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1. SUBJECT:

The Old Peter Acker Homestead

2. LOCATION:

About 8 miles north of Harrisonburg, Virginia, adjoining the old "Virginia" John Lincoln place; on State Road Route #260, east side. From Harrisonburg take Kratzer Road to intersection with route #260, turn west (left) at intersection with route #260, about six miles further on.

3. DATE:

First house of logs, supposed to have been built in the 1780’s, perhaps a little later; the present house about 1900.

4. OWNERS:

Handle Vance and John Vance from Jacob Lincoln and Michael Shank and from ???deed doesn’t say, June 4^th, 1780, B.R.D.B. #1, page 129.

Peter Acker and Christian sites from handle Vance, August 30, 1806, 103 acres. B.R.D.B. #1, page 129.

Anthony Acker from father, Peter Acker, April 12, 1826, by will. See B.R.D.B. #27, page 185.

Peter Acker from Wm. B. Smith, March 22, 1853, two tracts, 82 & 19—101 acres.

Peter Acker from widow and heirs of Anthony Acker, December 18, 1854, 103 ½ acres, B.R.D.B. #27, pages 184-5.

John Acker from Peter Acker estate.

Jeremiah Lineweaver from John Acker, March 1, 1904, $6,500 for 105 acres. D.B. #76, page 253.

C.L. Riddle, present owner, from Eliza Lineweaver, January 1, 1921, $18,000 for 105 acres, D.B. #120, page 120.

5. DESCRIPTION:

The original house of logs of the early pioneer type. Further description can not be given. House torn down about 1900.

6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:

Peter Acker (sometimes spelled Aucker), was a farmer and large landowner on Linville Creek, not far from Edom, Virginia. In 1806, his land holdings were 654 acres, these by purchase and possibly by survey. What is known as his homestead farm adjoins the old "Virginia" John Lincoln place on the north. In 1806, he and Christian Sites bought from Handle Vance, "One hundred…three acres more or less, including…acres sold to Handle Vance by Jacob Lincoln and Michael Shank. Jacob Lincoln, besides the lands he owned in his won right, inherited his father’s home place and the Acker home is the first house north of the old Lincoln homestead. A later conveyance of a part of the Acker place, in giving the boundaries, reads "103 ½ acres on east side of Linville Creek…Rebecca Lincoln thence with her lines &c". And another conveyance, march 1, 1904, "…corner to a white oak by a cedar corner to the old John Lincoln farm…" This indicates that Peter Acker was a neighbor to the Lincoln’s.

There is some question whether what is now known as the Lincoln Homestead is really the location on which Virginia John Lincoln built his home and in which he lived, or whether it is one of the places bought by his son, Jacob, and on which he built the present brick house Jacob inherited the home place from his father, Virginia John. The home plantation included a tract also devised by John to his widow, Rebecca, for her lifetime and, at her death, to his daughter, Rebecca Rymel. The "widow Rebecca", daughter of Enoch and Rebecca Flowers, following her husband’s death, lived with her daughter, Hannah Harrison. At the time Jacob took possession she was seventy years old, and shortly before Hannah’s death, John Hymel and his wife took her, 3^rd of August, 1803. She died 21^st, July, 1806. All the above seems to indicate that the present brick house is the original "Virginia" John Lincoln home plantation, though the front part of the present house was built by his son, Jacob, after he came into possession. This fact seems well enough established, even though it is disputed by some of our local historians.

The Ackers were farmers as are their descendants, though some are in the other avocations. Mr. J. Newton Swank and his brother, Mr. Ward Swank are residents of Harrisonburg, both born in the Linville or Edom section, both direct descendants of Peter Acker, being great grandsons; J.N. Swank is a prominent farmer and stockman and his brother, Ward Swank, one of the outstanding attorneys of the city. On the land book of 1806, Peter Aucker is listed with five tracts of land, totaling 654 acres.

In the War Between the States we find the following:

Acker, Isaac—4/18/1861, private in Company B., 7^th VA Calvary.

Acker, Jacob—4/18/1861, private in company B., 7^th VA Cavalry became the 4^th captain of Company B. Was promoted to major, 10^th VA. Infantry. Wounded at Reams Station, August 25^th, 1864.

Acker, John—private, Company B. 7^th VA Cavalry.

Acker, Peter, May 12, 1861, private, Company B, 7^th VA Cavalry, taken prisoner March 1862.

Isaac died near Broadway, Virginia, July 24^th, 1908.

Jacob died in Kansas after the war.

Peter died in Indiana about 1925.

7. ART:
8. SOURCES OF INFORMATION:

December 31, 1937 Geo. W. Fetzer

Harrisonburg, VA