NameMorgan Jacob AKIN157
Birth10 Nov 1836, Scipio, Cayuga Co., New York
Death14 Jan 1919, Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin
Burial16 Jan 1919, Oak Hill Cemetery, Janesville, Rock Co., Wisconsin
OccupationFarmer
FatherEdward AKIN (1803-1878)
MotherAdeline MORGAN (1804-1879)
Spouses
Birth1839, New York
Death20 Jul 1914, Ohio
BurialOak Hill Cemetery, Janesville, Rock Co., Wisconsin
Marriage30 Mar 1876, Emerald Grove, Rock Co., Wisconsin
Notes for Morgan Jacob AKIN
Residence: 1843 Janesville, Rock Co., Wisconsin
Residence: 1845 family farm, Harmony, Rock Co., Wisconsin
Census: 1880 Harmony, Rock Co., Wisconsin: age 43, farmer, Morgan Ahin
Residence: ABT 1895 53 Ruger Ave, Janesville, Rock Co., Wisconsin

The M.J. Akin farm shows in the east half of section 33 of Harmony Township in 1873.

“Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin”, publ. 1901 - Page 74-76.
MORGAN J. AKIN, a well-to-do retired farmer of Rock county, Wis., has a home at No. 53 Ruger avenue, Janesville, which he has fitted up with all the appliances that conduce to the comfort and peace of modern life. He has led a long and honorable career, has worked and saved, played a man's part in the great struggle for success, and now that the shadows are lengthening down the vale he has a right to a few restful years.
Mr. AKIN was born in Cayuga county, N.Y., Nov. 10, 1836, a son of Edward and Adeline (MORGAN) AKIN, both natives of that State. They had three sons and six daughters, and the following children are now living; Lucy Ann, wife of O. L. WEST, of Johnstown, Wis.; Morgan J.; Levanjah, wife of A. E. WILCOX, of Harmony township, Rock county; William F., of Whitewater, Wis.; and Emily W., widow of John HICKS, of Janesville.
Edward AKIN, who was a farmer, came to Wisconsin in October, 1843. He spent two years in Janesville, to give his children the privilege of the schools, and then bought 120 acres of government land, which he converted into a productive farm, and made his home there until his death, which occurred in 1877. He was seventy-four years and eleven months old, and his wife survived him one year, also reaching the age of seventy-four. They were both Universalists in their religious faith, and were people of fine character and habits. Ira AKIN, his father, was born in New York, of Scotch-Irish descent. His father owned slaves, and he was his father's overseer; the slaves were freed by the State when New York blotted that shame from her statutes. Ira AKIN grew to manhood, married in New York, and reared a family of six children. When his wife died he broke up his home and journeyed West to Sandusky, Ohio, where he made a new beginning, married again, and died in middle life. Jacob MORGAN, the maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Connecticut, and moved to Cayuga county, N.Y., where his younger children were born, and where he died, at the age of eighty-seven. He was a farmer, and was eighteen years old when the war of the Revolution closed. In that war his father was a soldier, and his maternal grandfather a colonel of militia.
Morgan J. AKIN was not quite seven years old when his parents came to Wisconsin and here he grew to manhood, and has lived to the present time, always following the occupation of a farmer. When he became of age, in company with J. E. GLEASON, he bought eighty acres of land in LaPrairie township, Rock county, each buying forty acres. Some years later he sold his land to Mr. GLEASON but the original forty had grown to 120 acres. Having closed up this deal very successfully, Mr. AKIN bought a tract of land comprising 240 acres in Harmony township, which under his careful tillage became a model farm, and continued to be his home until 1896. That year he sold one-half of it, putting the other half into the charge of his son Frank (who has proved himself a very capable farmer), and moved into Janesville to spend his last years quietly and peacefully. He owns a fine residence property, and is very nicely "fixed."
Mr. AKIN and Miss Martha WHITE, a daughter of Aaron and Bracey WHITE, were married May 4, 1859. They had three sons and five daughters: Sybil Ann, Reno C., Elsie E., Lettie W., Clifford M., Ida H., Lois M., and George N. Sybil Ann married Walter WILBER, and lives in Harmony township; two children have been born to then, Ethel and Eleanor. Reno C. married Christina CORBIN, and lives in Helena, Mont. Elsie E. is first matron in the Illinois Training School for Nurses at Chicago. Lettie W. is unmarried, and lives in Dane county. Clifford married Miss Ida EDDEN, and lives in Rock township. Ida, Lois and George are still single. Ida is at home, Lois is a "stenographer" in Chicago. George was a soldier, serving in the Philippines, and now makes his home in southern California. Mrs. Martha AKIN, the first wife of our subject, died Feb. 6, 1872, at the age of thirty-six years. Mr. AKIN married Miss Eliza GALLUP, a daughter of Gideon and Maria (WAGNER) GALLUP, March 30, 1876, and they have two children, Frank W. and Lucy M. Frank married Elizabeth DRISCOL, and is in charge of the home farm; they have one child, Morgan J. Lucy M. is a teacher, and lives at home. Mr. AKIN belongs to the A. O. U. W. Politically he is a Republican, cast his first vote for John C. Fremont, and has never missed voting since. He was supervisor of the town of Harmony six years, chairman of the town board two years, town treasurer one year, clerk of the school district fifteen years, and has always been an active and public-spirited man.
The parents of Mrs. Eliza AKIN were natives of New York, where they were married. They had a family of four sons and two daughters, and three of their children are now living; Andrew, of Sharon, Wis.; Henry, of Janesville; and Mrs. AKIN. The father was a capable carpenter. He came to Wisconsin in the early 'fifties, and located at Johnstown, where he followed his trade for some time, later moving to Mauston, where the family lived seventeen years. At the expiration of that period they came back to the southern part of the State, and settled at Richmond, Walworth county. There Mrs. GALLUP died in the fall of 1875, at the age of seventy-two. Her husband then broke up his home, and went to live with his daughter, Mrs. AKIN. He died under her roof in 1894, at the age of eighty-eight. He was a man of much intelligence, a great reader, and a fine historian. His father, Gideon GALLUP, was born in Connecticut, and came from Scotch-Irish ancestry. His emigrant ancestor, John GALLUP, came to America in 1630, with two of his brothers, in company with their cousin Humphrey from Plymouth, England, in the ship "Mary and John." They left England March 20, and arrived at Hull, Mass., May 30. Mrs. AKIN's maternal grandfather, Henry WAGNER, came to this country and settled at Rome, N.Y., where he died while still a young man, leaving two daughters and one son.

"The Journal-Telephone", Milton Junction, Wisconsin, Thursday, Jan. 23, 1919, p 1.
Morgan Jacob Akin, for many years a resident of Janesville, was buried in Oak Hill cemetery there last Thursday afternoon.
Older friends will remember him as one of the ten children of Edward Akin who came to this region in 1843 as an early settler and whose large family circle remained unbroken for so many years on the Rock Prairie farm, three miles east of Janesville on what is known as the middle road.
The son was only seven years old when he came here, having been born November 10th, 1836, in Scipio, Cayuga Co., New York State. He later bought the farm adjoining his father's living there most of his life. He was twice married, in 1858 to Martha White of Rock Prairie, who died in 1874, and in 1876 to Eliza Gallup, also of Rock Prairie. He finally retired to Janesville where he lived for nearly a quarter of a century on Ruger avenue, taking great delight in the study of history, and closely following political affairs. For the last few years he divided his time between the homes of his two daughters, Mrs. Jaynes of West Virginia, and Mrs. Wilbur of Milton, Wisconsin. But this last winter he did not feel able to take the long trip east; and the end came January 14, 1919 at the Milton home. Here services were held Thursday afternoon, January 16, 1919 Rev. H. M. Barbour of Milton, officiating.
Mr. Akin had ten children, nine of whom are living: Mrs. W. C. Wilbur of Milton; Reno Akin deceased; Elsie Akin of Chicago; Lettie Akin who has been helping to care for him; Clifford Akin of Montana; Mrs. Ida Ferguson of Cottage Grove, Wis.; Mrs. Lois Begley of Chicago; George N. Akin of Wyoming; Frank Akin of Arizona, and Mrs. Lucy Jaynes of West Virginia. He also leaves two sisters, Lavangah Wilcox of Harmony and Mrs. Emily Hicks of Janesville.

Informant on his death cert was his son-in-law Walter Wilbur
Notes for Eliza M. (Spouse 1)
Census: 1880 Harmony, Rock Co., Wisconsin: age 40

Marriage from Janesville Gazette, April 1, 1876

AKIN-GALLUP-- At the Congregational parsonage in Emerald Grove, on Thursday, March 30th, 1876, by Rev. R. Miller, Mr. Morgan J. Akin, of Harmony, Rock County, Wis., and Miss Eliza Gallup, of Richmond, Walworth County, Wis.

Obituary from Janesville Gazette, July 20, 1914

Funeral services for Mrs M.J. Akin were conducted today at Oak Hill Chapel, imediately following the arrival of the remains from Ohio at noon, Rev. T.D. Williams officiating. Internment was made in Oak Hill cemetery.
The deceased was born March 21, 1839, at Scripio, Cayuga county New York. Her maiden name was Eliza Gallup. She was married March 30, 1876 at Emerald Grove, Wisconsin to Morgan Akin. To this union were born two children, Frank W. of Peoria, Arizona, and Mrs G.S. Jaynes of Portsmouth, Ohio, both surviving. At the funeral today the following were present: Frank W. of Portsmouth; Miss Elsie Akin, Chicago; Mr.A.G. Begley, Chicago; Mrs John Ferguson, Cottage Grove, Wisconsin; Miss Lettie Akin, Niles, Michigan, and Mrs W.C. Wilbur of Milton.
Last Modified 4 Sep 2006Created 17 Jan 2012 using Reunion for Macintosh