W. G. Ackerman Biography

	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1898. Page 653

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W. G. ACKERMAN.-The farming interests of Alban township, Grant county, 
have a worthy exponent in the person of the gentleman above named, who 
operates a farm in section 31. The entire tract is improved and 
tillable, and altogether makes up an estate upon which a remunerative 
business may well be done by a man who devotes himself closely and 
intelligently to his work. In the way of his buildings every arrangement 
has been made for the economical conduct of the farm, and for the 
comfort of the family a nice residence has been constructed. 
 
		Mr. Ackerman was born in Jefferson county, New York, 
November io, 1853, a son of Albert and Annis (Burlingame) Ackerman, the 
former a native of Jefferson county, and'the latter a native of Herkimer 
county, New York, and of English and Scotch descent. Our subject is the 
second son in the order of birth of a family of five children, four sons 
and one daughter. He moved with his parents to Adams county, Wisconsin, 
in about 1858, and in 1863 the family moved to Blue Earth county, 
Minnesota, where the remaining years of his boyhood were spent and where 
he received his education. At the age of nineteen he went to railroading 
on what is now the Southern Minnesota division of the Chicago, Milwaukee 
& St. Paul railroad, commencing as a fireman and was afterward promoted 
to the position of engineer. He then was employed for a time by the firm 
of Hubbard & Co., at Mankato, Minnesota, and during that time took a 
tree claim in Grant county, South Dakota, in 1878, and moved to his new 
home in 1881. Since locating here he has devoted his attention to 
farming and stock raising and has brought his homestead from a bleak, 
barren stretch of prairie to a profitable farm and an attractive home. 
 
		In 1876, Mr. Ackerman was united in marriage to Miss Emma 
Roberts, the oldest daughter of Hiram and Angeline (Louden) Roberts. To 
this union have been born two children: Kenneth, who is now attending 
school; and Nellie, a school teacher and a graduate of the Milbank 
school. Mr. Ackerman is public-spirited and enterprising and is always 
ready to lend a helping hand to all matters pertaining to the upbuilding 
or strengthening of good local government or the advancement of the 
cause of education, and, by the gift of the citizens of his adopted 
township, he has held several of the local offices. Politically he is a 
Populist.