Source: Acker History by Noble Acker
Joseph Acker shows up in the census records in S. C. just prior to the War of 1812. Joseph Acker, his sister Mary Grace, who married James Grace, and sister Nancy McDavid, who married John Allen McDavid, apparently moved to Tennessee via North Carolina, a route taken by many settlers who moved from South Carolina to central Tennessee.
The memoirs of Francis Mitchell Grace, written many years ago, indicates there were brothers and sisters of the Grace family and Acker family who later migrated to Alabama from Tennessee
Joseph enlisted in Andrew Jackson's Army 28 Sept 1814 Fayettesville, Tenn. He fought in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend and Battle of New Orleans and discharged 28 March 1815 at Murphreesboro, Tenn. One son was born in Tenn. from known records. The son was Alexander b. 27 July 1812. Two census records verify this. The next born son, William, b. 23 Sept 1814 appears to have been born in S. C. this would indicate the family moved back to South Carolina after hostilities began in the War of 1812.
Alabama became a state in 1819. Joseph was supposedly the first Acker to settle in Alabama. He came about 1816-1817. This is true namewise. However, the McDavid History shows that Nancy Acker who married John Allen McDavid was in Mississippi Territory, now Alabama, in 1815. John A. was registered as being appointed a Constable 22 Dec 1815. In 1816 the Census records list him living in Clark Co., Miss. Territory, with wife, Nancy, and eight children. This family later moved to Walnut Hill, Florida.
Joseph Acker family settled in Tuscaloosa Co., Ala. His descendants appear in the early census records in Bibb, Shelby, Tuscaloosa and Pickens Co., Ala.; one son, Amos, in Lowndes Co., Miss. Three sons migrated to Texas: Peter and Christopher C. in 1848, Alexander in 1868. The last census record of Joseph appears in Shelby Co., Ala. in 1850 living next to his son, Alexander and family. The youngest daughter, Mary, is listed with Joseph and Ruth, in this census record. The son, Alexander moved from Shelby Co., Ala. to Pickens Co., Ala. before they migrated to Cherokee Co., Texas. Both Joseph and Ruth died in Texas.
From Noble Acker, p 254: Joseph Acker received a land grant in Tuscaloosa Co. Today this land is located in the city limits of Tuscaloosa.
