Biography Index

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 Genealogy Trails of

Jackson County Indiana

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WILLIAM ACKER is a native of Pittsburgh, Penn., and was born June 12, 1839, being the second son of John F. and Mary Magdalena Acker, who were natives of Bavaria. They immigrated to America and settled in Washington City in 1819; thence to Pittsburgh, Penn., where the subject of this sketch was born. John F. Acker followed wagon-making at this place. He removed with his family to Louisville, where the subject of this sketch followed huckstering until the age of twenty-one, when in contact with the busy work-a-day world, he learned many valuable lessons in human nature and business that have contributed largely to his subsequent successes. In February, 1860, he came to Jack-son County, and located at Dudleytown, where he established a country store, and continued in this business until 1881, when he was elected by the Democratic Party to the office of county treasurer in 1880, and was re-elected to the same office in 1882, his second term expiring August 15, 1885. In the administration of the affairs of this office he displayed marked abilities as a financier. Upon the incorporation of the Jackson County Bank, Mr.Acker was called upon to assume the position of cashier. He was elected to this office October 6, 1885. He is also the largest stock-holder in the bank, and to a great extent molds its financial policy. William Acker was united in marriage to Miss Annie Elizabeth Otte April 15, 1860. These children have been the issue of this union: Mary M., Elizabeth, Catharine, William, an infant (dead), John F., Charles, Ella and Johnnie. Mr. Acker has served the citizens of Washington Township as assessor for eight years and trustee for two years. Mr. Acker and wife are consistent members of the Lutheran Church. The subject of this sketch is pre-eminently a self-made man, and has steadily arisen from poverty to affluence. He has been faithful to every trust imposed upon him, and in every relation of life he has been an honest man and a perfect gentleman. .-- History of Jackson County, Indiana by Brant and Fuller, Chicago, 1886, Page 673

CONRAD ACKERET is a native of Switzerland. He was born January 22, 1812. In his twenty-sixth year he left his Alpine home, and immigrated to America to seek his fortune. He settled in Jackson County in January, 1835. He engaged to labor by the month. He was married, on the 16th of November, 1837, to Dorothea Werli. Six children were born to this happy couple, two only of whom are living: Solomon and Elizabeth. Mr. Ackeret has always followed the vocation of a farmer, and has been a man of prodigious energy and physical endurance; he has cleared over200 acres of land in Jackson County. He came to this county among some of the earliest of the pioneers, when wild game was still abundant, and the war whoop of the savage Indian had scarcely died away in the forest. He is a genial old Swiss gentleman, still retaining to a strong degree many of the predilections born of the Alps. He has one of the finest and most productive vineyards of the county, and his demonstrated, beyond a peradventure, that vine culture can be successfully carried on in this county. He manufactured over 500 gallons of wine from the vineyard about his residence in the year 1885. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife is a member of the German Methodist Church. In politics he is a Republican. .-- History of Jackson County, Indiana by Brant and Fuller, Chicago, 1886, Page 674

FRANK ACKERMAN, of Salt Creek Township, is a native of Switzerland, and was born October 16, 1824. Early in 1854he embarked for America, and in March landed at New York. From there he proceeded to Columbus, Ohio, and in that vicinity hired out to work on the farm. It is one of the curious coincidences that the woman who became his wife came over on the same ship and hired out to the same farmer, although they were then unacquainted. In September, 1854, they were married, and the result of this union has been eight sons: Joseph, Henry, John, Frank, Charles, Louis, Edward and William. In 1858 he moved to Dearborn County, where he remained until 1866. At that time he bought the farm in Jackson County, where he has ever since lived. He is a successful farmer, and they belong to the German Methodist Episcopal Church. - History of Jackson County, Indiana by  Brant and Fuller, Chicago, 1886, Page 737

WILLIAM ACTON, a resident of Salt Creek Township, was born in the township where he now lives, August 4, 1842. Heis the eldest son of Richard and Arena (Lorance) Acton, both natives of Kentucky. Farming has always been the occupation of Mr. Acton, and his whole life has been spent on the farm where he now resides. His education is such as the common schools of his day afforded, and is practical. Emily C. Knight, of Lawrence County, became his wife November 19, 1865, and to them have been born these six children: Addie E., Mariah A., Charles W., Clarence A., Mary I., and Alice E. In September, 1862, Mr. Acton enlisted in the Fiftieth Indiana Regiment, where he served until June, 1865. His politics are Democratic, and in1869 he was elected township assessor, but resigned. In 1878he was chosen trustee, and served four years. He is a member of the G. A. R. at Freetown. Both Mr. and Mrs. Acton are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and they are among the best and most influential people of the county. - History of Jackson County, Indiana by  Brant and Fuller, Chicago, 1886, Page 737

ELIAS M. ALTER, of Medora, comes of rather distinguished ancestry, who were originally of Swiss nationality, and are of the earliest families of Pennsylvania. He is the fourth child born to David M. and Margarett (Ritner) Alter; the former came to Indiana in 1853. His mother is the daughter of Gov. Joseph Ritner, who was governor of Pennsylvania at one time. Elias M. was born September 21, 1843, in Alleghany County, Penn., and came to Indiana with his father, who, together with his brother, were contractors in the construction of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, in 1852. They settled in Lawrence County, at the town of Lawrenceport. After the completion of the railroad enterprise he, with his parents, moved to Washington County, he then being fourteen years of age, and engaged in farming, which he followed until he entered the United States service, in 1862, in Company B of the Sixty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, where he served three years, his time expiring just about the close of the war. During his service he was with his regiment in every battle in which it took part. He was captured by the enemy at Richmond, but was paroled in a short time. After his discharge he attended school several terms, and became a teacher in the public schools, teaching in Lawrence, Bartholomew and Clarke Counties several terms. He moved to Medora in 1869, and took the position of salesman and book-keeper in the now firm of Henry Zollman &Co., which position he still holds. In 1882 he was elected trustee of Carr Township, and re-elected in 1884, which office he still holds, and has so conducted it as to give satisfaction to all. He has otherwise not been in public office. September 26, 1878, he was married to Sarah A. Poole, daughter of the late Col. John W. Poole; she was born September 5, 1852. To them have been born three children: Edwin M. (deceased), Blanche, born January 30, 1881, and Mabel, born July 13, 1883. Mr. Alter is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is a Republican in politics. He is a man of culture and ability. - History of Jackson County, Indiana by Brant and Fuller, Chicago, 1886, Page 629

PHILLIP D. APPLEGATE, was born January 17, 1809, in Clarke County, Ind. His father, Hezekiah Applegate, was born in Pennsylvania, but came to Clarke County in 1790, and afterward moved to Jackson County, which was about 1819. Philip D. is the fourth child in a family of nine, and spent all his earlier and best days on the farm. He spent five years in the bee culture and for eleven years has been in the drug trade in Vallonia. He was justice of the peace some years but otherwise has not been in public or official life. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and is a Republican in politics. In 1828 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Burge, daughter of Isaac Burge of Clarke County. To them were born seven children: Margaret, Ellen, Hezekiah, Charlotte, John, Mary A. and Elizabeth. December 13, 1871, he was again married to Mary Coffin, who was the-widow of Reuben Ramey, of Gallatin County, Ky. Mr. Apple-gate is one of nature's noblemen.-- History of Jackson County, Indiana by Brant and Fuller, Chicago, 1886, Page 647

JUDGE RALPH APPLEWHITE, the son of James and Mary (Reagan) Applewhite, natives of South Carolina and North Carolina, respectively, was born January 19, 1826, in Union County, Miss. His father fought under Gen. Jackson at the battle of New Orleans, and was conspicuous for his many acts of bravery. At the age of five the subject of this sketch moved with his parents to what was then called the "Indian Purchase," and settled in, Carroll County, Miss. The county at that time was almost a dense wilderness, and was inhabited by the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians, who were preparing to migrate to the Indian Territory west of the Mississippi. In this wild pioneer life young Applewhite entered and grew up amidst all these surroundings. His early advantages for an education were quite limited. He attended school in an old log schoolhouse where the principal theory was practically and at times forcibly taught that to spare the rod is to spoil the child  the rod was rarely spared. When about seventeen years of age he attended a select school in Natchez, Miss. In the spring of 1844 he went to Hanover College, in Jefferson County, Ind., and remained there for about two years. While at college he met and courted the lady who afterward became his wife. In 1846 he returned to Natchez, Miss., and studied law under Col. Lewis Sanders. In the fall of 1846 he entered the senior class in the law department of Louisville (Ky.) University, from which institution he graduated March 1, 1847. In March, 1847, he married Miss Josephine Brandt, at Hanover, Ind., and, to her the Judge owes of his success in life. To this union were born two sons and one daughter. The eldest son, Henry, is a farmer and resides on a farm in Owen Township. The next son, Jim, is associated with the Judge in the practice of law. The daughter is the wife of W. L. (Coon) Benton, and resides in St. Louis, Mo. In November, 1853, Judge A. came to Jackson County, where he has ever since resided and practiced his profession, except when holding official positions. He was judge of the common pleas court from October, 1860, until August, 1862, when he resigned and entered the army as captain of Company K, Sixty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, but resigned the following April on account of physical disability. In 1864 he returned to the practice of law. In 1867he was elected county auditor, and in 1870 reelected, holding that office eight years. He is now engaged in the practice of his profession, and has a large and lucrative business. But few men in this section of the State are more widely and favorably known than Judge Applewhite. As a lawyer he stands at the head of his profession.  - History of Jackson County, Indiana by  Brant and Fuller, Chicago, 1886, Pages 603, 604