Acker Family Diaries

Collection

Identifier: SC 0095

Not requestable
Staff Only

Scope and Content

The Acker Family Diaries, 1880-1906, consist of one Hollinger box and contains the personal diaries of Rockingham County residents Isaac Acker and his son David. The elder Acker' s diaries span the years 1880-1906, while his son's cover 1889-1900. The diaries of both men are similar in that they discuss the day-to-day events in the lives of the Acker family. There is much overlap in the diaries as topics such as farming, weather, visiting, and daily chores appear frequently in both works. Other topics discussed in the diaries include weddings, funerals, church activities, and trips. The collection is arranged in three series: Isaac Acker Diaries, David C. Acker Diaries, and Indices.

Series 1, Isaac Acker Diaries, 1880-1906, comprises of brief entries describing daily family life, weather related observations, names of visitors, and work activities. There are numerous accounts of Isaac and his family going to the "Babtist Church" or the "Creek Church" on Sundays.

Series 2, David C. Acker Diaries, 1889-1900, consists of short accounts on farming, family, weather descriptions, and general day-to-day activities. There are no diary entries between September 3, 1889 and May 15, 1890.

Series 3, Indices, was compiled by local historian Agnes Kline and the Eastern Mennonite University Historical Library staff based on their copies of the diaries. The assistance of EMU is necessary to correlate entries from the index to the original diaries at JMU. The indices correspond to the Isaac Acker Diaries, 1880-1906, and the David C. Acker Diaries, 1897-1903, some of which are owned by the EMU Historical Library.

Dates

1880-1906

Creator

Acker, Isaac, 1832-1908 (Person)

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Biographical Information

Both Isaac and David Acker were avid farmers, devoted to agriculture, with an interest in carpentry. Isaac (1832-1908), born near Broadway, served in the Confederate Army as an orderly sergeant in the 7th Virginia Cavalry under Generals Turner Ashby and Thomas L. Rosser. He married Sallie V. Shoup (nee Shirkey), widow of Captain J.C. Shoup on November 11, 1868.

David C. Acker (1869-1959), son of Isaac, was influential in founding the Rockingham County Farm Bureau, where he served as president for many years. He also served as director of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and was a member of both the Agricultural Advisory Council of Rockingham County and the Agricultural Conference Board of Virginia. In addition, David was president of the First National Bank of Broadway and secretary-treasurer of the Rockingham Mutual Telephone and Telegraph Company. David married Martha M.B Sellers on April 6, 1906 and fathered three children with her.

Extent

0.4 cubic feet (1 Hollinger box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in three series:

Isaac Acker Diaries, 1880-1906
David C. Acker Diaries, 1889-1900
Indices

Acquisition Information

The collection is on deposit by contract from the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society.

Related Material

Acker Diaries, 1880-1959, Eastern Mennonite University Historical Library, Harrisonburg, Va. (Photocopies of original diaries held by JMU)

Bibliography

Couper, William. History of the Shenandoah Valley: Family and Personal Records, V.3. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1952.
Wayland, John W. Men of Mark and representative citizens of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Virginia. Staunton, Va: The McClure Company, Inc., 1943.

Processing Information

In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. This collection was previously cataloged as SC 2050.