Berend William Ackerman was born February 4, 1848, at Neermon, Eastfriesland Germany, and after an illness of a few weeks passed away, May 7, 1930, attaining the age of 82 years, 3 months and 3 days. As a boy he always dreamed of the sea and at the age of 14 years he became a sailor and was thus engaged for 5 years. Thru the death of his mother, his father had preceded her, it was necessary for him to be at home. It was always the desire of his mother that he and his sisters should join his oldest sister who had migrated to America. In the same year, 1867, he sought employment on the ship on which his sisters were to sail, in which he succeeded, thus receiving a free passage to his new home. They came to Freeport, Ill., where he was employed at various tasks. Having decided to make America his future home he took every opportunity to acquire the English language, attending both day and night school.

In 1870, he left Illinois and came to Grundy county, Iowa, where he purchased a small farm and where he resided the last 60 years of his life. On April, 1875, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Hayunga. This union was blessed with 7 sons and 6 daughters, of which one daughter, Nancy, passed away in 1904, at the age of 21 years. He lost his wife in February, 1920. Those surviving and mourning his departure are his children, Elmer, Lula, Mrs. Nettie Best, Mrs. Clara Rieher, Thomas Charley and Mrs. Elizabeth Wiarda, all of Grundy county. Fred of Ackley, Mrs. Rena Wiarda of Marble Rock, William of Earlham, and Ben and John of Allison, Iowa. Twenty-two grandchildren, his two sisters, Mrs. Weasel Bushal of Parkersburg, and Mrs. Dena Miller of Ackley, Iowa, besides other relatives and friends.

Funeral services, conducted by the pastor of Westfriesland Presbyterian church, of which the deceased and his wife were members since 1886, were held Saturday afternoon. His body was laid to rest in the family lot of the cemetery.

--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 14 May 1930

∼Berend William Ackerman was born February 4, 1848, at Neermon, Eastfriesland Germany, and after an illness of a few weeks passed away, May 7, 1930, attaining the age of 82 years, 3 months and 3 days. As a boy he always dreamed of the sea and at the age of 14 years he became a sailor and was thus engaged for 5 years. Thru the death of his mother, his father had preceded her, it was necessary for him to be at home. It was always the desire of his mother that he and his sisters should join his oldest sister who had migrated to America. In the same year, 1867, he sought employment on the ship on which his sisters were to sail, in which he succeeded, thus receiving a free passage to his new home. They came to Freeport, Ill., where he was employed at various tasks. Having decided to make America his future home he took every opportunity to acquire the English language, attending both day and night school.

In 1870, he left Illinois and came to Grundy county, Iowa, where he purchased a small farm and where he resided the last 60 years of his life. On April, 1875, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Hayunga. This union was blessed with 7 sons and 6 daughters, of which one daughter, Nancy, passed away in 1904, at the age of 21 years. He lost his wife in February, 1920. Those surviving and mourning his departure are his children, Elmer, Lula, Mrs. Nettie Best, Mrs. Clara Rieher, Thomas Charley and Mrs. Elizabeth Wiarda, all of Grundy county. Fred of Ackley, Mrs. Rena Wiarda of Marble Rock, William of Earlham, and Ben and John of Allison, Iowa. Twenty-two grandchildren, his two sisters, Mrs. Weasel Bushal of Parkersburg, and Mrs. Dena Miller of Ackley, Iowa, besides other relatives and friends.

Funeral services, conducted by the pastor of Westfriesland Presbyterian church, of which the deceased and his wife were members since 1886, were held Saturday afternoon. His body was laid to rest in the family lot of the cemetery.

--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 14 May 1930


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1880 United States Federal Census
NAME: Ben Ackerman
AGE: 30
BIRTH YEAR: abt 1850
BIRTHPLACE: Prussia
HOME IN 1880: Pleasant Valley, Grundy, Iowa
RACE: White
GENDER: Male
RELATION TO HEAD OF HOUSE: Self (Head)
MARITAL STATUS: Married
SPOUSE'S NAME: Libbe Ackerman
FATHER'S BIRTHPLACE: Pru.
MOTHER'S BIRTHPLACE: Pru.
NEIGHBORS: View others on page
OCCUPATION: Farmer
HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS:
NAME AGE
Ben Ackerman 30
Libbe Ackerman 22
Lizze Ackerman 4
Renie Ackerman 2
William Ackerman 4m

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1900 United States Federal Census
NAME: Bernd Akkerman
AGE: 52
BIRTH DATE: Feb 1848
BIRTHPLACE: Germany
HOME IN 1900: Pleasant Valley, Grundy, Iowa
RACE: White
GENDER: Male
IMMIGRATION YEAR: 1867
RELATION TO HEAD OF HOUSE: Head
MARITAL STATUS: Married
SPOUSE'S NAME: Elizabeth Akkerman
MARRIAGE YEAR: 1875
YEARS MARRIED: 25
FATHER'S BIRTHPLACE: Germany
MOTHER'S BIRTHPLACE: Germany
OCCUPATION: View on Image
NEIGHBORS: View others on page
HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS:
NAME AGE
Bernd Akkerman 52
Elizabeth Akkerman 42
William Akkerman 20
Fredrick Akkerman 18
Nanna Akkerman 16
Folkert Akkerman 13
Mattie Akkerman 11
Benjamin Akkerman 9
Temms Akkerman 7
Clara Akkerman 5
John Akkerman 3
Lenora Akkerman 1

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1910 United States Federal Census
NAME: Ben Ackerman
AGE IN 1910: 62
BIRTH YEAR: abt 1848
BIRTHPLACE: Germany
HOME IN 1910: Pleasant Valley, Grundy, Iowa
RACE: White
GENDER: Male
IMMIGRATION YEAR: 1867
RELATION TO HEAD OF HOUSE: Head
MARITAL STATUS: Married
SPOUSE'S NAME: Lizzie Ackerman
FATHER'S BIRTHPLACE: Germany
MOTHER'S BIRTHPLACE: Germany
NEIGHBORS: View others on page
HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS:
NAME AGE
Ben Ackerman 62
Lizzie Ackerman 52
Fred Ackerman 27
Charles Ackerman 23
Nettie Ackerman 21
Ben Ackerman Jr. 19
Thomas Ackerman 17
Clara Ackerman 15
John Ackerman 13
Lula Ackerman 11
Elmer Ackerman 8

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Iowa, State Census Collection, 1836-1925
NAME: Berend Ackerman
AGE: 76
BIRTH YEAR: abt 1849
BIRTH PLACE: Germany
RESIDENCE DATE: 1 Jan 1925
RESIDENCE PLACE: Pleasant Valley, Grundy, Iowa, USA
RACE: White
GENDER: Male
RELATION TO HEAD: Head
MARITAL STATUS: Widowed
FATHER: Wm Ackerman
FATHER AGE: 76
FATHER BIRTH YEAR: abt 1849
FATHER BIRTH PLACE: Germany
NEIGHBORS: View others on page
HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS:
NAME AGE
Berend Ackerman 76
John Ackerman 28
Nettie Ackerman 32
Clara Ackerman 30
Lulu Ackerman 25