Family History

Cornelius Acord [722] is the first Acord ancestor for whom we have a record, born about 1760. He first appears in Frederick County, Maryland (now West Virginia). Frederick County, Maryland was largely settled by Palatine and German immigrants from Pennsylvania in the late 18th century. Researchers disagree about whether he was born in Maryland or immigrated there from Germany. There is little doubt that he is of German descent. 

The earliest official record of Cornelius is in his pension application for service in the Maryland Continental Line during the American Revolutionary War. He enlisted in the Maryland Line at the age of 16 on 17 December 1776 at Frederick County, Maryland and served as private in Captain Jonathan Morris' Company of Colonel Gunby's regiment and later Captain Henry Hardin’s Company (5th New York Regiment). Cornelius fought in the Sullivan's Raid on Staten Island on 22 August 1777. In that raid he was received a musket ball wound in the right thigh and was taken prisoner. After the raid he was exchanged and went on to fight in the battles of Brandywine on 10 and 11 September 1777 and Germantown 4 October 1777. The battle of Brandywine was significant for several reasons. First, Captain Ferguson commanded a unit of 100 specially picked and trained British riflemen and guerrilla fighters, this is the first time that sniper and guerrilla warfare was used by the British Army. His tactics were not very popular with the British command, but proved extremely effective. Second, just hours before the battle began, Captain Ferguson had General George Washington in his gun sights. From nearby woods Ferguson tracked Washington on horseback as he maneuvered his troops. Ferguson did not take this easy shot and thus change the course of history, later stating that he could not in good conscience shoot a soldier in the back, certainly not one doing such an admirable job of commanding his troops. Cornelius served until 8 December 1779 when he was discharged at North Westpoint, New York. 

After the war Cornelius relocated to Lincoln County, North Carolina. It appears that a number of German immigrants from Frederick County made the move to this new German settlement. There he met and married his wife Barbara 'Barbary' Eaker on 28 January 1784. Surety for the marriage bond was provided by Peter Scrum and James Dickson served as witness. Barbara was born 30 November 1764 in Tyron (became Lincoln County in 1779), [Note: The only record found so far is Cornelius' pension application which states that Barbara is 45 in 1822, placing her birth date about 1777] North Carolina. In the late 18th and early 19th century Lincoln County, North Carolina had a large German population. Land records indicate that at least some migrated from Frederick County, Maryland.

In 1806 Cornelius sold his land in Rutherford County, North Carolina and relocated the family to Roane County, Tennessee where he and Barbara stayed the rest of their lives. Barbara died in Roane County on 2 November 1839 and Cornelius died eight days later on 10 November 1839. Cornelius and Barbara are reportedly buried in Bowers Cemetery in Roane County with his grave may be inscribed "Cronamus Acree." However no grave markers exist today.

Children of Cornelius Acord and Barbara Eaker are::

1. Catherine Acord b. about 1791, Lincoln County, North Carolina.

2. Jonas Acord, b. between 1790 and 1800 in Lincoln County, North Carolina; d. after 1840, Madison County, Alabama or Davidson County, Tennessee.

3. Joseph Acord, b. about 1793, Lincoln County, North Carolina; m. Elizabeth Lane on 20 Apr 1814, Roane County, TN; d. Unknown.

4. Elizabeth Acord, b. 1794; d. Unknown; m. William Shull, about 1813; b. about 1791.

5. John Acord, b. 18 Feb 1797, Lincoln County, North Carolina; d. Feb 1866, Lamar County, Texas; m. Sarah Turner 28 Jul 1819, Roane County, Tennessee

6. Cornelius Acord, b. 1800, Lincoln County, North Carolina; d. 14 Feb 1853, Cedar County, Missouri; m. Sarah Stewart on 10 Jan 1822, Roane County, Tennessee

7. David Acord, b. about 1802, Lincoln County, North Carolina; d. 9 Jun 1860, Madison County, Alabama; m. Elizabeth Hartley in 1822, Roane County, Tennessee.

8. Christina 'Creesy' Acord, b. about 1806, Roane County, Tennessee; m. Covington Allen, 06 Feb 1822, Roane County, Tennessee; b. about 1803, Roane County, Tennessee.

9. Louisa Acord, b. 1808, Roane County, Tennessee; m. Reubin Lewis on 4 Oct 1827, Roane County, Tennessee.

Bibliography

• Patricia Law Hatcher, Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots, Vol I A-D, page 3.
  Cornelius Acord. Burial at Bowers Cemetery, Roane County, Tennessee. Daughters of the American Revolution National #474903 A664.

• DAR, Twenty-seventh Report of the National Society of the DAR, March 1, 1923 - March 1 1924, page 122.

• American Revolutionary War Veterans Pension #39145, Private Record Group 15, State of Maryland.
  Cornelius Acord is identified as Cronamus Acre.

• Daniel Wunderlich Nead, M.D. (Univ. of PA), The Pennsylvania-German in the Settlement of Maryland, Part XXV of a Narrative and Critical History Prepared at the Request of the Pennsylvania-German Society.
  Originally published by The Pennsylvania-German Society, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 1914, reprinted Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., Baltimore, 1975. Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 75-7961, ISBN 0-8063-0678-5. Pages 222-223. Captain Henry Hardman's Company in the Flying Camp. Officers, Captain Henry Hardman, 1st Lt. Daniel Stull, 2nd Lt. Peter Contee Hanson, Jona. Morris. Conomus Acre [Cornelius Acord] is listed as a Private.

• Genealogical Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files, Volume I; abstracted by Virgil D. White; page 8
  Acre, Cronamus or Cornelaus Acord S39145, MD Line, appl 14 May 1818 Roane County, TN aged 58 (moved to Roane County TN in 1806), enl Frederick County, MD & was wounded and taken prisoner in Battle of Staten Island, in 1822 wife Barbara aged 45, children Catherine 31, David 19, Christiana 15 & Louisa 14 yrs.

• Newman, Harry Wright. Maryland Revolutionary Records. Baltimore, MD: Maryland Archives, 1938.
  Cronamus Acre, born 1760, Maryland Line, Comment: Prisoner
• DAR, Twenty-seventh Report of the National Society of the DAR, March 1, 1922 - March 1 1923, page 122.
  Acree, Crocamus. Bowers Graveyard [Roane County, Tennessee]; Mary Blount Chapter.

• Revolutionary War Records, National Archives.
  Chronamiro Acre, Private, 7th Maryland Regiment

• The Rockwood Times, Rockwood, TN, Thursday, 10 Mar 1910, Vol. XXX, No. 10.
  Local History. Soldiers of the Revolutionary War Who Were Buried In Roane County. by Capt. W.E. McElwee.
  Names mentioned: Samuel Walker, Wm. Smith, Jas. Wood, Harry Lee, Gen. Robert E. Lee, Robert Crow, Uriah Rector, Samuel Kindrick, Cumberland Rector, John Bowman, Col. J.W. Bowman, John Walker, James Walker, Wm. Willis, Cronimus Acre, Thomas Crumbliss, Henry Crumbliss, David Blevins, Wm. Mead, James McElwee, Wm. White, Richard White, James McElwee, Joseph Overton, John McCown, John Hood, Peter Avory, John Staples, Ben Staple, Ahiga Snow.
• 1784: Marriage Bonds of Tyron and Lincoln County, North Carolina, compiled by Curtis Bynum, 1929.
  Cornelius Eker (Ecre) x, Barery Eker 29 Jan 1784; Surety: Peter x Scrum; Witness: James Dickson.

• 1800 Federal Census, Rutherford County, North Carolina
  Page 93, Cornelius Achor
• 1806 Rutherford County, North Carolina Land Deeds
  Book 22-23, Page 600
  Achard, Cornelius to Bradley, Willis -  Deed - filed 1806  
• 1808: 1807–1813 Surveys Roane County, Tennessee
  James R. Rogers. S#205 7-28-1808. E#273 3-22-1808. 43 acres on waters of Tennessee River. Beginning on line of an entry by said Rogers. SCC: Cornelius Acreed, John Weren. Lifted 12-10-1808.
• War of 1812 Muster Rolls, Tennessee
  John Akard,    Private, 5th Regiment (Booth's) East Tennessee Militia, #602
  Daniel Turner, Private, 5th Regiment (Booth's) East Tennessee Militia, #602
• Tennessee Genealogical Records: Records of Early Settlers from State and County Archives, Edythe Rucker Whitley, 1980
  Some Tennessee Soldiers of the War of 1812
  Page 179, Jonas Acord
  Page 180, John Akard
• War of 1812 Muster Rolls, National Archives, Washington, DC
  Roll Box 1, Roll M602
  Jonas Acord, Captain Deadrick's Company, Artillery, Tennessee Militia, Private
• 1813: Pioneers of Roane County, Tennessee 1801-1830, compiled by Mable Harvey Thornton, 1964
  Page 41, Muster Roll of Captain Allen Bacon's Co., enlisted Sept 30, 1813 to Dec 30, 1814
  Private, Joseph Acord
• 1814: Roane County, Tennessee Marriage Records
  Joseph Eccord to Elizabeth Lane, 20 April 1814, Roane County, Tennessee; Surety: Joseph Cleft
• 1818: Official records, Act of 1818, published in 1835 as of Aug 1834, Roane County [Tennessee] Revolutionary War Veterans 
  Living in Roane
  Cronamus Acre
  Once lived in Roane, but living in other counties
  James Acree
• 1819: Marriage Records of Roane County, Tennessee 1801-1855 pages 47, 60, 65.
  John Acord married to Sarah Turner 28 Jul 1819, by Thomas McMullen, JP, surety by Cornelius Acord.
• 1819: Dodd, Jordan R, et. al. Early American Marriages: Tennessee to 1825. Bountiful, UT: Precision Indexing Publishers, 19xx.
  John Acard to Sarah Turner 28 Jul 1819, Roane County, Tennessee
• 1820: Alabama Records, Volume 103, Madison County, Alabama, by Jones and Gandrud, 1948, page 77
  Searcy, Jesse and wife Mary C. to Jonas Acard 20 Feb 1820, wit. Daniel B. Turner [F-181]
• 1820: Roane County, Tennessee Tax Lists 1814-1821, Willis Hutcherson
  1820 Tax List, Page 197
  John Acord 1 White Poll
  Joseph Acord 1 White Poll
  Cornelius Acord 0 White Polls (1 Stud $3)
• 1820: Roane County, Tennessee County Court Records, Book H, 1819-1821
  Wed. Jan. 24th 1821. John Brown sheriff and collector of State and county tax for the year of 1820 Reported to court a list of delinquents as follows...Joseph Acard 1 white poll
• 1821 Roane County Court Minutes, Book H, page 345
  Delinquent tax list for the year 1820...John Acard, 1 white poll.
• 1822: Roane County, Tennessee Marriage Records
  Cornelius Akard, Jr. to Sarah Stewart, 10 Jan 1822, Roane County, Tennessee
• 1822: Dodd, Jordan R, et. al. Early American Marriages: Tennessee to 1825. Bountiful, UT: Precision Indexing Publishers, 19xx.
  Covington Allen to Creesy Acord, 22 Feb 1822, Roane County, Tennessee
• 1822 Revolutionary War Pension Application, Affidavit
  Cronamus Acre, Roane County, Tennessee, 28 Jan 1822.
  Age: 61
  Occupation: Farmer
  Enlistment: December 7, 1776 at Fredrickburg County, Maryland
  Discharge: 8th day of December 1779 at North Westpoint, New York
  Value of personal property: $250.00
  Family:
      Wife: Barbara, 45 years of Age
      Children:
          Catherine, 31 years old
          David, 19 years old
          Christeen, 15 years old
          Lousia, 13 years old
  Court Official: J. Purris
• 1822: Pioneers of Roane County, Tennessee 1801-1830, compiled by Mable Harvey Thornton, 1964
  1822 Taxables
  January 27, 1823 it is ordered that the following property and polls be released from the payment of tax for the year 1822 to wit:
  Nathan Turner 1 WP
  Joseph Acord  1 WP
  The Court being satisfied that the said property and polls hath been utterly(?) improperly listed for taxation or that the persons in whose names it is listed have removed or are insolvent so that the sheriff could not collect the taxes due thereon.
• 1823: Court Records of Roane County, Tennessee
  Bond for Hugh Hartley by Hugh Hartley, John Hartley, Cornelius Acord, David Acord and Francis Padget
  Be it remembered that Hugh Hartley, John Hartley, David Acord, Cornelius Acord, Frank Padget personally present before me John Brown Sheriff of Roane County acknowledged themselve [sic] indebted to the State of Tennessee Hugh Hartley in the some of one thousand dollars & the securities in five hundred each to be levied of their respective goods and chattels, lands and tenements to the use of the State of Tennessee but to be void on condition that the above bound Hugh Hartley doth make his personal appearance before the Judge of the next Circuit at the Court House in Kingston the second Monday in September next then and there to answer the charge of the State exhibited against him for Purgery and then and there abide by, perform and satisfy the judgment and decree of the Court and not depart the Court without leave. Witness our hands and seals this 8th day of Aprile [sic]  1823.
  Hugh Hartley
  John Hartley (his mark)
  Cornelius Acord (his mark)
  David Acord (his mark)
  Francis Padget (his mark)
• 1823: Estate Book "A" Roane County, Tennessee
  Pages 180-182
  An inventory and report of sale of the estate of William Leftwich, January Session, 1823. Persons names in the report... Cornelius Acord ...
• 1823: Dodd, Jordan R, et. al. Early American Marriages: Tennessee to 1825. Bountiful, UT: Precision Indexing Publishers, 19xx.
  Joseph Acord to Sally Stout, 10 July 1823 in Roane County, Tennessee.
• 1823: Roane County, Tennessee Marriage Records 1801-1955, page 67
  Joseph Acord married to Sally Stout 10 January(?) 1823 by William B. Clark, J. P.
• 1826: Pioneers of Roane County, Tennessee 1801-1830, compiled by Mable Harvey Thornton, 1964
  Captain Eblems Company: 1826
  Neal Acord              1 WP
  David Acord             1 WP
  Coventon Allen         1 WP
  Thomas Hanken 100 acres 1 WP
• 1827: Mable Harvey Thornton, Rockwood, TN, Pioneers of Roane County, Tennessee 1801-1830
  Roane County 11 Sep 1827 - Charges of murder were filed against Jesse Dotson and Covington Allen as a result of the death of William W. Wilson. Dotson was indicted and Allen released. In December 1827 Dotson, along with other prisoners, escaped from the Knox County Jail were he was being confined. Wilson's family agreed that the death was accidental and, when Dotson was brought to trial in Sep 1828, the state declined to prosecute. Others involved in the proceedings were Alexander Coulter, William C. King, and Littleberry Roberts.
• 1827 Veterans Administration Tax List, Roane County, Tennessee.
  Cornelius Acord, Sr.
  Cornelius Acord, Jr.
  Joseph Acord
• 1827: Marriage Records of Roane County, Tennessee
  Reuben Lewis to Leacey Acord, Bond dated 4 Oct 1827. Bondsmen: Covington Allen & Patrick Evans. License missing.
• 1829 Roane County, Tennessee, Court Minute Book Book D, 1828-1830, page 271
  28 Jul 1829. The State vs. Covington Allen. The defendant who stands bound to appear here this day to answer a charge of the State against him on the complaint of Rebecca Coulter for being the father of her illegitimate child appeared accordingly and he with William Allen Junr. and John Renfro security acknowledged themselves jointly and severally indebted to the State of Tennessee in the sum of Five Hundred Dollars to be levied of their goods and chattles lands and tenements yet to be void on condition that the said defendant indemnify and save harmless the County of Roane from any charge in and about the bringing up maintaining and education the said illegitimate child..."
• 1830 Federal Census, Roane County, Tennessee
• 1832 State Census, Roane County, Tennessee
• 1835 Tennessee Pension Roll, Report from the Secretary of War in Relation to the Pension Establishment of the Untied States, 1835
• 1840 Estate Inventory, Cornelius and Barbara Acord, Estate Book D, Roane County, Tennessee
• 1842 Estate Settlement, Cornelius and Barbara Acord, Estate Book D, Roane County, Tennessee
• 1846 Estate Settlement, Cornelius and Barbara Acord, Estate Book D, Roane County, Tennessee
• Burials, Bowers Cemetery, Roane County, Tennessee

Research Notes:  Little is known of Cornelius before he arrived in Roane County, Tennessee. There is no doubt that he did serve in the Maryland Continental Line during the Revolutionary War as indicated by his 1822 Pension Application affidavit and the 1835 Pension Roll for Tennessee. He is listed as Cornelius Acker in the 3rd New York Regiment and as Cronamus Akor in the 5th New York Regiment. Also listed in the 3rd New York Regiment are Albert Acker, Conrad Acker, and John Acker. There is a Chonamiro Acre listed in the 7th Maryland Regiment who may be Cornelius.

His presence in Lincoln County, North Carolina is supported by a number of records including 1) a 1784 marriage bond between Cornelius Eker/Ecre and Barery Eker; 2) 1800 Rutherford County (neighboring to the west of Lincoln County) Census listing Cornelius Achor; and 3) an 1806 deed for the sale of land in Rutherford County by Cornelius Achard; and 4) the 1850 Johnson County, Arkansas census states that son John was born in North Carolina. 

One researcher has stated that Cornelius and Barbara were cousins and that is quite possible. Tyron/Lincoln County was full of possible connections in the late 18^th and early 19^th century. Surname spellings include Acer, Achor, Acker, Ackers, Acord, Aker, Eaker, Eackard, Eakerd, Eccard, Eckard, Eckert, Ecker, Eckhard, Ecre, Eakeart, Eker, Eikerd, Eikert, Ichard, Ikard, Ikerd, and Ikert. Most, but not all, of the these people can be traced to Peter Ecker who immigrated from Alsace to Pennsylvania in 1741 with his two sons Peter and Christian. They later settled in Anson (which  became Rutherford and Lincoln) County, North Carolina and raised large families; and both sons had daughters named Barbara. The name was generally spelled spelled Egger in Alsace, Ecker/Eker in North Carolina and Eaker around 1800. It was always pronounced Acre.

In Peter's will, dated 10 November 1797, he refers to his "oldest daughter Barbara Hillibrand." I have found no record of a related marriage bond, but this seems to eliminate this Barbara as the spouse of Cornelius.  

In Christian's will, dated 25 June 1776, and proved 1777, he lists a daughter Barbery. The spelling may be significant as the spelling on Cornelius' marriage bond is Barery and Barbary in the 1840 probate records. After Christian's death, Barbary's mother Eve Wisenhunt married John Huffstettler about 1780 in Lincoln County. They subsequently settled in Logan County, Kentucky. The following instrument is on file in Logan County, Kentucky: "Barbary Acker-because of her confidence and trust the she she places in him--hath appointed John Huffstutler of the above county and state her lawful attorney-to demand her part of the estate of Christian Aker, Sr., deceased of the County of Lincoln, North Carolina (to recover my part of Dower portion of money left in the above Aker estate)." It appears that Barbary assumed the Huffstettler surname and was married 4 August 1798 to Christian Leatherman in Shelby County, Kentucky. Her surname is recorded as Barbary Hostedler.

This would seem to eliminate Christian's daughter as Cornelius' wife. However, there are a few unresolved questions. Barbara is believed to have been born about 1761. She was old enough to serve as a witness to her father's will in 1777. She was then 37 years old when she married Christian Leatherman. This appears to be late for a first marriage. In 1822 Cornelius filed an affidavit with his pension application that stated that his wife, Barbara, was 45 years old. That means that this Barbara was born about 1777. If true then this cannot be Cornelius' first wife, who he married in 1784. Is it possible that Cornelius married Christian Eaker's daughter Barbary in 1784, that they divorced prior to 1798 and that Cornelius remarried to another Barbara? It would be highly unusual for him to retain custody of the children.

It is generally accepted within the Acord research community that Jonas Akard of Polk County, Missouri is the son of Cornelius and Barbara. Subsequent research has convinced us that this is not the case. Our research on this matter is summarized in the report Jonas Acord/Akard.