personal property tax records are available from 1786 onward. I have seen them through 1810.

<pre>
Acres Value Tax
1791 150 £96 5/- £1 9/8 Arthur Akin of William Akin
1792 150 £96 5/- £1 9/8 Arthur Akin
1793 150 £96 5/- £1 9/8 Arthur Akin of William Akin
1794 150 £96 5/- £1 9/8 Arthur Akin
1795 150 £96 5/- £1 9/8 Arthur Akin
18.75 £9 15/10 3/1 Arthur Akin of William Akin
1796 168.75 £106 -/10 £1 12/9 Arthur Akin
1797 410 £263 1/8 £3 18/11 Arthur Akin
1798 410 $876 $3.32 Arthur Akin
1799 illegible
1800 Arthur Akin, numbers illegible
1801 414 $885 $3.58 Arthur Akin
1802 414 $885 $4.24 Arthur Akin
1803 414 $885 $4.24 Arthur Akin
1804 414 $885 $4.24 Arthur Akin
1805 414 $885 $4.24 Arther Akin
1806 414 $885 $4.24 Arthur Aikin
15 $ 21.50 $ .10 of William Lockett
1807 429 $906.50 ? Arthur Aikin
1809 429 $906.50 $4.52 Arthur Akin
1810 230 $492 $2.36 William Akin of Arthur Akin
</pre>

1) white tithables (1786 white males over 21; 1791 & later white males over 16)
2) black tithables (in 1790 and later blacks over 16)
3) blacks above 12 & under 16
4) total blacks (1786 only)
5) horses (horses, mares, colts, mules; 'horse' often means 'gelding')
6) chair wheels (a chair is a type of horse drawn vehicle)
7) tax

<pre>
wh bl bl ho wl tax
1792 0 5 1 2 Arthur Akin
1793 0 5 3 4 Arthur Akin
1794 1 6 2 4 Arthur Akin
1795 1 9 1 6 Arthur Akin
1796 1 8 2 7 Arthur Akin
1797 0 7 2 5 2 Arthur Akin
1798 0 9 1 6 1 $4.38 Arthur Akin
1799 2 8 2 7 1 6.60 Arthur Akin
1800 0 8 1 6 1 5.54 Arthur Aking
1801 0 9 2 7 1 6.50 Arthur Akin
1802 0 11 1 7 1 6.98 Arthur Akin
1803 0 10 1 6 5.56 Arthur Akin
1804 1 10 2 6 6.00 Arthur Akin
1805 0 9 2 6 5.56 Arthur Akin
1806 0 9 2 7 5.68 Arthur Aiken
1807 1 9 3 7 7.54 Arthur Akin
1809 2 12 3 9 7.68 Arthur Akin
</pre>

Arthur's father William is in the tax list from 1786 through 1794. James Akin is present from 1786 onward and Joseph Akin is present from 1788 onward. They are probably Arthur's brothers. In 1788 William's entry has the peculiar description "William Akin & Arthur property 1 5 0 6" and in 1791 "William Akin & Arthur Akins property 2 6 1 6". It is not obvious why many of Arthur's entries have no white tithable. There are relatively few entries without a white tithable, and most of them correspond to women or to estates; however, there are a few other such entries which correspond to men. An article about tithables at the Library of Virginia website states that in October 1748, the House of Burgesses passed an act exempting sheriffs and the president, masters, scholars, and domestic servants of the College of William and Mary from the tithable lists. I don't think that Arthur was a sheriff, but there may have been other categories that were exempt. See http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/rn17_tithables.htm.

WIVES:

The above mentioned deed (14/301) makes it clear that in 1798 Arthur Akin is married to Francis Lockett's daughter Mary, but consider the following marriage records in "Chesterfield County, Virginia Marriage Bonds and Minister's Returns 1771-1815" by Catherine Lindsay Knorr:

9 Sep 1789 -- John Akin and Mary Lockett; Sur. Isham Cheatham; married 6 Apr 1790
13 Jul 1796 -- Arthur Akin and Elizabeth Pleasant
23 Sep 1797 -- Arthur Akin and Mary Cheatham
15 Dec 1808 -- Arthur Akin and Ann Beasley, widow of Thomas Beasley; Sur. Elam Lockett

There is no indication in the tax records that there is more than one Arthur Akin, and there is never a John Akin there. In 1809 when Arthur Akin wrote his will, his wife was Nancy. Ann Beasley is probably Nancy Ann Beasley. The 1810 and 1820 censuses suggest that. Since Mary Lockett married Henry Cheatham, Jr. in 1789, I am going to assume that the Mary Cheatham who married Arthur Akin in 1797 is Henry's widow.

Arthur Akin's will mentions "Salley Cheatham wife of Abijah Cheatham". Since they married in 1803 and Arthur married Elizabeth Pleasant in 1796, Salley must be a daughter of another wife who died before 1796.

WILL:

Chesterfield Co., Virginia Will Book 7, pg 114:

In the name of God amen I Arthur Akin of Chesterfield County being of Sound disposing mind and memory praised be God, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following.

Item. I lend unto my well beloved wife Nancy one third part of my whole estate real and personal during her widowhood, and my will and desire is that my said wife should have my negroe man Charles as one of her dower slaves.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my son Pleasant Akin a certain piece or parcel of land, being part of the tract of land I now live on, Begining at a Choped Elm on Swift Creek, Just above ditch that runs into the Creek from thence a straight line to a ____ tree that stands near the great Barn, from thence a straight line to a Choped Black oak from thence a straight line to a corner Hiccory where James Akin, Archer Ball and myself Corners, from thence bounded by the land of Archer Ball to Swift Creek thence down the Creek to the begining, to him his heirs and assigns forever. I also give and bequeath unto my said son Pleasent Akin when he arrives to the age of twenty one years old, one negroe man named Royal and a horse Saddle & Bridle to him, his heirs and assigns forever.

Item. I give and bequeath unto son William Akin the balance of the tract of land I now live on to him, his heirs and assigns forever. I also give and bequeath unto said son William Akin when he arrives to the age of twenty one years, one negroe man named Lege and one Horse, Saddle and Bridle to him, his heirs and assigns forever.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Salley Cheatham wife of Abijah Cheatham two negroes which she now has in possession named Charles and Peter, also I give unto my said daughter Salley Cheatham a negroe boy named Creed to her her heirs and assigns forever.

Item. I lend unto my said wife Nancy one third part of my mill and miller James during her widowhood, and the remaining two thirds of the said mill and miller James I give and bequeath unto my two sons Pleasent & William Akin to them their heirs and assigns forever, and at the death or marriage of my said wife I desire that the third part of my mill and miller lent to my wife desend unto my said sons Pleasent and William Akin to them their heirs and assigns forever.

Item. my will and desire is all the rest of my Estate that I have not already gave away (and also the part lent unto my said wife at her death or marriage) be equally divided among my children namely, Pleasent, William, Nancy, Suckey, Betsey and Polley to them their heirs and assigns forever.

Lastly, I do appoint my Brother James Akin, Capt. Lawson Burfoot Tho's Finney and Rob't Haskins my whole and sole Executors of this my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed my seal this seventh day of January 1809 ---

Signed, sealed and acknow-
ledged in the presence of
Arther Akin (seal)
R. Haskins
James Akin
William Akin

This will was proved June 12, 1809 by the oaths of R. Haskins and James Akin. The four executors named in the will renounced their right to qualify as such.

LAWSUIT:

The following is from http://genforum.genealogy.com/cheatham/messages/682.html

9 December 1850 - Newspaper add - B. CHEATHAM and Elizabeth his wife, Wilkins HALL and Ann h/w, and Mary FERGUSON against William GOODE, sheriff of Chesterfield Co. and as such adm. debonis non of Pleasant AKIN deceased and of William AKIN, dec'd., John G. FLOURNOY, and the infants and unknown heirs and distributees of Martha Ann FLOURNOY, dec'd., formerly Martha Ann BASS, Matilda A. F. AKIN, and others. This day came the plaintiff and liked their bill and the defendants John G. FLOURNOY and the unknown heirs and distributees of Martha Ann FLOURNOY, dec'd., not having entered their appearance and give security according to the act of assembly and the rules of this court and it appearing by satisfactory evidence that they are not inhabitants of this county on the motion of the plaintiffs it is ordered that the said nonresident defendants do appear before this court on the second Monday in January next and answer the bill of the plaintiffs and that a copy of this order be forthwith inserted in some newspaper printed in the city of Richmond and published for four weeks successively and posted at the front door of the court house of this county.

The object of the bill in this cause is to distribute the slaves devised by the will of Arthur AKIN deceased to his widow Nancy AKIN for life with remainder after her death to the said Pleasant AKIN and William AKIN amongst their heirs and distributees. This appeared in the Richmond Enquirer starting 12 December 1850.

In a document dated 13 January 1851.

Blackman CHEATHAM and his wife Betsey is mentioned as receiving one seventh part one seventh part; Watkins HALL and Nancy h/w in right of said Nancy one other seventh part; one seventh part to Polly FURGUSSON; two seventh to the defendant Wm. Good sheriff of Chesterfield Co. one seventh as the adm of Pleasant AKIN, dec'd., and the other as adm of William AKIN, dec'd.; one other seventh to the def. Matilda A. F. AKIN and said commissioner is directed to deposit the remaining seventh to which the nonresident defs. are entitled to in one of the Banks of the Commonwealth to the credit of this cause.

16 August 1854 - By consent of parties I. K. SNELLINGS surviving husband of his late wife, dec'd, I. W. WILKINSON and Virginia h/w are admitted parties to this suit and ? by consent of parties the court doth order that R. W. FLOURNOY atty. for the def John G. FLOURNOY

9 December 1950 - Blackman CHEATHAM and Betsey h/w, Wilkins HALL and Nancy h/w formerly Nancy AKIN, and Polly FURGUSSON formerly Polly AKIN, that Arthur AKIN was the father of your complainants Betsey, Nancy, and Polly and he departed this life sometime during the year 1809 having first duly made and published his last will and testament which has been admitted to the record in this court. He left slaves to his widow Nancy to be used in her lifetime and then to be equally divided among his following named children: Pleasant, William, Betsy, Nancy, Polly, and Suckey?. Both Pleasant and William are dead, unmarried and intestate. Suckey AKIN intermarried with Archer BASS and has departed this life leaving one child Martha Ann BASS who is intermarried with one John G. FLOURNOY and many years ago said FOURNOY and wife removed from this state to some part of the western country and that since that time the said Martha Ann has departed this life having several children who's names and ages are unknown. That at the time of the death of the said Arthur AKIN his widow was preg. with a child which was born within the legal time and had attained the age of maturity and is still living to wit Matilda A. F. AKIN. The widow Nancy departed life sometime during the present year and that the slaves held by her under the will now remains to wit: Mat, Fanney, Edward, and Betty and her two children. (1854-13 CHEATHAM vs AKINS October 1854 (Box 35))

1 Catherine Lindsay Knorr, "Chesterfield County, Virginia Marriage Bonds and Minister's Returns 1771-1815" (1958), pg 2. Repository: Clayton Genealogical Library, Houston, Texas.