The MacKinnons assisted King Robert I of Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence, and were rewarded with their island estate. They ruled from “An Caisteal Moal,” which after Findanus’ marriage to Mary became known as “Dun Akin.”
    The Scot’s tried to buy back the islands, but the Norwegians weren’t interested in selling. This led to war. Haakon the 4th led over 120 ships, which carried a force of between 12,000 and 20,000 men, into battle on the Scottish mainland in 1263.
    The Norwegian “Leidang” (or peasants’ army) was defeated by Scottish King Alexander III at the Battle of Largs, after which the Scots regained their territory. The Straits were renamed Kyle Akins in honor of his bravery.   
    This naming of the castle is the first known incidence of the use of the name Akins in Scotland. Members of the Clan Akins were among the thousands of Scots who eventually moved south to the Scottish Border Highlands region.
    New variations of the Akins names’ spelling arose: Aikins, Akins, Eaken, Eakin, Eakins, Ekin, and Ekins. “Aken,” “Akin,” and “Aiken” are all said to mean, literally, “Oaken.” The Scottish clan “MacEachen” name could be very easily shortened over time to “Eaken” or “Aiken.”
    Between 1717 and 1776, some 250,000 Ulster Scots left Northern Ireland mainly for the United States, including over 6,000 who arrived at the port of Philadelphia alone. They soon made their mark in the “New World.”
    The very first of the Bulloch County Akins ancestors identified in Virginia is Jonathon Aekin, who was born about 1604 in Warwick, Va. He married and his wife gave birth to (at least) one child: James, born about 1630.
    This is most likely the same James Akins who is recorded as having been born in 1631 in Warwick, in what became Henrico County, Virginia, in 1634. James Sr., as he became known, married Sarah Oliver around 1653.
    They had the following children: Mary, James Jr. (or James the 2nd), Sarah Ann, and Elizabeth. His son, James Akins Jr., married Mary Anne Hill in either Henrico or Chesterfield County, Virginia. James Jr.’s son, John Akins, was born in 1691 in Henrico County, Virginia. His son Lewis was born about 1729 in Chesterfield County of Virginia (although some say it was in the Laurens District of South Carolina).
    Lewis married Elizabeth, sometime in 1757, probably in Lunenburg County, Virginia (although at least one record says this Lunenburg was in North Carolina). They had the following children: Elizabeth, John, Ezekiel, Fannie, Francis (also known as ‘Frank’), Sarah (also known as “Sally”), Archibald (also known as “Archer”), and Patty (also known as “Patsy”), who was born about 1772.
    Lewis’ son Frank Akins married Martha Green about 1780 in the Laurens District of South Carolina. They had the following children: Elijah, Robert Lewis, Sarah, Martha, Thomas J., Agnes, and William Green.
    Frank’s son, Robert Lewis Akins, was born on November 25, 1789, in Laurens District of South Carolina. He married Mary A. (Ann or Alice) Stanford on October 10, 1810, in Bulloch County, and had the following children: John Akins, Thomas Young, Elijah, and Mary.
    There are three main branches of Bulloch County Akins’ family, which branch off from Robert Lewis’ sons: John, Thomas Young and Elijah. John first married Mary Caroline Stanford on April 2, 1837; then married Mary Jane Crumpton on November 2, 1851; and then married Jane Deal on April 24, 1855. Thomas Young Akins married Lucinda Brack on November 19, 1846, in Bulloch County. Elijah Akins married Mary Polly Brack (Lucinda’s sister) on February 4, 1847.
   
    Roger Allen provides a brief genealogy monthly. Email Roger at rogerdodger53@hotmail.com