Bios: C. H. AKENS 20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens
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C. H. AKENS,
[p. 429] one of New Castle's most prominent attorneys, senior member of
the law firm of Akens, Wilkison, Lockhart & Chambers, was born in
Crawford County, Pennsylvania, September 13, 1855, and is a son of
Hamilton J. and Hannah (Sweeting) Akens.
The Akens family is one of the oldest in Lawrence County. The father of
C. H. Akens was born in Lawrence County, but after his marriage moved to
Crawford County where he was engaged in the lumber business. He returned
to Lawrence County in 1866 and resided on a farm in Shenango Township,
where he lived until he moved to New Castle a few years before his death.
C. H. Akens was eleven years of age when his parents removed to Shenango
Township, and he was primarily educated in the old McKee School in that
township, later attending the public school at New Castle for one year;
then attending the One Study College, as it was called, conducted by
Prof. John R. Steeves, in the McCready Block, on Pittsburg Street, New
Castle, and afterwards entering the State Normal School at Edinboro
where he graduated in 1880. Mr. Akens worked his way through school by
helping on the farm in summer and teaching in the winter. While
attending the One Study College he rode back and forward, six miles, to
attend recitations and assisted mornings and evenings on the farm.
In April, 1884, he was admitted to the bar, having prepared for the law
under John G. McConahy and B. A. Winternitz, and on May 4, 1884, he
opened his office at New Castle. He continued alone in practice until
April, 1907, when he became associated with the other attorneys of his
present firm, Hamilton A. Wilkison, John P. Lockhart and James A.
Chambers, the firm being one of much legal strength and one which is
recognized both individually and collectively in the important
litigation in this section. Mr. Akens is a member of the Superior and
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and also of the Supreme Court of the
United States. He was one of the charter members of the Lawrence County
Bar Association.
On December 25, 1884, Mr. Akens was married to Miss Eva E. Quigley, who
is a daughter of James and Mary A. Quigley, of Lawrence County. Mr.
Akens is a member of the Order of the Knights of Pythias. In politics he
is a Democrat.
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20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and
Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
Updated: 19 Oct 2001