Obituaries of Christian Ackerman Sr. and Anna Belsley Ackerman  |
(contributed by Roberta Buetel from a copy of a newspaper article.)

In Memoriam Christian Ackerman Sr. March 29, 1903

     After a long life, full of good work and kindness, the spirit of Christian Ackerman has passed to eternal rest, death occurring Sunday March 29, 1903.  His demise was apparently due to old age, although for some time he was troubled slightly with disorders of the stomach.
     Mr. Ackerman lived to be eighty nine years old, being born in 1813 near Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany.  He left Europe for America in 1838 and for the first six months settled near Hamilton, Ohio.  He then journeyed to Illinois, about three miles from Spring Bay, where he lived about 2 years.  He made his next move near Groveland wher he remained until 1851. He then moved on the farm now occupied by Gottlob Aupperle, where he lived for twenty years, then moving to Morton where he has since made his home.
     In 1839 he was married to Miss Anna Belsley, the surviving widow.  He also leaves four children: John Ackerman, Mrs Anna Wittmer, and Miss Lena Ackerman, all of Morton, and Mrs. Mary Rassi of Cissna Park, Ill.  His son Christian, met his death in that terrible boiler explosion on Sep 15, 1884.  A daughter, Mrs Lydia Hirstein died about eleven years ago.  Mr. Ackerman’s grand-children number 43 and his great grand-children 15.
     Mr. Ackerman was an exceptional husband and father and a true Christian man.  Generous in every charitable work, liberal in his benefactions to the poor and sick, tender of heart and touched by the suffering of others, his life was a benediction, abounding in every good word and work.  The poor and the suffering loose a generous friend in his death.  The greater part of his life was spent in the vicinity where he died, where all learned to esteem him for his kind and careful life and many virtues.
    The Funeral services were held at the German Apostolic Christian church, Tuesday afternoon, the Revs Zimmerman and Hohulin, of Goodfield officiating.  Relatives and friends from almost every surrounding town and many from a distance gathered to view the remains and pay the last tribute of respect to his memory. The words spoken by the officiating clergymen were full of tenderness and paid high tributes to the many virtues and good life of Mr. Ackerman.
    Interment took place in the Apostolic burying grounds.  A very large number of relatives and friends accompanied the remains to their last resting place.

In Memoriam   Anna Belsley Ackerman    May 2nd, 1903

    About a month ago occurred the death of Mr. Christian Ackerman at the age of 89 years, and Saturday May 2nd, his wife and life companion joined him in his eternal rest.
    Mrs. Ackerman died at the age of eighty-three.  She was born near Strassburg, Alsace in Germany, in the month of May 1820.  In 1837 Mrs. Ackerman came to America and was married to Mr. Christian Ackerman in the year 1839.  Her maiden name was Miss Anna Belsley.  There remain to morn her loss, four children: John Ackerman, Mrs Anna Wittmer, and Miss Lena Ackerman, all of Morton, and Mrs. Mary Rassi of Cissna Park, Ill.   Also one sister Mrs. Joseph Hauter, Sr., of Morton, and a brother, Christian Belsley residing at Roanoke, Ill.
     Mrs. Ackerman began to fail in health during the last few years and one year ago was seized with a paralytic stroke.  Since then she gradually grew weaker and Saturday last joined her lately deceased husband in death. 
     Her beautiful life was crowned by a religious belief that added to the earnestness of faith, the beauty of good example and the charm of a loving soul, which helped her to bear life’s trials without a murmur. 
     The funeral took place Monday from the Apostolic Christian Church, Rev.Rudolph Witzig officiating. Relatives and friends from all the nearby places gathered here to pay their respects to the departed.  The interment was in the Apostolic Christian Cemetery.