Yours Truly at Atkins Bay, and the memorial for the Popham Colony |
Fort Popham, looking across Atkins Bay, named for Thomas Atkins |
ATKINS / ATKENS / ACKINGS / ATKINSON
My 9th great grandfather, Thomas Atkins (about
1620 – 1686), was the first settler in Phippsburg, Maine. The first record naming him in this area was
on 15 May 1654 when the settlers along the Kennebec River were ordered to meet
at the house of Thomas Ashley for an oath of fidelity. He was next recorded in 1656 when he bought
land at the southern tip of the peninsula near Popham Beach from the sachem Mowhotiwormet, who
was also known as “Chief Robinhood”.
Atkins paid one beaver skin, a quarter rent of a bushel of corn, and a
quart of liquor. His land included all you
can still see now from what is still called “Atkins Bay”, near Fort Popham.
The name of Atkins’ wife is unknown. Several sources name her as Elizabeth
Scammon, daughter of John Scammon of New Hampshire, but there is no proof. Thomas and Elizabeth had ten daughters, so
the ATKINS name was not passed down in New England. There is 1716 record in the York Deeds, Book
8, page 169 which shows how he divided his land among his daughters, giving
their married names and places of residence.
During King Philip’s War this part of Maine was abandoned due to the constant
massacres. Everyone removed to places in Massachusetts, including the seacoast
towns where the Atkins daughters lived.
In 7 August 1600 Thomas Atkins was in court accused of
committing incest with his daughter Mary.
The trial was held on 2 October 1660 and was found not guilty, but
punished with whipping “which accordingly
was executed, and soe the said Atkins cleared and sett libertie to returne to
his owne home.”
I descend from the daughter Sarah Atkins (about 1650 –
1724) who married John Staples, and they were my 8th great
grandparents. They lived in Braintree
and Sarah died in Abington after having six Staple children and two more
husbands, Samuel Gurney and Richard Williams.
For more ATKINS information:
Mrs. John E. Barclay, “Ten Daughters of Thomas Atkins of
Kenebec”, New England Historic Genealogical Register, Volume 121 ( October 1967),
pages 241 – 245.
The blog post Miner Descent https://minerdescent.com/2010/06/27/thomas-atkins/
My ATKINS genealogy:
Generation 1: Thomas Atkins, born about 1620 in England and
died 10 November 1686 in Phippsburg, now Kennebec, Maine; married to Elizabeth
Unknown about 1642. Ten daughters.
Generation 2: Sarah Atkins, born about 1650, died before 10
September 1724 in Abington, Massachusetts; married first to John Staples, son
of John Staples and Rebecca Unknown about 1670. He was born about 1646 in
Weymouth, and died 30 August 1692 in Braintree.
Six children.
Generation 3: Benjamin Staples m.
Mary Cox
Generation 4: Silence Staples m. John Everson
Generation 5: Hannah Everson m. Nathan Weston
Generation 6: Zadoc Weston m. Mary Clements
Generation 7: Matilda Weston m. Joseph Edwin Healy
Generation 8: Mary Etta Healey m. Peter Hoogerzeil
Generation 9: Florence Etta Hoogerzeil m. Arthur Treadwell
Hitchings
Generation 10: Gertrude Matilda Hitchings m. Stanley Elmer
Allen (my grandparents)
-----------------------------
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, “Surname Saturday ~ ATKINS of
Phippsburg, Maine”, Nutfield Genealogy,
posted September 1, 2018, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/09/surname-saturday-atkins-of-phippsburg.html: accessed [access date]).
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