Cass County MI Archives Photo Tombstone.....Akens, Minerva (Wilson) ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Marshall H. Sanders, Jr. sanmarjr@sbcglobal.net March 25, 2011, 12:58 am Cemetery: Chain Lake Cemetery, Calvin Township, Cass County Name: Minerva (Wilson) Akens Date Of Photograph: October 21, 2006 Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/cass/photos/tombstones/chainlake/akens163677nph.jpg Image file size: 207.0 Kb Minerva Akens Feb 9, 1850 – Nov 9, 1911 Gone But Not Forgotten Minerva Wilson was born Feb 9, 1850 in Fugit Township, Decatur County, Indiana. Minerva is the youngest daughter of Henry Clay Wilson (Sr) b. Jan 1820; d. 1887 and Catharine/Catharin Hunt b. 1824; d. 1882. Henry Clay Wilson and Catharine/Catharin Hunt were married Feb 24, 1840 in Robeson County, North Carolina. Minerva moved with the Wilson family to Calvin Township, Cass County Michigan in 1853. The siblings of Minerva Wilson were Macom Wilson b. 1841; d. 1883, Catherine Wilson b. 1842; d.1877, Elizabeth Wilson b. 1844; d. 1926, Patience Wilson b. 1845; d. 1924, Henry Clay Wilson (Jr) b. 1847;d. ~1920, Emeline Wilson b. 1849; d.1909, Levi Wilson b. 1852; d. 1905, Hiram Wilson b. 1855; d. 1894 and Jim (Big Jim) Wilson b. 1858; d. 1892. Minerva Wilson married James F. Akens October 14, 1877 in Cass County Michigan. James F. Akens was born Mar 18, 1858 in Michigan. James F. Akens was the son of Alexander Akens b. Nov 4,1832 in KY and Fanny A. Harris b. Jul 4,1841 in IN. Minerva and James had no children. James was a stone mason by trade and a farmer. By local standards James and Minerva were considered wealthy. They owned a productive 250 acre farm on Mt Zion Rd in Calvin Township. A few of their farm home furnishings included a drop door secretary with pigeon holes, mirror, drawers with curved glass door, an Edison cylinder record player, a large wooden dining table and a carnival glass bunch bowl with cups. James died May 19, 1908 and is buried at the Mt. Zion Cemetery Calvin Twp. Cass County, Michigan. In 1910, Minerva, having no children and sickly, asked her nephew James H. Wilson (son of Macom Wilson) and his wife, Rosanna (Allen) Wilson, to move to “the farm” and care for her. She promised to bequeath the farm to her nephew if he would care for her until death. Minerva lived for only six months before passing on Thursday, November 9, 1911 of apoplexy (stroke) at the age of 61 years 9 months at the farm in Calvin Township. Minerva Akens’ full length open couch casket was shown in the parlor of the farm with Minerva wearing an ankle length accordion pleated cream color skirt and the slippers she had worn at her first dance. Inclement weather including a weekend tornado had an effect on the turnout for her Sunday, November 12, 1911 funeral. The service was officiated by Rev. W.O. Allen. The tombstone of Minerva Akens (nee Wilson)is a large red granite stone costing $250.00. The carved inscription on her stone reads “Gone But Not Forgotten”. The tombstone of Minerva lies in a long row of markers of her siblings, parents, and other Wilson descendants. Chain Lake Cemetery Additional Comments: Contributors: Esther R. Wilson Sanders Wingfield (1908-2002), Edith Marguerite Wilson Newsom (1902-2002), Maurice W. Sanders author of Allen- Sanders Descendants, 1985, Debra McIntosh, Researcher and John Wuepper, Cass District Library Local History Branch. Relationships: James H. Wilson and Rosanna Allen Wilson are the parents of Esther R Wilson and Edith Marguerite Wilson and maternal grandparents of Maurice Wilson Sanders and Marshall Howe Sanders, Jr. Transcribed and Photographed by: Sharon A. Simeon and Marshall H. Sanders, Jr. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/cass/photos/tombstones/chainlake/akens163677nph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb