The Washington herald., 1907-05-12
suNpAY. MAY Z. Lea.
THE DEAIxINs FAMILY. OF GEORGE
TOWN, ID. c.


John Dsakins, the first OF the name
TO settle In America, IS said to have been
a descendant OF Admiral Deakins, Of The
English navy and TO have come TO this
country in the seventeenth century ana
settled in Maryland His son. William
Deakins, settled in Prince George Coun-
~, Maryland. and married the widow
Hoye, whose maiden name was Tabitha
MarbUry. They had three sons: William,
Francis, and Leonard. all Of whom De-
CO ne residents and large land holders Ia
that part Of the District OF Columbia
then and stili known as Georgetown.
where they lived in 1774 and probably
earlier.
William Deakias was born in Mary
land, and resided in Georgetown. D. c.
He married Jane Johns. but had no chill
dren. He was a most enthusiastic work
er for the liberty Of his country. and it
/ is said that In August, 177l, when the
/ brigantine Mary and Jane arrived IN the
/ Potomac with several chests of tea for
| Mr. Robert Peter and others, William
Deakins was one Of the first to protest
4 that any importation from England lia-
/ Bile 20 q tax was dangerous TO our iiber-
/ ty; whereup0n Mr.. Peter requested that
a committee be appointed 10 receive the.
/ tea. and the committee consisted OF
Thomas Johns, William Deakins. and Ber-
naTd ONeale William Deakins was ap-
| pointed one Of the vorshipful justices Of
the county, and as such presided at many
/ trials Of the inhabitants Early in the
/ Revolution he was made second major Of
/ Murdock's Regiment, and. being called
/ 10 the front. entered upon active service
! and attained the rank Of colonel The
home Of Col. William Deakins WAS I'm the
/ part of Georgetown known as the ''Dea-
/ kins and ThreikeId Addition The prop
/ erty now occupied by the Georgetown Col
/ lege and convent was at one time the
/ estate Of William Deakins and his broth
er. In 1875 the former was one Of the
/ yestrymen of old Christ Church. near the
navy yard, and in f176 he gave the lot
/ upon which ST Johns Church. IN George
/ town. now stands. thus laying the foun-
/ dation for the first Episcopal church in
I that locality. and the second in the Dis
/ trict OF Columbia
Francis DeaISinS, brother OF the last
and son of William Deakins, the elder,
was born IN 1879, and resided the greater
! portion Of his life in Georgetown. He
married the widow Threlkeld. but, like
his brother William. had no children.
I He was by profession a civil engineer,
/ and laid the boundary line between Nir-
ginia and Maryland, from the Fairfax line
I to the northern line of Virginia to Ohio
He also came into possession OF large
I tracts Of land in what is now West Eir-
] ginia. He was an ardent worker for the
I liberty OF the colonies as was his brother
William. and in 177t was appointed one
. Of the committee 20 represent George
town in carrying out the enactments of
( the Continental Congress. In 1874 he was
engaged in large financial operations
I with Morris and Nicholson, representing
the great North Atlantic Land Company,
and in the venture sunk the greater part
Of his fortune. AT one time he was pres
ldent Of the old Bank OF C0lumbis that
stood IN Georgetown, D. c.. on what IS
now NJ street. He died in tie latter place
about 1904. leaving his brother William
his executor.
Leonard AIarbury Deakins the young
est son Of William Deakins senior. was
born in Maryland on the Sth Of March,
17f. and eaTly in life moved 10 George
town. d. c. He married Ruth Orme, OF
Maryland. and, having inherited from his
father the family homestead IN Maryland
called Bloomfield" after his marriage
resided there in summer, and made
I
when lie removed his family permanent
IS 10 Maryland. Bloomfield" in Prince
George County. still remains in the fam
ily. and is owned by Mr. James Richard
Deakins, a eat-great-grandson of the
original owner. making the fifth gener-
( alton residing there. Leonard NJ Dea-
kins had no profession, but followed the
life Of his father-that Of a planter. Like
his brothers. he was a warm sympathizer
of the cause CT independence, and raised
a company for the war. the young men
OF which were recruited from Georgetown
He was made its captain. Joined Col
Grifith's battalion. and started for the
scene Of war in July, l7s6. He had two
children Nancy Orme Deakins. who died
unmarried in 1888, at the age OF forty
eight, and Tabitha MaTbuTy Deakins. who
married in Georgetown, in 1870 James
Luke Cassin, a native OF Ireland, but a
! resident of Georgetown from 1907. Leon
ard N. Deakins, married as his second
wife Deborah Duke, by whom he had
seven children: William. Francis, Jane
. Amelia, GlovinIa, Laura, and one othel
whose name we have been unable 10 as
; certain
The only descendants OF the Deakins
who have resided continuously in tht
. District Of Columbia have been the chill.
dren Of Tabitha Marbury Deakins and
! James L. Cassin. They had four chill
{ dren: James Luke. John Hoye, William
, ! Deakins, and Nancy. James Luke Cas-.
! sin and Nancy Cassiu both died un.
married. William Deakins Cassln mar.
: ried Mary 4. Tyler. and died il
August, 1887. leaving six children: VIII
lam Deakins Cassin, Mary Margaret
Cassin. Virginia Lee Cassin (wife ol
Lieut.. Commander Thomas Wright Kin
: kaid, L. s. n. feet engineer OF the mrs
division of the First Pacific Squadron
and stationed on the flag ship Charles.
toni. Fannie Marbury CaSsin. Carrie
! Beall Cassin. and Geneyieve Cassin, thre,
of whom reside at 1914 Thirtieth street
o Georgetown, D. c.
J. Mrs. James A Bayard, Of WASHINGTON
{ the daughter-in-law of the late Secretary
of State Bs>r.ssss and Mrs George +
Becker. Of Rhode IslsIc avenue. in thi,
city-both children of Mr. William F
Dc alins-are great grandchildren of Leon
e ara Deakins son Of the first William Dea
kins, who originally settled in Prime,
George County, Maryland.
I GENEALOGICAL WIT AND WISDOM
Whoever serves his country well has NJ