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Ackerman Story

Barbara Ackerman

Discovered that Barbara in not a child of Paul Ackerman Sr but was the wife of Paul Ackerman Jr.  I have merged her with Barbara Dougherty which is listed as Paul’s wife.

Updated information: Anna Margaretha did have a child by the name of Barbara born 13 Jun 1789. And Paul Jr married a Barbara Daugherty who was born about 1890.  Now it’s likely that Anna’s daughter was not the daughter of Paul Sr. Anna’s first husband Archie Olewine died in 1789 the same year Barbara was born. I don’t yet have a date for Archie’s death but Barbara is surely his daughter.

Another note: I have found many who have Anna Margaretha or as they have her Margaret Olewine with her death as 1789. However, they do not have any documentation showing her death. Most likely because she didn’t die but married Paul in 1800 and had another child Abraham. I suspect that any children born prior to 1789 were with Paul and Anna Maria. I am still searching for more information about Anna Maria. I am sticking with Anna Maria and Anna Margaretha being two different people.

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Ackerman Story

Anna Nancy (Baird) Ackerman

In our documentation we only had Nancy Baird as John’s wife. Over the years of research we discovered that her name is Anna Nancy Baird. However near as I can tell she never went by Anna. 

In the birth record for Maria they list her as Anna.

There may be some controversy on whether she is Baird, Bird, Beard or Byrd. 

During the early years of me researching Nancy, my thinking was that they’re son William and Keziah may have named their child Samuel Baird Ackerman after Nancy’s father. I have since gone away from that assumption. However I do believe that there may be a Samuel Baird in her family. 

Now a bit about who I have as Nancy’s parents. John Baird and Rachael Beard. This is another guess on my part. I have no records to prove this. The only thing I have to support it is that she fits with time frame and I believe there was an unknow female child with that time frame. So right now this is assumed. 

**** MORE RESEARCH NEEDED ****

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Ackerman Story

Paul Ackerman Jr.

Listed as Paul Aukerman Jr. Paul was born 18 Oct 1785  and died in 1877. He was baptised 4 Jun 1786 in Lancaster County PA. Paul is buried in Bear Graveyard Cumberland Co. PA.

Paul Jr married Barbara Dougherty 24 Dec 1812 • Salem Reformed Church, Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA.

Barbara Dougherty was born in 1790 in Pennsylvinia and died after 1860.

Paul Jr and Barbara had four children.

Phillip – 20 Feb 1806 – 5 Dec 1890 Shade Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
George William – 15 Feb 1807 – 12 May 1897 Shade Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
John – 25 Nov 1814 – 8 Mar 1895 Shade Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
Susan Ann (Lusk)- 1815 – 27 Oct 1876 Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania

Susan Ann Ackerman is verified by DNA match with me and Lusk. She married Robert Lusk III. Since this is a DNA match I figure we can call this line verified.

John Ackerman

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Ackerman Story

New Theory for Paul

Looking at the Lutheran Reformed Church records today. I am beginning to think that our Paul Ackerman who came to America in 1771 may have been married 3 times.

I see a record for Christening 4 June 1786 of Paul Jr where his mother was A Maria, or Anna Maria. John was born prior to Paul so we can assume that Anna Maria was also his mother.

Margaret and Catherine are mentioned in Pauls Will. Grouped together with John and Paul. I don’t have birth or Christening records for them. So may or may not have the same mother as John and Paul.

There is a record for Christening 8 Dec 1789 of Barbara listing her mother as Margaret. (maybe mother of Margaret and Catherine)

Then we have a record for Christening 23 Jun 1791 of Son Ackerman where it does not list a mother. This could mean that his mother was out of the picture possibly died at his birth and he lived a little while longer or that they are no longer together. I think if it was the latter she would still be listed.

Some are putting Paul’s wife as Anna Margaretha, however she was married until her husband Archibald Olewine died in 1789 and we have a marriage record for Paul and Anna Margaretha dated 1800.

With Margaret listed as mother to Barbara in 1789 and Paul listed in 1791 as the only parent of Son Ackerman my theory is that Margaret and son died at child birth or not far apart (again just a theory).

Since Margaretha’s Husband died in 1789. I just don’t think that Margaretha would be the mother of Barbara in 1789 if Barbara is in fact Paul’s daughter. Unless Barbara is Anna Margaretha and Paul is a Stepfather.

Here’s my theory,

Paul’s first wife was Anna Marie to which John and Paul were born. Margaret and Catherine we have no record except Paul’s Will. So it’s likely that Anna Maria is their mother but could be A Margaret. Barbara has A Margaret & Paul listed as parents possibly a second wife of Paul and died at Son Ackerman’s child birth. And since there is no more information on Barbara it’s possible she was already gone as well.

Paul meets Anna Margaretha sometime after 1781 and both of them being widowed have George in 1794, Henry in 1797 and Abraham in 1801 which are also grouped together in Paul’s Will. Barbara is not mentioned in Paul’s Will which also leads me to think she was already gone.

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Ackerman Story

Maria Sophia Stern

Some have Maria Sophia Stern (Gaelin/Gallie) as Paul Ackerman’s wife again with the same children as Anna Maria and/or Anna Margaretha. However I find no supporting documentation to support this.

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General Info

A Word About Ancestry.com

A great many family members have started a family tree on Ancestry. One thing you have to do with hints is view the supporting documentation/sources. If you just pull in info from member trees you may get wrong information and make a mess of your tree and information. I know because I’ve done it. When evaluating member trees in hints. Always before inporting the information check out the sources. I am not saying to always ignore the information. If may give you a “hint” to dig a little deeper. Also don’t just add a source without verifing the information in the source. Ancestry supplies hint based on “best available” information. I would say maybe 80% is accurate. But there is that 20% that may be wrong. Bottom line, check the sources.

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General Info

Notes about DNA

A few observations about DNA testing. I am finding very interesting information via DNA. Here is a little overview.

I did the Ancestry DNA test. Ancestry tests your Autosomal DNA which is pairs of 22 X and Y-Chromosome’s and one Sex.

I may do the Y-DNA (Y-Chromosome) at some point, Ancestry does not do Y. Males pass down the Y-Chromosome in it’s entirety from generation to generation. Mitochondrial DNA tests trace people’s matrilineal (mother-line) through their mitochondria, which are passed from mothers to their children.

You will get thousands of DNA matches. And Ancestry & My Heritage will show you how much Chromosones are matched. The higher the percentage the greater the match. For instance for mom there is this.

Shared DNA: 3,470 cM across 32 segments

Unweighted shared DNA: 3,470 cM

Longest segment: 203 cM

A centimorgan (abbreviated cM) is a unit of measure for the frequency of genetic recombination. 1 cM = 1% chance of a split/match.

Don’t get me wrong you can get matches on the Paternal side as well. For instance I have a match for a cousin that was adopted out. Born an Ackerman and was adopted out in the first year. I didn’t know about this cousin until 2020.

Shared DNA: 493 cM across 23 segments

Unweighted shared DNA: 493 cM

Longest segment: 55 cM

This is pretty definitive that he is my 1st Cousin 1x removed (my cousin’s son) whom we recently discovered. However I am unable to research him any further without knowing his birth father.

It is said that any match with less than 20 cM is unreliable. So tread lightly on those as possible. The key would be supporting source documentation.

There are many things you can gleen from DNA and I encourage you to go ahead and do it.

Ackerman Family