William Eugene Akers

  General Notes:

See general notes on his son, Herman Ould Akers, for various census facts.

Obituary for William E. Akers:
William Eugene Akers, 66, a retired Norfolk and Western conductor, of 1320 Salem Avenue, S. W., died early last night in a local hospital, following a lingering illness.
Mr. Akers was a member of Calvary Baptist Church and of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Charlotte Akers and two children: Herman O. Akers and Miss Lucille Akers, both of Roanoke; one brother, J. S. Akers, of Roanoke; and three sisters: Mrs. Cora Andrews of Lynchburg; Mrs. T. S. Agnew and Miss Lillie Akers of Baltimore, MD.
Note: The 1900 Federal Census for Lynchburg, VA, District 79 records Cora L. [Akers] Andrews (July 1863) with her husband James A. Andrews (Nov 1860) and daughter Beverly E. Andrews (Dec 1887). Also in the household are Cora's brother Joseph H. Akers (Feb 1877) and his wife Grace O. Akers (Oct 1879). Also for Lynchburg, VA, District 79 is Wade W. Akers (Dec 1863) with his wife Mamie E. Akers (Nov 1863) and sister, Lillie Akers (Nov 1883). Mamie's widowed mother is living there as well: Mary L. Driscoll (March 1825 - PA).
The 1930 Federal Census for Baltimore, Maryland, District 467, page 9B records Lillie Akers (33 - VA/VA/VA) living at 3707 Sequoia. Lillie is listed as a "sister-in-law but no sister is living at that residence. Further research indicates her sister as Margaret Agnew (42 - VA/VA/VA) with her husband Theodore Agnes (45 - Greece) and son Spiro T. Agnew (11 - Maryland) living at 3707 Sequoia. This is on page 8 of the census record.
The 1930 Federal Census for Roanoke, VA, District 12 records James S. Akers (65) with his wife Lillian (68) living at 1629 Rorer Avenue. James is a Conductor on the Steam Railroad.
The 1910 Federal Census for Bristol, Sullivan Co., TN, District 175 records James S. Akers (45) with his wife Lillian M. (47) and children Otis B. (18), Eugenia K. (16), and Maurice J. (9) living at 400 Pennsylvania Avenue. James is a Conductor with the N & W Railroad and has been married for 22 years with 5 children, 3 of whom are still living.
The 1900 Federal Census for Bristol, Washington Co., VA, District 143 records James S. Akers (March 1866) with his wife Lillian M. (May 1865) and children Otis B. (Jan 1891), Eugenia K. (March 1893), Cecil W. (May 1895), and Lucille C. (April 1898) living at 519 Goodson Street. James is a RR Conductor and has been married for 14 years with 4 children. Also in the household is James' sister, Margaret Akers (Feb 1880).

The 1880 Federal Census for Lovingston, Nelson Co., Virginia, District 111, page 191A, dated June 22, 1880 records Wm E. Akers (12) with his parents Wm L. (42 - VA/VA/VA) and E. B. (37 - VA/VA/VA) Akers and siblings Wade W. (17), Cora L. (15), and brothers James S. (14), Wallace (9), Porter D. (6), Joseph H. (4), and Jno D. (2). Wm L is a Clerk for a School.

The 1870 Federal Census for Lovingston, Nelson Co., Virginia, Lovingston P. O., page 368A, dated August 8, 1870 records Wm E. Akers (2) with his parents Wm L. (32 - VA) and Eugenia D. (27 - VA) Akers and siblings Wade W. (8), Cora Lee (6), James S. (4), Annie B. (7/12). Wm L is a Book Keeper. It appears that Wm L. is working at Norwood School in that the Principal, William D. Cabell, is living nearby as are several teachers.

Note: Eugenia Akers above is possibly Regina Bryant, named in the 1860 Federal Census for Nelson Co., VA: Narcissa Bryant (50) with children Leuallen S. Bryant (20), Layfayette H. Bryant (18), Regina Bryant (16), and Calahil Bryant (13).
The 1850 Federal Census for Nelson Co., VA: Madn [Madison] Bryant (37 - VA) with his wife Narcissa Bryant (40) and children Luellen Bryant (11), Houston L. Bryant (9), R. Bryant (7), and Callahell Bryant (4). Also in the household are John Bibb (70) and Mary Lawhorne (18). John Bibb is listed as a Farmer and is Narcissa's father while Mary Lawrence is a mulatto.
From Virginia Marriages, 1740 - 1850: Narcissa Bibb, Gender: Female, Spouse Name: Madison Bryant, Spouse Gender: Male, Marriage Date: 15 Oct 1838, County: Nelson State: Virginia


Note: William L. Akers can be found in the 1850 census: The 1850 Federal Census for Nelson Co., VA, page 255A, dated Sept 16, 1850 records Wm L. Akers (12) with his parents James M. (36) and Lucy A. (36) Akers and siblings Mary E. (13), Joseph H. A. (7), and James S. (4/12).

The 1860 Federal Census for Nelson Co., VA, page 691, dated June 7, 1860 records James M. (46 - Buckingham) and Lucy Ann (46 - Amherst) Akers and children Mary E. (23 - Nelson) and Jos H. A. (17 - Nelson).

  Research Notes:

William Eugene Akers's father served his state and country during the war for Southern Independance:
Name: William L. Akers
Occupation: Clerk
Age at enlistment: 22
Enlistment Date: 22 Apr 1861
Rank at enlistment: Private
State Served: Virginia
Service Record: Enlisted in Company A, Virginia 11th Infantry Regiment on 22 Apr 1861. Promoted to Full Sergeant.
Birth Date: abt 1839
Sources: The Virginia Regimental Histories Series


From an email dated Sept 5, 2013
Hello
First of all, may I say that I love the quote at the bottom of your e-mail; it definitely brought a smile to my face and I could almost hear the lilt!
Secondly, I did find all 3 individuals that you inquired about to be interred in the same lot, (Fair View Lot 12, Section 1, Division 6), which was purchased and owned by W. E. Akers and the Rutledge Sisters. Following is a chronological listing of those interred in the lot, their date of death and age at death:

James Rutledge DOD 8/28/1921 @ 24
William Eugene Akers DOD 6/5/1934 @ 66
Perticia Ann Carter DOD10/19/1935 @ 10 days
Mrs. Charlotte (W.E.) Akers DOD 2/29/1940 @ 57
Miss Addie B. Rutledge DOD 10/28/1952@ 61
Sallie W. Rutledge DOD 5/31/1977 @ 90
Lucille Josephine Akers DOD 10/4/1996 @ 89 (DOB 1/5/1907)

I've made you a copy of the "Lot Diagram" which shows where they're each interred in the lot as well as the information I've provided above. I will also mark a map for you showing their location in the cemetery if you'd like to visit and perhaps obtain more information from any memorials on the lot. In addition, I found 2 obituaries with our files, one for William and one for Lucille that I'll copy for you. I can either USPS this information we have to share or you're welcome to stop by our office (M-F, 8:30 to 4:30) to pick it up. Please note that our front (Melrose) gate is closed today as the city is paving Melrose there, but we also have a back gate entrance on the Lynchburg/Salem Turnpike side (about 1 mile east from the light at Peter's Creek, on your left coming from Salem).
Thank you for your interest and inquiry
Licia Epperly
Customer Service Coordinator
Fair View Cemetery
Cedar Lawn Memorial Park

William married Charlotte Lina Howell Rutledge circa 1903 in Roanoke, VA. (Charlotte Lina Howell Rutledge was born in Oct 1882 in Virginia, died on 29 Feb 1940 in Roanoke, VA and was buried in Fair View Cemetery, Roanoke, VA.)