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James Lafayette "Fate" Akin was born on June 18, 1868 in Wilson County, Tennessee, the son of William Akin. {His Death Certificate and his obituary have his surname as Akins, while his cemetery marker has Akin.}

He was married 1st on November 14, 1886 in Wilson County to Louisa "Lula" Tomlinson. He was married 2nd about 1894 to Darthula "Darthulie" Conatser (1880–1956), and she was the daughter of Francis C Conatser (1850–1931) and his wife Sarah Jane (Cuttrell) Conatser (1855–1904).

Fate had lived in Montgomery County, Tennessee since 1921 and was a member of Gum Springs Baptist Church. A retired farmer living on Route 1 in rural Cumberland Furnace in the Louise community in Montgomery County rather than in Dickson County, Tennessee, he was 85 years old and married when he died on February 7, 1953 at home of a stroke.

Survivors included his widow Mrs Darthulie Akin, sons Wille Akin in Cunningham, Eddie Akin of Wilmington, Illinois, James Akin at Nashville, Tennessee, Morgan Akin and Herman Akins in Cumberland Furnace and Charles Akin of Clarksville, Tennessee, daughters , Mrs Lou Underwood at Cunningham, Mrs Mary Maxon and Mrs Virgie Keel in Lebanon, Tennessee, Mrs Lillian Tomlinson of Nashville, Mrs Dessie Wray at Old Hickory, Tennessee and Mrs John Hays and Mrs Agnes Kentner in Clarksville, forty-seven grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren.

Funeral Services were held on on February 9th at Gum Springs Baptist Church, and burial was in McWhorter Family Cemetery in the Gum Springs community.


Much of the above is from his Death Certificate, with Mrs James Akin of Cumberland Furnace as the informant. Additional information is from his published obituary in NASHVILLE BANNER on September 9, 1953.


Known children of Fate and Lula:
~ Mary Jane Akin - married -- Mason
~ William Burke "Bill" Akins (24 Mar 1889–1 Nov 1955) married Delma Mae Pritchett


Known children of Fate and Darthulie:
~ Eddie James Akin (ca 1897– ) in February 1975, living in Wilmington, Illinois
~ Lillian Akin (1898–1974) married Robert Lee Tomlinson
~ Virgia Lee "Virgie" Akin (1900–1964) daughter; married Vaud Keel
~ James F "Jimmie" Akin (ca 1901– ) possibly died well before adulthood
~ Dessie E Akin (ca 1904–) married -- Wray
~ Charles Roy "Charlie" Akin (1905–1979) married Margaret Louise Suggs; married Lena Stepp Milam
~ Laura "Agnes" Akins (1908–1990) married Sandy Kentner
~ John "Morgan" Akin (1909–1965) married Mary Elizabeth Hayes
~ Douglas Campbell Akin (1911–1930) married Jemima Forest Pritchett
~ Lester "Herman" Akins (1912–1975) married Mildred Black
~ Eulalia Akins (1914–2000) married John Henry Hayes
~ James Lafayette "J L" Akin Jr (1917–1946) single
~ Earl Akins (1920–1920)