Surname Saturday ~ ATKINS of Phippsburg, Maine

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 9^th 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 8^th 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)

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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]).