My Genealogy Hound

Frederick Ermert is an excellent example of the success attending hard work and faithful and persistent endeavor, and is now one of the wealthy planters of Clay County, Ark., having been a resident of this region since 1856. He is a native of Germany, born in 1847, and is the eldest of five children born to John and Caroline Ermert, who were also natives of that country, and came to the State of Missouri in 1850, settling in Madison County, where the father engaged in lead mining. The following year he took the overland route to California, the journey occupying five months, and remained in that State for three years. He then returned to Madison County, Mo., but shortly after moved to Randolph County, and in 1856 he settled in what is now Clay County, where he followed the occupation of agriculture until his death in 1864, being still survived by his excellent wife. Frederick Ermert received good training in growing up, became familiar with the details of farm life, and entered actively upon life’s duties as a farmer after the close of the war, purchasing a piece of raw land, which has since, by honest and continued effort on his part, become one of the valuable places of the county. This property he sold in 1885, and since March, 1889, has resided on his present farm of 120 acres, sixty of which are under cultivation, thirty being devoted to the culture of cotton. He has always supported the Republican ticket, considering its views as sound and well suited to any man. He has been married thrice, his first union taking place in Clay County, in 1867, to Miss Mary Ann Whitehead, a native of that county, whose parents were early settlers of the locality. He lost his wife in 1875, she having borne him one child: Amanda, now the wife of William M. Williams, residing in Texas, His second marriage took place in Clay County, in 1878, to Mildred Rhodes, of Mississippi, who died in 1879, also leaving one child, William, who is residing with his father. His present wife was a Miss Sarah Elizabeth Calhoun, of Tennessee, her parents, Dunklin and Penelope Calhoun, being deceased. To the last union the following children were born: James, Lewis and Fred. Many are the changes which have occurred since Mr. Ermert first located here, and he has lived to witness the growth of what was almost a wilderness to one of the most prosperous counties of the State.