Joel was born July 28, 1837, in Schron, Essex County, New York, son of Henry and Sarah (Brown) Ackerman, both natives of that state. He died June 13, 1917, at Horseman, Barron Co., Wisconsin, aged 79 years, 10 months and 15 days, and was buried there in Cedar Lake Cemetery. His gravestone is inscribed "Joel R. Ackerman 1837 - 1917." Another gravestone in the family plot, possibly that of his father, is inscribed "Henry Ackerman Born May 14, 1816 Died Feb. 14, 1893."

Joel's father, a carpenter by trade, brought the family to Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1850, and here the mother died soon afterwards. Joel attended the school there and learned the carpenter trade from his father.

In 1874 he came to Barron County and took a homestead of 160 acres in Section 24, Doyle Township. This land was mostly covered with hard timber. He cleared a small tract built a log house and barn and started farming in the wilderness. Neighbors were few and far between and there were no roads except for the tote roads of the lumber companies. Provisions had to be bought from trading places many miles away. As time passed more and more land was cleared and the farm became profitable to the point that a frame house and barn were constructed. In 1904 the house was destroyed by fire and the family moved to Portland, Oregon, where they remained for little over a year, before returning to Doyle Township. They erected a new house on the farm and again conducted farming operations. He served terms as town treasurer and road commissioner. Their farm was called "Cold Spring Farm." Merton J. Ackerman eventually purchased the farm.

Joel was married twice with his first marriage April 5, 1858, Mary Gould, at Sheboygan, Wis. She died there in 1875. Their children were: Henry, Edward, John William, Celesta, Lorkia?; Alice, b. 1867; Clarence, b. 1869; Eva E., b. March 5, 1873; & Clara A., b. Aug. 30, 1875.

On March 18, 1878, Joel married Elizabeth Clarice Gould, nee Jeffers, at Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Elizabeth was born in Sep. 1, 1850, in New York, daughter of Freeman J. and Loley A. (Wilmot) Jeffers. She died in 1930 at 80 years of age and was buried beside the remains of her husband in Cedar Lake Cemetery. Her gravestone is inscribed "Elizabeth Ackerman 1850 - 1930." Their three known children, all born in Wisconsin, were: Hattie, b. 3 Jun 1882; Walter J., b. 5 Aug 1884, died 22 Jan 1927; & Merton J., b. 22 May 1892.

This was the second marriage for Elizabeth. Her first marriage was in 1865, to Caleb H. Gould, at Sheboygan, Wis. He died June 10, 1869. Their two children were, Alice L., b. 18 Jun 1869, and Clarence F. Gould, b. 28 Jun 1871.

Joel was a Civil War veteran having enlisted November 15, 1864, at La Crosse, Wisconsin, to serve one year as a Private in the 17th Wisconsin Infantry, and was mustered into Federal service the same day with Company E. At that time he was listed as a 28 year old, 5'9½ tall miller, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a dark complexion, born in Essex County, New York. On July 14, 1865, he was mustered out of Federal service with E at Louisville, Kentucky.

After his discharge, Joel returned to Wisconsin, where he resided in Sheboygan from 1865 to 1870; Vernon County from 1870 - 1871; Dunn County from 1871 - 1972; and Eau Claire, from 1872 - 1875. In 1875, he moved to Barron County, settling at Horseman, Doyle Township.

On July 28, 1890, Joel filed Application No. 876,101, for an Invalid Veteran's Pension, which was approved under Certificate No. 649,553. On January 19, 1917, Elizabeth Ackerman filed Application No. 1,104,386, for a Widow's Pension. There is no record of approval or rejection at the National Archives.

[Abstracted from Joel's pension file at the National Archives, Washington, DC and the History of Barron County, pages 732-733, published in 1922 by H.C. Cooper, Jr. & Co., Mpls, MN.]

OBITUARY

J. R. Ackerman passed away at his home June 13th, at 1:30 a.m. Had he lived until July 28th he would have been 80 years old. He was born in York state, coming to Wisconsin when he was 12 years of age.

Mr. Ackerman homesteaded the place where he died 42 years ago and lived there during that time with the exception of a year and a half which he spent in the West. He had a light stroke of paralysis in February, since which time he gradually failed.

The funeral was held at the home June 15th, at 1:30 p.m. There was a large attendance at the funeral of those who came to pay their last respects, and he was laid to rest in Cedar Lake cemetery. [Thursday, June 21, 1917, Rice Lake Chronotype, Rice Lake, Wisconsin.]