Wolfert Acker

Who was Wolfert Acker?

Wolfert Acker was a colonial-period American who is featured in Washington Irving's short story collection Wolfert's Roost. His name was recorded in all combinations of Wolfert or Wolvert as given name, and Acker, Echert, or Ecker as surname. He was born in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York and died at his sizable home, "Wolfert's Roost" near the site of what is now Irvington, New York in Westchester County, New York. On December 20, 1692, on land belonging to Frederick Philipse, he married Maretje Sibouts.

Acker served the Dutch colonial government as collector of Philipsburg Manor in New Netherlands. He was a quiet man whose favorite phrase was "Rust in Lust", but always found himself working for very loud and active governors; he was, at one point, privy counsellor to Peter Stuyvesant, before eventually retiring to Wolfert's Roost. William Owens believes that, despite his high status, Wolfert may have been a tenant of Philipse Tenant or not, Wolfert did have the second largest house in the region, second only to Philipse Manor Hall, which still stands.

Jan Ecker, Wolfert's brother, was the first deacon of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow, which was founded by Philipse, and was still living in May 1716. Wolfert Acker became the second deacon and later an Elder. However, by May 1716, he and his wife Maritie were two of eight members no longer on the roll, although their names continued to appear as baptismal witnesses until 1734. Acker is entombed beneath the floorboards of the church along with other Elders, beside Philipse and his wife.