 William "William Atkins" Aitken 1) 2)Born Oct 3, 1807 at Washington Co. PA 3) 1), died Sep 16, 1874 at Williamsburg, Franklin Co. KS, 66 years 1), buried at McPherson Cemetery, McPherson, McPherson Co. Kansas 4)
Education (before 1839 at Canonsburg, Washington Co. PA) Attended Jefferson College. 1) Education (before 1839 at Philadelphia PA) Attended Jefferson Medical College. 1) Located: (between 1839 and 1866 at Rural Valley, Armstrong Co. PA) Physician. 3) Land Purchase: ( Nov 9, 1839 at Rural Valley, Armstrong Co. PA) Purchased Lot 3 from Alexander Foster, for $47.56-1/4. 5) Election: (before Mar 23, 1842 at Rural Valley, Armstrong Co. PA) Identified as a trustee of the Rural Valley Presbyterian Church on its incorporation charter dated 23 Mar 1842. 6) Census ( 1860 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Physician. Living with second wife, children from both marriages, Isabella Aitken (b. abt 1802 in PA) and Christina Turney (b. abt 1825 in PA). 7) Moved: ( 1866 at Mt. Union, Stark Co. and Mahoning Co. OH) 1) Census ( 1870 at Greenwood, Franklin Co. KS) Doctor 2) Moved: ( 1870 at Williamsburg, Franklin Co. KS) 1) Children: 1. John Lysander Aitken 14)Born ± 1848 7)
Alt. Birth: ( 1850 at PA) 14) Census ( 1860 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with father, stepmother, brother, half-siblings, Isabella Aitken (b. abt 1802 in PA) and Christina Turney (b. abt 1825 in PA). 7) Census ( 1870 at Greenwood, Franklin Co. KS) Farm laborer. Living with father, stepmother and siblings. 2) Census ( 1880 at Williamsburg, Franklin Co. KS) Farmer. 14) 2. William Totten Meigs Aitken 15)Born May 31, 1851 at PA 16) 17), died May 25, 1918 at Waterloo, Black Hawk Co. IA, 66 years 16) 17), buried May 27, 1918 at Fairview Cemetery, Cedar Falls, Black Hawk Co. IA 16) 17). Occupation: ( 1918 at IA) Bookkeeper. 17)
Census ( 1860 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with father, stepmother, brother, half-siblings, Isabella Aitken (b. abt 1802 in PA) and Christina Turney (b. abt 1825 in PA). 7) Census ( 1870 at Greenwood, Franklin Co. KS) Living with father, stepmother and siblings. 2) Census ( 1880 at Cedar Falls, Black Hawk Co. IA) Clerk in bank. This location is also on the back of an old photograph. 15) Census ( 1895 at Black Hawk Co. IA) Bookkeeper. 18) | |||
2nd marriage William "William Atkins" Aitken 1) 2) Rebecca C. Caruthers 1) 19)Born Apr 10, 1827 at PA 19) 7), died May 28, 1888 at KS, 61 years 20), buried at McPherson Cemetery, McPherson, McPherson Co. Kansas 19) Rebecca Caruthers and William Aikens had "six children, two of whom died in infancy" (from William's obituary). The two children who did not survive were Lydia and Emma. According to family legend, they are buried in the plots on either side of Lydia Jane Totten Aikens, William's first wife, in the Rural Valley (PA) Cemetery. Rebecca's parents were Richard E. and Eleanor Caruthers. 1) 3) Census ( 1860 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with husband, children, stepsons, Isabella Aitken (b. abt 1802 in PA) and Christina Turney (b. abt 1825 in PA). 7) Census ( 1870 at Greenwood, Franklin Co. KS) Living with husband and children. 2) Census ( 1880 at McPherson, McPherson Co. KS) Dressmaker. Widowed. 21) Children: 1. Lydia Jane Ashley Aitken 22)Born ± Oct 17, 1854, died Mar 11, 1858 at Rural Valley, Armstrong Co. PA, approximately 3 years 22) 2. Hannah "Anna Atkens" Aitken 7) 21)Born ± 1856 at PA 2) 7)
Census ( 1860 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents, siblings, half-brothers, Isabella Aitken (b. abt 1802 in PA) and Christina Turney (b. abt 1825 in PA). 7) Census ( 1870 at Greenwood, Franklin Co. KS) Living at home with parents and siblings. 2) Census ( 1880 at McPherson, McPherson Co. KS) Dressmaker. She and husband were living with her family. 21) 3. Emma V. Aitken 7) 23)Born ± 1858 7) 23), died before 1870, buried at Rural Valley Cemetery, Rural Valley, Armstrong Co. PA 23) Emma is buried beside Lydia Jane Totten, William Aitkins' first wife. The dates on the stone are illegible, as is most of the writing, but the inscription "dau. of (illeg) and R. C. Aitkin" is readable, making Emma the daughter of Rebecca, William's second wife. Emma's estimated death date of "before 1870" is based on the date of her family's move to Kansas, and her absence from the family's listing on the 1870 census. 23) Census ( 1860 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents, siblings, half-brothers, Isabella Aitken (b. abt 1802 in PA) and Christina Turney (b. abt 1825 in PA). 7) 4. Homer Aitken 7)Born ± 1860 at PA 2) 7)
Census ( 1860 at Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA) Living with parents, siblings, half-brothers, Isabella Aitken (b. abt 1802 in PA) and Christina Turney (b. abt 1825 in PA). 7) Census ( 1870 at Greenwood, Franklin Co. KS) Living at home with parents and siblings. 2) Census ( 1880 at McPherson, McPherson Co. KS) Cigar maker. Living at home. 21) | |||
Sources
1) source: William Aitkins, M. D.2) source: 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Greenwood, Franklin Co. KS, page: Page 75-B (Stamped), Dwelling 40, Family 37, William Atkins Family
3) source: Register of Marriages and Births, 1852-1855. Register of Deaths, 1852-1855. Compiled from Records Held in the Register & Recorder's Office, Armstrong County, Kittanning, PA.
4) source: Find-a-Grave, page: Memorial for Dr. William Aitkens (Memorial # 53501792)
5) source: History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, page: p. 306
6) source: History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
7) source: 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Cowanshannock Twp., Armstrong Co. PA, page: Page 155 (Stamped), Dwelling 1545, Family 1543, Wm. Aitkins Family
8) source: Stewart, John Cassidy and Mary Craig (Totten) - Family Records Section of Bible
9) source: Family Records section of Hamlet and Mary (Craig) Totten's Bible.
10) source: Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court, Common Pleas Court, Armstrong Co., PA. Will and Estate Records of Hamlet Totten.
11) source: Obituary of Mrs. Lydia Jane Aitkins
12) source: Find-a-Grave, page: Memorial for Lydia Jane Totten Aitkins (Memorial # 78414142)
13) source: Autobiographic Sketch
14) source: 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Williamsburg, Franklin Co. KS, page: Ed 92, Sheet 179-B, Dwelling 136, Family 138, John Aitken Family
15) source: 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule, Cedar Falls, Black Hawk Co. IA, page: ED 46, Sheet 418-C, Dwelling 85, Family 85, William Aitken Family
16) source: Find-a-Grave, page: Memorial for William Totten Meigs Aitken (Memorial # 68343547)
17) source: Index of Iowa Deaths and Burials, 1850-1990, page: William Totten Meigs Aitken, retrieved 28 Feb 2014
18) source: 1895 Iowa State Census, Black Hawk Co. IA, page: Dwelling 270, Family 277, W.T.M Aitken Family
19) source: Find-a-Grave, page: Memorial for Rebecca Caruthers Aitkens (Memorial # 53501791)
20) source: Died
21) source: 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule, McPherson City, McPherson Co. KS, page: ED 268, Sheet 484-C, Dwelling 167, Family 180, Rebecca C. Atkens Family
22) source: DIED
23) source: Find-a-Grave, page: Memorial for Emma Aitkins (Memorial # 78415509)
Citation for: Family Page
"Family Page: William Aitken & Rebecca C. Caruthers." HuMo-genealogy - A Rural Valley and Cowanshannock Family Tree (http://ruralvalleyhistory.com/family.php?tree_id=37&id=F226&main_person=I666 : accessed 15 January 2026) William Aitken #I555, born Oct 3, 1807 at Washington Co. PA