Ahnentafel #48 - Jacob Erkmann

Tombstone that is now
in Maple Ridge Cemetery

Jacob F. Erkmann / Jakob F. Erkmann

Born: March 17, 1807, Hesse Darmstadt, Germany
Died: October 14, 1875, White County, Illinois

Buried: Burrell's Woods near Carmi, Illinois. This cemetery which was on Jacob's property has disappeared and is now a cornfield.  Jacob's tombstone was moved to Maple Ridge Cemetery in Carmi.

Married:
1) Katherine Warner 1831 in Germany, divorced 1852 White Co., IL
2) Louisa Hoffman Aug. 20, 1859 in Indiana

Occupation: farmer

Religious Affiliation: Jacob Erkmann was listed as a founding father of St. John's United Church of Christ in White County.  Several allied families were members of the congregation. 

St. John's United Church of Christ congregation had its beginning in 1858, when sixteen families living in what was then "Barth Settlement," met early in February.  Their purpose to organize and build a church.

 Marx Barth, Gottlieb Lichtenberger and Conrad Ziegler were elected as trustees, and served as a committee to initiate the arrangements and organize the program for the venture.

Marx Barth donated three acres of land on which the church would be built, and it has remained the site of St. John's Church.  On February 19,  1858 title to this property was transferred by Marx and Ann Elizabeth Barth to the trustees of St. John's congregation.

During the spring and summer of 1858 much activity took place on the new church site.  Timber was cut, logs shaped, stumps were grubbed out.  While Abe Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas were canvassing Illinois and debating the deep and important social problems and political issues of the times, the hard-working men of St. John's Church were busy hewing logs and building their new church.  They not only implemented the memorable words of Lincoln, "A house divided against itself cannot stand," but also an even more memorable saying of our Lord, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that goeth forth out of the mouth of God."

In a true pioneer spirit, transmounting whatever difficulties presented themselves, they at last beheld the fruit of their labors.  On October 17, 1858, they were able to dedicate their modest log church which measured twenty by thirty feet.

Rev. John Grossow came over from Mt. Vernon, Indiana, on October 17 to officiate at the first service of St. John's congregation and to dedicate the church.  Consequently, that date became memorable in the life of the congregation.  Sixteen families constituted the group, and its legal  officers were Marx Bartha, Gottlieb Lichtenberg and Christian Buehler.

On that day, the congregation resolved to continue to hold services as regularly as possible. The day of dedication also witnessed the baptism of four children: Eva Dorothy Lichtenberger, George Ziegler, John Albert Menke, and Marie Wagner.

No designated list of charter members has been found, but among the founding fathers, according to the earliest written church records available, the following names appear:  Marx Barth, Gottlieb Lichtenberger, Conrad Ziegler, Hermann Menke, John Wagner, Carl Koch, Henry Becker, Christian Buehler, Christopher Wageneck, Joseph Geiger, Bernhard Jacob, Ludwig Bachman, Wilhelm Schmidt, John Jung, Johann Becker, Jacob Erkmann, Andres Kallenbach and Simon Burkhardt. [German Pioneers Helped Build St. John's" unidentified White County IL newspaper, 9/1994]

Immigration:
1839 Jacob, his wife Katherine and son Jacob immigrated to the U.S.
1839-ca. 1846 the family lived in Holmes County, Ohio
ca. 1847 Jacob moved to White County, IL

Census:
1840 not found on census

1843 Ohio, Holmes Co. - Jacob is listed in Walnut Creek Twp.

1850 Illinois, White Co. - age 43, Jacob is a framer with $500 worth of real estate

1850, May 7 - Illinois, White Co., Carmi Twp. - Jacob purchased 121 acres from Walter White, Vol. I, p. 411, N1/2 SE1/4; NE1/4 SW1/4 & 1 1/4 acres out of the SW1/4 NE1/4, Sec. 11, T5S, R9E

1852, Feb. 11 - Illinois, White Co., Carmi Twp. - Jacob sold 80 acres to Charles Williams, Vol. K, p. 309 - N1/2 SE1/4, part of SW1/4, NE1/4 Sec. 11, T5S, R9E

1854, Feb. 11 - Illinois, White Co., Carmi Twp. - Conrad Bruder sold 38.91 acres to Jacob Erkman, Vol. L, p. 627 - NW1/4, NE1/4 Sec. 2, T5S, R9E

1855 not found on census

1860 Illinois, White Co. - age 53, Jacob is listed as "Irkman," living with his second wife who was 24.

1865 Illinois, White Co. - age 58, Jacob's livestock is valued at $400 and he has 8 pounds of wool.

1870 Indiana, Posey Co., Marrs Twp. - Farmers' Record, owned land:

• SW1/4, NW1/4 Sec. 18, T6, R12, 40 acres 
• N1/2, NE1/4, SE1/4, Sec. 18, T6, R12, 20 acres

1870 Illinois, White Co. - age 63, Jacob owned $3000 worth of real estate and $425 of personal property

Will:  Dated December 10, 1874, probated October 18, 1875

Last Will & Testament of Jacob Erkman Sr. deceased 

Filed October 18th 1875
Probated Oct. 18th, 1875

Know all men by these presents that I Jacob Erkman of the county of White and State of Illinois being about sixty seven years of age and weak in body but of sound mind and memory do make, endorse and establish this to be my last will and testament, hereby revoking all others:

It is my will that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid.

I leave to my beloved wife what the laws of this state provide believing them sufficiently liberal.

I give and bequeath to my son Jacob Erkman five dollars.

To my daughter Clara Erkman I give five dollars.

To my son John G. Erkman I give five dollars.

I devise will and bequeath all my property not above disposed of of every kind real personal and mixed equally to my four youngest children now living to wit Catharine Erkman, Frederick Erkman, Martin Erkman and Magdalan Erkman the last named is my youngest child, to be divided equally between my four children last above named, and should any other child or children be born to me hereafter it is my will that said child or children shall share and receive an equal amount of my estate with the last named for children. And if either of my said four last named children shall die before I do then the surviving children of the last named four to take the part that would have belonged to the one that dies.

I hereby declare this to be my last will and testament revoking all former wills by me made and ratifying and confirming this and none other to be my last will and testament.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 10 day of December 1874.

Jakob Erkmann

Signed sealed published and delivered by the said Jacob Erkman as and for his last will and testament in presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each and at his request have subscribed our names as witness thereto on the day and year last above written.

Jasper Partridge, Thomas G. Parker

1876 - Feb. 19 Louisa (Hoffman) Erkman age 39 married Christian Dexheimer age 32

Upon Louisa (Hoffman) Erkman's death in April 1888 her children went to court to divide the property and make provisions for the two minor children, Martin and Magdalena.

Children of Jacob & Katherine (Warner) Erkman:

Jacob
Clara b. 11/10/1839 OH, d. 5/10/1917 IL md. Joseph Anton Maier 8/7/1865

• Samuel b. 8/27/1866, d. 9/7/1866
• Katherine Elizabeth b. 7/2/1868, d. 9/7/1868
• Lydia Rebecca b. 6/15/1872, d. 5/8/1873
• Reuben Anton b. 7/8/1874, d. 1952 md. 1) Effie Hughes 3/8/1897 & 2) Mabel Ritsch 1905, children: Joseph, Clara, William, Ruby, Ronald, Frank

Elizabeth b. 10/1840 OH, d. 9/1852 IL
Katherine b. 10/1841 OH, d. 4/27/1862 IL
John Gottlieb b. 8/22/1843 OH, d. 12/18/1893 md. Catherine Margaret Burkhardt 4/25/1866

• Unnamed son
• Susan b. 7/31/1867, d. 11/5/1946 md. Samuel Kallenbach 4/12/1894 Children: Lawrence, Marcus, Ruth, Arthur
• John b. 6/27/1871, d. 11/26/1934 md. Mary Wiegele 7/31/1890 Children: unnamed child, Mamie, Elizabeth, William, Everett, Clarence, Irene, Mary, George, Mildred
• Joseph b. 8/10/1874, d. 8/7/1931 md. Laura Bingman 6/26/1901 Child: Ruby
• Anna May b. 9/13/1877, d. 1949 md. Isaac Leathers 9/28/1898 Children: Alvin, Mildred
• William Ernest b. 9/8/1881, d. after 1958 md. Katherine Spencer 1903 Children: May, Chauncey, Genevieve, Clarence
• Charles Arthur b. 3/25/1884, d. 1/7/1947 CO md. Mary Lichtenberger ca. 1920 Children: Mary, Alma, Paul, Wayne, Celeste
• Roy Edward b. 12/17/1886, d. 1976 md. Dora Agnes Lichtenberger 1/7/1914 Children: Roy, Harry, John, Chelsea [Dora & Mary Lichtenberger were sisters]
• Harry Benjamin b. 8/9/1889, d. 5/23/1989 NY never married
• Katherine Margaret b. 5/24/1892, d. 1969 md. John Bruner ca. 1925 no children

Children of Jacob & Louisa (Hoffman) Erkman:

Katherine b. 1861, d. 1938 md. 1) Asher Stokes, 1883 & 2) Robert Rhoads

• Lula Ethel b. 1884, d. 1941 md. 1) Elvis Parker, 2) Henry Cooper & 3) Harley Yates children: Camilla Parker, Raymond Cooper & Gerald Yates?
• Ella Marie b. 1890, d. 1941 md. 1) James Taylor & 2) Lester Baldwin, child: Robert Taylor
• Edward 
• Wesley b. 1893, d. 1914

Frederick b. 1865, d. 1/23/1900
Martin b. 1/18/1870, d. 1958 md. Mary (Schauberger) Durling 1/4/1894 this was her second marriage. She married 1) Benjamin Durling

• Elvis Frederick, b. 1894, d. 1985 md. Emma Veatch 1916, children: Fern & Mary
• Louis Nolan b. 1896, d. 1954 md. Ruth Hubele, children: Jean, Ellen, Dixie, Dorothy, Howard
• Donald George b. 1898, d. 1971
• Ruth Ivor b. 1900 md. Lawrence Brown 1924
• Ivan Martin b. 1903 md. Verna (--?--), child: Mary
• Beulah Louise b. 1906, d. 1993
• Dorothy Elma b. 1908 md. (--?--) Wallace
• Helen Isabel b. 1910, d. 2007 md. Homer Alred

Magdalena b. 1/1874, d. 1924, md. 1) John Leasure 1888, 2) James Smith 1911 & 3) Alison Bryan 1918

• Myrtle May Leasure b .1892, d. 1978
• Charlie Arthur Leasure b. 1894, d. 1950
• Frank Leasure b. 1896, d. 1978
• John Leon Smith b. 1915, d. 1988

Revised 6/22/2020