Collection #

M 0827

 

 

Martin Akeman Collection,
1857–1993 (Bulk 1857–65)

Collection Information

Biographical Sketch

Scope and Content Note

Series Contents

Cataloging Information

 

 

 

Processed by

Emily Castle
19 January 2005

Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269

www.indianahistory.org

 

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF
COLLECTION:

1 manuscript box, 2 OVA folders, 1 photograph folder, 1 artifact

COLLECTION
DATES:

1857–1993 (Bulk 1857–65)

PROVENANCE:

Donated by Mary M. England, Bloomington, IN, 10 December 2001.  Items given to donor by a descendant, Florence Belle Kirkpatrick Erbaugh, Delphi, IN.

RESTRICTIONS:

None

COPYRIGHT:

 

REPRODUCTION
RIGHTS:

Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society.

ALTERNATE
FORMATS:

 

RELATED
HOLDINGS:

 

ACCESSION
NUMBER:

2002.0056

NOTES:

 

BIOGRAPHiCAL SKETCH

Martin Akeman was born 5 January 1832 in Ohio.  He married his wife Hester in 1857 and they had two children, Charles and Catherine.

On 23 December 1863, when he was 31, he enlisted as a sergeant and was mustered into I Company, 131st Indiana Regiment (13th Cavalry).  This regiment was organized during the fall and winter of 1863–64, and was the last cavalry organization formed in Indiana.  It was mustered in April 1864, left the state, and marched to Nashville where it was given infantry arms and accouterments.  Upon arrival in Nashville they were ordered to Huntsville, Alabama on 31 May for garrison duty.  There it engaged in several skirmishes with bands of cavalry and on 1 October held their ground against General Buford’s entire command.  Half of the companies, including Company I, were sent to Louisville to secure new mounts and equipments for the regiment.  They were then sent to Paducah to assist in repelling an attack by General Forrest.  Having accomplished that, they went back to Louisville and marched to LaVergne, Tennessee to watch Hood’s movements.  They were cut off and retired to Murfreesboro where they participated in the battles of Overall’s creek, Wilkinson’s pike and twelve skirmishes.

Sixty-five men were either killed or wounded during their time in Murfreesboro.  Martin Akemen was one of the wounded and died of his wounds 19 December 1864.  He is buried in Eden Chapel Cemetery, in Hancock County, Indiana.

 

Sources:

American Civil War Research Database.  Duxbury, MA: Historical Data Systems, Inc., 2005 [cited 19 January 2005].  Available from World Wide Web: (http://civilwardata.com/)

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Collection consists of correspondence between Martin Akeman and his wife Hester while he was a soldier.  There is also correspondence to Akeman before the war and Hester’s correspondence after the war.  There is a photograph of Akeman, and drawings of both him and his wife.  There is a book titled Union Spelling Book, genealogical notes, and a school bell used by Ethel Akeman.

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

CONTAINER

Correspondence to Martin Akeman, 1857–63

Box 1, Folder 1

Correspondence from Martin Akeman to his wife Hester, 12 Apr. 1864–8 Jan. 1865

Box 1, Folder 2

Correspondence, Hester Akeman, 1857–1903

Box 1, Folder 3

Family tree of Martin Akeman, n.d.

Box 1, Folder 4

Gift Receipt from Division of Museums & Memorials, lists items donated by Florence Kirkpatrick Erbaugh, 9 Dec. 1993

Box 1, Folder 5

Hancock County, Indiana Tombstone Inscriptions: One Hundred Years, 1833–1933 (photocopies), n.d.

Box 1, Folder 6

History of Florence Belle Kirkpatrick Erbaugh (handwritten), 16 Nov. 1993

Box 1, Folder 7

Union Spelling Book, n.d.

Box 1, Folder 8

Martin Akeman in uniform, n.d.

Visual Collections: Photographs, Folder 1

[Portrait of Martin Akeman, drawing, n.d.]

Visual Collections:
OVA Graphics, Folder 1

[Portrait of Hester Akeman, drawing, n.d.]

Visual Collections:
OVA Graphics, Folder 2

School bell of Ethel Akeman, n.d.

Artifacts: 2002.0056

CATALOGING INFORMATION

For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:

1.      Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog:  http://opac.indianahistory.org/

2.      Click on the "Basic Search" icon.

3.      Select "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.

4.      Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M 0827).

5.      When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.