Akin, Harry 1880-1914 & Katherine Ellen Neary Family

AKIN, NEARY, CLOUGH, GALLAGHAR

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 12/7/2021 at 14:32:22

Akiin, Harry 1880-1914 and Katherine Ellen Neary Family
This story was taken from the ‘Rock Valley Records & Recollections’ book written about 1976 in honor of the two hundredth birthday of our nation. It was a revision of the history written by Lottie Thomas in 1955. It was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society and some research notes were added.
(See the BIOS of his parents Joseph Elmer Akin and Lucy Mariah Clough for more information.)

HARRY AKIN—Harry Akin was born in 1880 in Floyd, Iowa and came with his parents to the farm in Sioux County in 1885. In 1904, he married Katherine Ellen Neary, a teacher in the home school.

Katherine came with her grandparents to Wisconsin and later to Vail, Iowa. Later her parents joined her in Vail. Her father, a coal miner in Pennsylvania, died in Vail of miner lung disease. In 1894 the family received word from a Rock Valley relative that a teacher was needed in the Rock Valley school. Katherine was taken out of high school, and with her grandparents, mother, and sisters and brothers, came to Rock Valley, where she taught and met her future husband, Harry Akin. They were married in St. Mary’s Church in 1904 and then moved to the home farm. There were four children: Margaret, Joseph E., Lucille, and Harry M. Harry M. was born ten days after his father was killed in a car accident as the family returned from Sunday Mass and visits with the families in Rock Valley.

Harry was as interested in mechanics as his father was in horticulture. Together they improved production and production methods on the farm. Harry had one of the first gasoline engines for harvesting. He also set up a gasoline powered drive shaft to operate the cream separator, the churn, and the washing machine.

In 1915, a year after her husband’s death, Mrs. Akin built a house in Rock Valley where the family grew to maturity. Joseph was graduated from Trinity High School in Sioux City and after several years attended Iowa State College at Ames where he was graduated as a member of the veterinary medicine honor society in 1934. He set up practice in Hawarden, Iowa where he practiced for several years. He married and had four children.

Harry M. Akin was graduated from Rock Valley High School, attended the Sheldon Junior College, and Electrical School in Chicago. He worked in Birmingham, Alabama, and Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1959 at De Kalb, Illinois, Harry M. died of a heart attach. Survivors included his wife and four children.

After graduation from Mt. St. Clare Academy in Clinton, Iowa, Lucille attended beauty school in Fargo, North Dakota. After working several years in Rock Valley, she went to De Kalb, Illinois, where she married and became the mother of four children. Lucille continues to operate her own business—the Carol-Lu Beauty Salon.

Margaret was a member of the last graduation class of St. Mary’s School in Rock Valley, and the first graduation class of Mt. St. Clare Junior College in Clinton, Iowa. Following graduation from the University of Minnesota, she continued teaching, which she had been doing before entering the University of Minnesota. In 1935 she married Dr. C.J. Shroeder, who had come to Rock Valley to practice dentistry. Jim Schroeder was born and raised in Alton. He located in Rock Valley after completion of his dental studies at Creighton. The Schroeders have lived here ever since. There are four children: Sharon (Donovan) of San Diego; James Michael of LeMars; Matthew of Saranac Lake, New York; and Ellen of Houston, Texas.

(Mrs. C.J. Schroeder)

The Life Summary of Harry Monroe
When Harry Monroe Akin was born on 10 December 1880, in Rock Valley, Sioux, Iowa, United States, his father, Joseph Elmer Akin, was 40 and his mother, Lucy Maria Clough, was 34. He married Catherine Ellen Neary on 26 June 1904, in Rock Valley, Sioux, Iowa, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 2 daughters. He lived in Settlers Township, Sioux, Iowa, United States in 1900. He died on 22 January 1914, in Sioux Township, Sioux, Iowa, United States, at the age of 33.

OBITUARY OF HARRY M. Akin
Rock Valley Bee of April 3, 1914
AUTO ACCIDENT
One of the worst automobile accidents that ever happened in this, vicinity occurred Sunday forenoon when Harry Akin received injuries from which he died the following day, Mr. Akin with his family and Miss Gourley were returning home from church, about a mile west of Rock Valley, near a concrete bridge, they met a rig driven by two young men. There is an embankment leading up to the bridge about six feet high. Mr. Akin noticed that the horse which the young men were driving was becoming, frightened at his car and he slowed the machine down until it was just moving. For an instant it looked as though the horse would plunge into the car and Mr. Akin watching the horse drove close to the edge of the embankment and probably put on the emergency brake as he felt the car going over. The large Cadillac weighing about 3500 and 4000 pounds and as it came near the edge of the embankment the ground gave way and the car went over making three quarters of a revolution and landing on it side. The entire weight of the car must have fallen on Mr. Akin as it went over. He was still held fast when his wife who was thrown clear of the wreck pushed the car back enough to release him.
The two young men in the buggy hurried to town to give the alarm. They met Dr. Vermeer, crossing the street to the hotel who secured an auto and was driven rapidly to the scene of the accident. Henry Splear came along with his auto and assisted by Dr. Vermeer loaded the injured man into the car and brought him to the local hospital. They met Dr. Huizenga on his way out to help them.
Upon examination it was found the Mr. Akin had suffered fractures of the collar bone and shoulder blade and that four ribs were broken. Later developments showed that he had received internal injures also. They were not evident at this time. Up until Monday forenoon, although he suffered greatly his condition seemed favorable and his people had hopes for his recover, but later symptoms developed which indicated fatal internal injuries and by noon all hopes were given up. He passed away at 6:30 Monday afternoon. He was conscious almost to the last minute.
Mrs. Akin escaped with only a slight scratch on the arm. The three children were still in the car when it stopped. Miss Gourley was thrown into the wire fence, her dress was torn some but she escaped without injury. The car was damaged but slightly, the windshield and the steering wheel being broken.
The subject of this sketch was born at Rockwell, Iowa, December 10th, 1880, and was at the time of his death thirty-three years, three months and nineteen days old, At the age of five years he came with his parents to Sioux County. They located on a farm west of Rock Valley where he grew to manhood, and for ten years past has been farming the place for himself. He has lived in this vicinity almost continuously since he was five years old. In June 1904 he was united in marriage to Miss Katherine Neary, To this union were born three children, the oldest being six years of age, Besides his wife and children he leaves to mourn his untimely death his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J, E. Akin, and three sisters, Mrs. M. C. Waite, Mrs. A. J. Frills, and Miss Floy Akin. The deceased was a most exemplary young man; he was kind and generous to all and everyone who knew him was his friend. His place in the community where he has lived so long will be hard to fill. A gloom of sadness is cast over the entire neighborhood for the loss of one whose life promised so much.
Funeral services were held Wednesday forenoon from , St. Mary's church in this city conducted by Rev. Father O'Reilly. The services were largely attended. The bereaved relatives have the heartfelt Sympathy, of numerous friends in their time of sorrow.
* * * *
Additional information from Alton Democrat issue of 4 April 1914
--His parents were Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Akin. He married Miss Kate Neary at Rock Valley on June 29th, 1904. Then, also "...to this union was born three bright, attractive children, Margaret, Joseph and Lucile, who were much attached to their father. His social qualities were displayed in his home and in the joys of happy intercourse with his friends He was of a jovial disposition, hospitable and charitable to a fault. He was a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Hudson, S.D., and a member of the Catholic church. Death whose mysteries man has never solved comes to us as a revelation of the impotency of man, and when, as in this instance, the spirit is removed from the body without warning, we should pause and recognize the power of God It is sad to see one standing on the threshold of life, radiant in the sunshine of happiness with bright possibilities, beautiful prospects and visions of hope to be ruthlessly removed by death. The edict has gone forth that all must die and we therefore must submit to the inevitable. Funeral services.... Many beautiful floral tributes were contributed as a token of the high esteem in which he was held. He leaves a devoted companion, three children, father, mother and three sisters--Mrs. M.C. Waite of Inwood, Mrs. A.J. Fritts and Miss Floy Akin of Rock Valley. He was laid to rest in the Catholic cemetery south of town. Andrew and William Gallagher of Vail, Ia., attended the funeral. Mrs. Maggie Nelson of Cooperstown, N.D., arrived too late to attend the funeral. The bereaved ones have the sympathy of the entire community in their sore affliction.

OBITUARY OF Mrs. Harry Akin 1876-1961
Mrs. Kate N.Akin,84, mother of Dr. J.E. Akin of Hawarden, died Sunday at the home of a daughter, Mrs. C.J. Schroeder, in Rock Valley.
Funeral mass was held Wednesday morning at St. Mary's Catholic church in Rock Valley with Rev. Ralph Reinhart officiating. Burial was in St. Mary's cemetery.
Mrs. Akin was born to Marg Gallagher and Ed Neary October 29, 1876 in Girardville, PA., she was the oldest of six children. As a child she moved to Wisconsin to live with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Gallagher, and later joined her mother and family at Vail, Iowa. She lived there until she came to Rock Valley to teach school on the request of her cousin, Will Stevens. On June 27, 1904, she married Harry M. Akin at Rock Valley. To this union four children were born, Margaret, Lucille, Joseph and Harry. Following thier Marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Akin resided on a farm southwest of Rock Valley. After her husband's death in 1914 she moved to Rock Valley. Mrs. Akin was preceded in death by her husband and one son.
Survivors are two daughters Margaret(C.J. Schroeder) of Rock Valley and Lucille(Mrs. Emil Marcheschi) of DeKalb, Ill; one son Dr. Joseph E. Akin of Hawarden; one sister, Mrs.Margaret Nelson of Detroit and 16 grandchildren.
At the time of her death, she was a member of St. Mary's church of Rock Valley, St. Mary's Guild, Catholic Daughters America and Rock Valley Women's club
Source:Hawarden Independent(9-21-1961)

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