Lake County IN Archives Biographies.....Ackerman, William Wallace 1827 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 21, 2006, 11:42 pm Author: T. H. Ball (1904) WILLIAM WALLACE ACKERMAN. William Wallace Ackerman, whose farming interests, capably managed and carefully conducted, result in bringing to him splendid success, is now living retired in Lowell. He has attained the advanced age of seventy-seven years and in the evening of life is enabled to enjoy a comfortable competence won through his diligence and honorable dealing. He was born in Oakland county, Michigan, February 24, 1827, and represents an old family of Holland-Dutch ancestry that was established in New York in colonial days. His paternal grandfather, James Ackerman, was born in Truxton, New York, and became one of the pioneer residents of Michigan. John H. Ackerman, the father, was a native of Dutchess county, New York, and there spent his early boyhood days. He, too, was one of those who lived in Oakland when it was a frontier district, accompanying his parents on their removal to the west. After arriving at years of maturity he married Ann Wallace, who was born in New York and was a daughter of William Wallace, a native of Connecticut. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ackerman was celebrated in the Empire state, and they located in Oakland county, Michigan, about 1822, spending their remaining days there. His first home was a typical pioneer house in the midst of an undeveloped region, where the work of progress and improvement had scarcely been begun, and J. H. Ackerman did his full share in paving the way for the further development of the county. He died at the age of sixty-three years, having long survived his wife, who passed away in 1829. He was twice married, his second union being with Miss Amelia Kyes, and to this marriage were born seven children, while of the first marriage there were three children. William Wallace Ackerman is the youngest and the only one living of the family born to John H. and Ann (Wallace) Ackerman. He was but a year and a half old when his mother died. He started out in life for himself at the age of eleven years, going to Erie county, Ohio, where he worked at any employment that he could secure. There he remained until his nineteenth year, when his patriotic spirit was aroused and he offered his services to the country then engaged in war with Mexico. He enlisted in Company G, Third Ohio Regiment, under Colonel Samuel R. Curtis, and was with the command for fourteen months as a private. On the expiration of that period, as the country no longer needed his aid, he returned to his home in Ohio, where he remained until the fall of 1848, when he came to Lake county, Indiana. Here Mr. Ackerman located a land warrant in West Creek township and began the development and improvement of a farm. Later he sold that property and bought another farm in the same township. Upon the second place he made excellent improvements, but eventually he sold that and again purchased a farm in West Creek township, which he still owns. Thus he has improved three farms in the township, and his labors have resulted beneficially in the agricultural development and progress of this portion of the state. Mr. Ackerman was united in marriage in April, 1853, to Miss Mary Pulver, who died leaving a family of seven children: John H. and Alonzo D., both deceased: Theodore L.; William H., who has also passed away; Ida Ann; Jasper L.; and Charles D. On the 9th of November, 1867, Mr. Ackerman was again married, his second union being with Betsey Sanders Graves, the widow of William F. Graves and the daughter of William and Emma (Harris) Sanders. She was born in West Creek township, Lake county, Indiana, May 8, 1844, and her parents were pioneer settlers of Lake county, coming to this state from Erie county, Ohio, in 1838. They settled in West Creek township, where they reared their family of twelve children, three of whom were born in this county. Mrs. Ackerman is the tenth child and third daughter, and was reared in the place of her nativity and has spent her entire life in Lake county. She had one son by her first marriage. William M. Graves, and by the second marriage there are four children: Linden S., now deceased; Vessie E.; Zada M.: and Zella A. Zada is a graduate of the high school and has engaged in teaching for over three years. Vessie E. is the wife of S. A. Mulliken, of Chicago. Zella is also a graduate of the Lowell high school, was a student in Valparaiso College and was a teacher in the Valparaiso kindergarten, and on June 15, 1904, was married to Otto DeRoy Mitchell, a druggist in Eaton, Indiana. The following children are of the first marriage of Mr. Ackerman: Theodore S. is extensively engaged in the raising of cattle in South Dakota, where he owns a large ranch; Jasper is filling the position of auditor in White county, Indiana; Charles D. is a builder and contractor of Los Angeles, California; and Ida is the wife of S. S. Brandon, of Mobile, Alabama; while William M. Graves, the son of Mrs. Ackerman, is a resident of Lowell. Mr. Ackerman is the owner of four hundred acres in West Creek township and also has property in Lowell. The farm is well improved, and he continued its cultivation until 1881, when he removed to Lowell and engaged in the agricultural implement business, continuing in commercial pursuits for eight years. In 1889 he was appointed postmaster under President Harrison, and filled that position for four years. Since the expiration of his term he has lived retired from active business, save the supervision of his property. Mr. Ackerman has always been a supporter of the Republican party since its organization, and was county ditch commissioner for several years, during which time he did much toward improving the county through the extension of its ditches. This drained the land and, therefore, greatly increased its value. He takes an active and helpful part in all measures which are of practical benefit in the community, and is widely and favorably known throughout the county. He and his wife and children belong to the Christian church. His career has ever been honorable and straightforward. so that he enjoys in large measure the respect and confidence of his fellow-men. Additional Comments: Extracted from: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Genealogy and Biography OF LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA, WITH A COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY 1834—1904 A Record of the Achievements of Its People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. REV. T. H. BALL OF CROWN POINT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ILLUSTRATED CHICAGO NEW YORK THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1904 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/lake/bios/ackerman522gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 7.1 Kb