John J. Ackerman, who has passed the ninetieth milestone on life’s journey, is one of the venerable and respected residents of Cedar county, within the borders of which he has made his home for practically seven decades. He followed farming and stock-raising throughout his active business career and at one time owned more than five hundred acres of valuable land in this county. He still retains a farm of two hundred and thirty-three acres in Inland township and resides thereon with his daughter, the place being operated by his son-in-law.
His birth occurred in Wurtemberg, Germany, on the 6th of October, 1819, his parents being Matthias and Christina Ackerman. In 1831 they crossed the Atlantic to the United States, arriving in New York on the 1st of October of that year. While en route to Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, which was their destination, they stopped at the Black Bear Hotel in Philadelphia, our subject being just twelve years old on that day. A short time after their arrival in Lancaster county the mother passed away. The following spring John J. Ackerman went to Louisville, Kentucky, with his father, while in September, 1832, he located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. In the spring of 1833 he went to Cincinnati, where he was apprenticed to the baker’s trade, there remaining for two and a half years. On the expiration of that period he returned to Crawfordsville, ville, Indiana, with his father and was there engaged in the grocery business for four years.
In the spring of 1839 Mr. Ackerman came to Iowa, crossing the Mississippi river at Rockingham, seven miles below Davenport. Thence he made his way to Posten’s Grove, in what was then known as Springfield township, Cedar county, which included what is now Massillon, Springfield and Inland townships. James Posten, the first settler in Inland township, was living there at that time. Mr. Ackerman here turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits and met with excellent success in his undertakings, accumulating more than five hundred acres of land. In connection with the tilling of the soil he was also engaged in stock-raising, which branch of his business added materially to his income. He still retains a farm of two hundred and thirty-three acres in Inland township, where he resides with his daughter Nancy and her husband. At the time of the gold excitement in California he crossed the plains to that state, leaving Iowa by wagon on the 7th of March, 1850, and reaching his destination on the 28th of July of that year. He was successful in his search for the precious metal and returned to this state in 1852, in which year his father died.
Mr. Ackerman has been married twice. On the 3d of August, 1852, he wedded Miss Nancy Scarlet, who passed away on the 10th of September, 1864, leaving four children, as follows: Amanda Ann, whose natal day was July 8, 1853; George W., who was born May 2, 1857; Nancy N., whose birth occurred May 29, 1859; and Catherine C., born March 22, 1863. For his second wife Mr. Ackerman chose Mrs. Nancy J. Reader, whom he wedded on the 8th of January, 1868.
Mr. Ackerman is a republican in his political views and served as one of the first trustees of Inland township. He cast his first presidential ballot for Martin Van Buren and in1868 became a republican, having since supported all the candidates at the head of that party with the exception of Taft. In religious faith he is a Lutheran, while fraternally he has been identified with the Masons since 1865. Though now in the ninety-first year of his age, he is still bright and active and has the appearance of a much younger man. He attributes his long life to the fact that he has always endeavored to follow his mother’s dying request and to live honestly and temperately and to help the poor and needy. No good work in the name of charity or religion has ever sought his aid in vain and generosity has always been one of his most salient characteristics.
