Little is known of the earliest years of Silas Akin's life. He was listed in the 1850 Census in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The family number (716) had more than 30 men listed as living together. None of the listings showed when or where the men were born. All of them showed as occupation, Wagon-master and what appeared to be the words "Marlu Depot." Perhaps they were engaged in wagon making for a company?

As unlikely as it seems, the 1860 Census listed Silas Akin living in Murray County, Georgia, using the post office at Hasslers Mills. This Census listed his place of birth as Tennessee and his birth year as about 1833. The listing included Silas Akin, age 27; Harriett Akin, age 25; Mary Akin, age 5; and Martha Akin, 2 weeks old.

The 1870 Census listed Harriet Aikin (spelling is different), age 33, as head of the household. Others listed: Martha Aikin, age 10; Margaret Aikin, age 8; and Sillas Aikin, age 6. The family still lived in the same area.

Silas had died while serving in the Confederate Army. His military service records listed him as Silas M. Eakin, of Murray County, Georgia. He had enlisted as a Private in Co. A, 39th Georgia Infantry Regiment March 4, 1862. He was captured at Chattahoochee, Georgia, July 3, 1864 and taken to Camp Douglas, Illinois. He died there while a prisoner-of-war, July 27, 1865.

 

Murray County Families