Yavapai-Maricopa County AZ Archives Biographies.....Akers, Charles H. 1857 - living in 1896
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/az/azfiles.html
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 5, 2005, 3:36 pm

Author: McFarland & Poole

p.471-472

  CHARLES H. AKERS. Charles H. Akers, who is the able and most efficient Clerk
of the Board of Supervisors of Yavapai County, Arizona, is a public-spirited
citizen, in harmony with advanced ideas, intelligent, progressive, and has at
heart the good of his country generally. He is a product of Marengo County,
Iowa, born September 21, 1857, and the son of Dr. John H. and Alma (Harbaugh)
Akers, natives of Ohio. The parents moved to Iowa at an early day, and there the
father practiced his profession and won considerable reputation in that line.
His death occurred in 1880. The mother is still living, and is now seventy-seven
years old. Of the eight children born to them, four besides our subject, are now
living—Elizabeth, Nancy, Tillie and Josephine. One son, John B., was killed in
Prescott by a saw mill explosion; James W., and another child died in infancy.
In 1871 the family removed to Kansas, locating in Johnson County, where our
subject acquired a common school education. Then being of a roving disposition,
he left home without the permission of his parents and went to Denver, Colo.,
where for the first three months he worked in a brick yard. After this he was
engaged in herding mules at night for Panning & Gallup, the first railroad
contractors of Colorado, and remained with them about eighteen months. Returning
home in November, 1874, he attended school about four months, and the next
spring the country was eaten up by grasshoppers. He then became disgusted with
Kansas and went to Iowa, where he worked for Thomas Hall, of Creston, as buyer
of cattle for a short time in the early part of 1875. After this he was placed
in charge of the Fire Department of Creston, which position he held as manager
for five years. In 1879 he had a severe attack of the Leadville fever, which
nothing would subdue, but a visit to that section, and in July of that year he
reached that city. There he engaged in mining with some success,, and remained
in that section until December, 1880. He then came to Arizona on horseback, and
reached Prescott on the 1st of February, 1881, completely "broke." He
immediately secured employment in a saw mill at $50 per month, and was thus
engaged for one year. After this he began prospecting and found a claim known as
"Happy Jack" silver mine, which he sold for a good profit. He spent about a year
prospecting and put his money in the bank, after which he entered the store of
W. S. Head & Co., at Ft. Verde, where he remained two years and a half. Again he
was seized with the mining fever, and went to "Tip Top,"' where he lost all his
money. In August, 1888, he went to Phoenix and began working on the Maricopa &
Phoenix Railroad as a section hand with a lot of Mexicans, and received $1.25
per day. There he remained about four months, and in November of that year came
to Prescott, Arizona, where he clerked for Joe Dougherty until September, 1889.
Mr. Akers then became a candidate for county recorder on the Republican ticket,
and was the first Republican in the county ever elected to that position. So
ably and well did he discharge the duties of that position that he was
re-elected in 1890 and held the office four years. In January, 1893, he was
elected to his present position, and re-elected in January, 1895. Mr. Akers has
had a varied and eventful career, with many "ups and downs" of life, and he can
sympathize with those who have been less fortunate than himself. In September,
1894, he was made chairman of the Republican Central Committee. He is a member
of the Knights of Pythias and Woodmen of the World, and is an active and most
highly esteemed citizen. For some time he was assistant chief of the Fire
Department, and is now the Chief of Department. In April,1889, he was married to
Miss Herndon Philpott, who died six weeks later. He was married to Miss Jennie
E. Bryan in December, 1891, and they have two sons, Bryan, aged two years, and
John, an infant. Mrs. Akers is a member of the Episcopal Church. Mr. Akers is
abstracter and conveyancer of Yavapai County and Prescott. He is also a member
of the Executive Committee of the Territorial Republican Central Committee.

  Mr. Aker's brother, John B. Akers, came to Arizona in 1865. He started from
Western Kansas with a pack train, and in a company consisting of eighteen men.
He and another man were the only ones who reached their destination in safety,
the others being killed by the Indians.


Additional Comments:
From:

A Historical and Biographical Record of the Territory of Arizona
Published by
McFarland & Poole, Chicago, 1896


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/az/yavapai/bios/gbs35akers.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/azfiles/

File size: 5.1 Kb