That prosperity has come to many of the Grundy County agriculturalists is not due to luck but to a fortunate selection of location and persistent and intelligent working of the land. One of the retired farmers of this locality who developed his property into a very valuable place is James Aker of Vienna Township. He was born in Schoharie County, N. Y., February 9, 1844, a son of Jeremiah and Julia Ann (Granby) Aker, natives of Cairo, Greene County, N. Y., where they were married, but later went to Schoharie County that same state. In 1850 these parents came to Morris, Ill., later settling on a farm of eighty acres in Vienna Township, which the father developed from raw prairie into valuable land. His death occurred January 31, 1900.
James Aker attended the schools of Vienna Township, and lived with his mother until his marriage, following which he located on his present farm. This was partly improved, but he made many changes, including the erection of a comfortable residence and other modern buildings. On July 6, 1882, Mr. Aker was married by the Rev. W. A. Cumming, of Zion Methodist Church, to Cora A. Passage, born in Columbia County, Wis., April 30, 1865, a daughter of Joseph L. and Sarah L. (Seward) Passage. Mr. and Mrs. Aker have children as follows: Julia Alice, who is Mrs. Clarence E. Dewey, of Fort Morgan, Colo.; George B., who is Mrs. C. R. Winsor, of Norman Township, who has two children, Gordon A. and Alice H.; Mabel H., who is Mrs. O. T. Winsor of Norman Township, who has one daughter, Dorothy; Edna May, who is the wife of Will J. Trotter, of Coal City; Alta H., who is a trained nurse, of Morris, Ill.; Ruby E., who is at home, and Pearl E., who died in infancy. Mr. Aker belongs to the Zion Methodist Church of Norman Township, of which he has been a trustee since 1904. He has held several public offices, having been road overseer and school director for a quarter of a century, and town clerk for two terms. Logan Camp No. 1212, M. W. A., of Seneca, Illinois, holds his fraternal membership, and he is popular with his fellow lodge members as he is with all with whom he is brought in contact. On October 23, 1913, Mr. Aker moved to Mazon, Illinois, where he is living retired.
Source: 1914 History of Grundy County, Illinois
History of Grundy County, Illinois, page 752. Chicago, IL, USA: Munsell Publishing, 1914.
Recent Comments