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Allen Family History
(last update 29 May 2003)
Third
Generation
(
JOHN H.2,
JONAS1)
Children of John Akard and Mary Jackson
OHN WILLIAM 'BILL' AKARD [4349] was born 15 August 1875 in Fair Play, Polk County, Missouri, and died 23 November 1947. He married EDNA S. (last name unknown) about 1896. She was born about 1878. Bill lived his entire life around Fair Play and Humanville, Polk County, Missouri. He was contracted to the Remington Arms company and was the shooting champion of the world from 1905 to 1917. He traveled extensively doing shooting demonstrations and sharing the stage with his good friend, Will Rogers. His reputation in the early 1900's was so powerful that he unknowingly stopped a bank robbery in his home town. He traveled extensively doing shooting demonstrations and shared the stage with his good friend Will Rogers. According to the Springfield Press, dated July 26, 1930 and Humbolt (California) Standard, May 27 1966, Akard discouraged notorious southwest outlaw Henry Starr from robbing the Fair Play, Missouri, bank in December 1907. Starr noticed an advertising poster of the Remington Arms Co. which employed Akard, advertising some of Akard's accomplishments. He recalled that he had been told by Akard in a meeting that he had a vast collection of firearms kept in his home at Fair Play. When informed by residents of Fair Play that Bill Akard did live there, and it was his home town, and that yes, he did have a "whole roomfull" of firearms in his home, and that yes, he was home now and would be for about a month, Starr and his companions decided the territory around Fair Play was extremely rough and escape from a posse would be difficult, especially with Akard being home with all those guns. So, they moved on 6 miles to Aldrich. He worked with Will Rogers who did a roping act, and Akard did a shooting act. The two of them were good friends. He liked to tinker in his shop in Fair Play and rebuilt guns, and even built a rotary lawn mower before the day of power mowers. Was a talented pianist, played classical, rag time, or hymns. While working for Remington he reworked the cartridge on the Springfield '03 rifle. That became the Springfield '06 rifle which became the company's standard weapon. Also developed a scatterload for shot guns and had it patented. Was only paid a small bonus for his invention, which could have been worth millions in royalties. He never cared a lot about money--made a lot, but spent it.
Children of JOHN
and EDNA AKARD are:
-
JEAN AKARD, b. about 1898, Polk County, Missouri.
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JOHN AKARD, b. 1900, Polk County, Missouri; d. 1918.
Research Notes:
Janine Hembrode has researched Bill Akard and has been unable to find a record of his participation in Bill Cody's Wild West Show or Will Roger's show. The Buffalo Bill Cody Museum in Cody, Wyoming stated that sharpshooters in shows often wore quasi-uniforms similar to that in the tintype above. The medals are presumed to be shooting medals. Apparently Bill traveled to Europe where he was awarded the World Shooting Championship.