David Akin, Sr.

Photo ref.: < https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=17892943 >, David Akin, Quaker Cemetery, Pawling, Dutchess County, NY.

On January 15, 1742, David requested permission to move to the Oblong (Quaker Hill, Dutchess, NY) from the New Bedford Monthly Meeting of the Quakers (New Bedford, MA). He moved to a very beautiful spot on a hill in the Oblong that today is the site of the Quaker Hill Golf Course. He was about 52 at the time and he brought his grown sons with him.

The Birdsall Genealogy states that David built a saw mill on Quaker Hill and that this mill brought the Akin family "great wealth". [Daphne cited "The Birdsall Family" by G. B. Birdsall in her notes - John Akin notebook.]

David was fairly wealthy and he and several other men deeded the land on April 16, 1764 for the Oblong Meeting House. This is from Settlers of the Beekman Patent, p. 63. He died on April 7, 1779 on Quaker Hill. His will is reproduced in Ancestors and Descendants of Justus H. Akin by Brownell. It reads as follows:

David Akin 3 Will -- never probated:

"I, DAVID AKIN, of Paulings Precinct in Dutchess County and Province of New York being at this time weak in body but of sound mind and memory but considering the mortality of man do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following viz:

Imprimis. It is my Will that all my just debts and funeral charges be paid out of my moneys due to me by bond by my Executor hereafter mentioned and named.

Item I give unto my beloved wife, Sarah Akin , one good feather bed and furniture. Also it is my Will that my son, Jonathan Akin , shall (for what he has already had of my Estate) provide for my beloved Wife all manner of sufficient necessaries for house room, furniture, washing provision, firewood attendance and all other accommodations that may be needful for her to live comfortable and decent during her life, all which I give her in Lieu of her Dowry.

Item I give to my Son, Jonathan Akin, all my Stock of Living Creatures of any sort or kind I am possest of, with all my working tools used for the Farm, to him and his Heirs, forever.

tem I give to my two Sons, Josias ( Josiah) Akin and Jonathan Akin, all my Wearing Apparrel to be Equally Divided Between them.

Item I give unto five of my Sons namely, John , Elisha , Josias, James, and Jonathan Akin to Each of them Five Pounds Money of New York or to their Heirs within one year after my Decease by my Executor herein after named.

Item I give to my Son, David Akin , Two Pounds Money of New York or to his heirs within one year after my decease by my Executor herein after named.

Item I give to my Two Daughters, namely Mary Thomas and Abigail Lestor ( Lester) to Each of them Forty Pounds Money of New York within one year after my Decease or to their Heirs by my Executor herein after named.

Item I give to my Daughter, Hannah Birdsel ( Birdsall) Thirty- Five Pounds money of New York within one year after my Decease or to her Heirs by my Executor herein after named.

Item I give to my Three Daughters namely, Mary Thomas, Abigail Lestor and Hannah Birdsel, all my Household Goods after my wife's part is taken out (Except my Silver Watch which I give to my son John Akin) to be Equally Divided Between my Three Daughters or to their Heirs.

Item My Will and Desire is that after all the Legacies are paid out by my Executor that what Remains of my Estate be Equally Divided Between all my Children, both Sons and Daughters Equally.

Lastly I do hereby Appoint, Make, and Impower My Son, James Akin , Executor of this my Last Will and Testament, Utterly Disallowing and Revoking all other Will or Wills by me before made or caused to be made Ratifying, and confirming this, and no other, to be my Last Will and Testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto Set My Hand and Affixed my Seal this Fifth Day of February in the Fourteenth Year of the Reign of our Most Gracious King George Ye Third and in the Year of Christian account One Thousand Seven Hundred Seventy Four.

( Signed) David Akin [in a very wavering hand]

Signed, Sealed, Published,

Pronounced, and Declared

to be my Last Will

and Testament in

Presence of

Consider Morgan

Benjamin Ferris, Jun.

Elisha Allen"

Note: As you read through this Will you will note that the spelling of some of the names are incorrect; a few are shown in parentheses with the correct spelling. A few of the words are not spelled correctly, but they are here exactly as found in the Will.

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5. David3 Akin (John2, David1) was born 19 September 1689 in Dartmouth, Bristol Co., MA, and died 7 April 1779 in Quaker Hill, Dutchess Co., New York. He married Sarah Allen Abt. 1711 in Dartmouth, Bristol Co., MA, daughter of Ebenezer Allen and Abigail Hill. She was born 9 June 1692 in Dartmouth, Bristol Co., MA, and died Aft. 1774 in Quaker Hill, Dutchess Co. , New York.

"The Akins were among the earliest Quakers to come to the Beekman Patent. They were truly the Quakers of Quaker Hill and it is fitting that the stone library and museum on Quaker Hill is named the Akin Memorial Library. At least six members of the Akin family were on the Beekman tax lists as early as 1744..." Doherty (1993), Beekman Patent, 2: 61.

"David Akin, the pioneer settler of 1742, came from Dartmouth, Bristol Co., Mass., bringing his family of ten children. He located his home on land later owned by Albert J. Akin west of his house, near the new road leading to Hammersely Lake, only remembered by the "Well" and as being designated the "Old House Lot." Amanda Akin Stearns, Ancient Homes and Early Days of Quaker Hill (Quaker Hill, NY: Akin Hall Association, 1913), 22.

David and Sarah lived in Dartmouth for the first 30 years of their marriage. Extant records are sparse for this time period, but David Akin's name did appear in the minutes of the Dartmouth Monthly Meeting, as follows:

1735, 17th Day of the 9th Month: "And whereas there hath been a report concerning David Akin that he hath acted that which is reproachful in abusing John Whitely, which after having discoursed with said Akin he doth acknowledge, and signifies that he will draw up something in order to make satisfaction against the next monthly meeting."

1736, 11th Day of the 1st Month: "David Akin hath sent in a paper to this meeting signifying his sorrow for the abuse offered to John Whitely and it is the mind of this meeting that said Akin shall read said paper or cause it to be read, he being present and at the end of the meeting of worship on a first day at Aponeganlet Meeting House between this and the next monthly meeting."

1736, 19th Day of the 2nd Month: "And David Akin's paper was read as ordered and is as followeth to the monthly meeting of friends to be holden in Dartmouth on the 15th of the first month 1736."

The Dartmouth Monthly Meeting recorded the transfer of David Akin and his family to Quaker Hill, Albany Co., New York (now Pawling Twp., Dutchess Co.).

1742, 19th Day of the 2nd Month: "The friends appointed to draw David Akin's certificate not having done it, are still continued to do it, and bring it to the next monthly meeting."

1742, 17th Day of the 3rd Month: "And there was a certificate signed at this meeting for David Akin and directed to the Friends at Mamaronsek."

At the time David Akin was about 52 years old, and brought his grown sons with him. He moved to a very beautiful location on a hill in the Oblong that is now the site of the Quaker Hill Golf Course. David was fairly wealthy and he and several other men deeded land on 16 April 1764 for the Oblong Meeting House. Doherty (1993), Beekman Patent, 2: 61-99.

David's will is reproduced in Brownell's Ancestors and Descendant of Justus H. Akin.

The Allen Family

Ebenezer Allen, Sr., of Dartmouth, a yeoman, wrote his will on 18 April 1725, naming his wife Abigail (Hill) Allen, sons: Phillip, James, Seth and Ebenezer, and daughters: Mary Briggs, Sarah Akin, Hannah Howland and Abigail Allen. His widow Abigail Allen, son Phillip and Ebenezer's brother Zachariah Allen, were appointed as the executors. The will was proved on 18 May 1725. In April 1726, David Akin signed a receipt for Moines received from the estate. See Ed Cooper, "The Allen Project" (Cape Cod Genealogy on www.vineyard.net) -- an excellent, electonic data base derived from original records.

The Birdsall Genealogy states that David built a saw mill on Quaker Hill and that this mill brought the Akin family "great wealth". [Daphne cited "The Birdsall Family" by G. B. Birdsall in her notes - John Akin notebook.]

David was fairly wealthy and he and several other men deeded the land on April 16, 1764 for the Oblong Meeting House. This is from Settlers of the Beekman Patent, p. 63. He died on April 7, 1779 on Quaker Hill. His will is reproduced in Ancestors and Descendants of Justus H. Akin by Brownell. It reads as follows: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=akin&id=P...