William H Acker (abt. 1837)

Born about 1837 in Upper Canada

Husband of Lavina (Lefler) Acker — married about 1858 in Canada West

Husband of Almira (Gillis) Acker — married 20 Feb 1872 in Bayham, Elgin, Ontario, Canada

Descendants

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Biography

William was born about 1837. He was the son of Cornelius Acker and Mary Carr.^[1]

William married Lavina Lefler about 1858.^{[citation needed]} They lived in Oceana, Muskegon, Michigan in 1860, where he was doing 'month’s hand' work. A possible brother, Cornelius Acker, is also there as a month’s hand.^[2] By 1861, they had returned to Canada and were living with William’s father and stepmother, Bathsheba, in Middleton, Norfolk, Canada West.^[3]

William and Lavina had four children, including:

• Rhoda Ann Acker - born about 1859
• William Acker - born 1865
• James Adam Acker - born 1867
• Lavina Acker - born 1870^[4]

They lived in Woodhouse, Norfolk, Ontario in 1871, except for baby Lavina who had passed away.^[5]

William’s wife, Lavina, passed away about 1871. William married Almira Gillis on 20 Feb 1872 in Bayham, Elgin, Ontario.^[1] They had children, including:

• William Acker - born about 1874
• Anna Acker - born 1875^[6]
• Jannett Acker - born 1880^[7]
• Hanson Acker - born 1883^[8]

Research

• Rhoda Acker was not listed with her parents in Michigan in 1860, where her father was there as a "month’s hand". It is possible she was left with family in Canada. However, she is not listed on the 1861 census either, which could mean she was born later than 1859, possibly 1861, or 1862.
• FamilySearch currently show William as William Howey Acker, with parents John Howey and Bathsheba Thomas, or an alternative set of parents as Cornelius Acker and Bathsheba Thomas. William married Almira Gillis, whose mother was the daughter of John Howey and Bathsheba Thomas, which, if correct, would make Almira his niece and is very unlikely! The marriage record for the marriage of William and Almira show father, Cornelius, though FamilySearch attribute the mother’s surname of Carr to him. Bathsheba did have a son, William Howey, who lived with her and her husband, Cornelius Acker, in 1851, but this is not the same as William Acker with wife, Lavina, shown on the 1861 census living with Cornelius and Bathsheba Acker.
• FamilySearch show a further child of William and Almira, named William Leonard Acker. Further research required.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Canada, Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FMFR-VLK : 8 March 2021), William H Acker and Almira Gilless, 20 Feb 1872; citing registration , Bayham, Elgin, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,862,696.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWDD-78G : 18 February 2021), William H Acker, 1860.
3. ↑ "Census of 1861 (Canada East, Canada West, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia)", Surname: Acker, Given Name: William H, Gender: Male, Age: 23, Marital Status: Married, Place of Birth: Canada West, Religion: E Methodist, Province: Canada West (Ontario), District Name: Norfolk, Sub-District Name: Middleton, Page Number: 35, Line Number: 38, Microfilm: C-1052, Item Number: 1672589, Library and Archives Canada, 1861 Census
4. ↑ "Canada, Ontario Births, 1869-1912," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FM3S-D2S : 2 March 2021), William Acker in entry for Lavina Acker, 08 Sep 1870; citing Birth, Woodhouse, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada, citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,844,886.
5. ↑ "Canada Census, 1871," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M47L-XK3 : 7 April 2022), William Acker, Woodhouse, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada; citing 1871; citing National Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
6. ↑ "Canada, Ontario Births, 1869-1912," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNLL-X46 : 2 March 2021), William Ackre in entry for Anna Ackre, 21 Nov 1875; citing Birth, Middleton, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada, citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,845,047.
7. ↑ "Canada, Ontario Births and Baptisms, 1779-1899", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XLBM-Q6V : 13 February 2020), William Acker in entry for Jannett Acker, 1880.
8. ↑ "Canada, Ontario Births and Baptisms, 1779-1899", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FM7Z-76D : 13 February 2020), William Acker in entry for Hanson Acker, 1883.