ANA TRIVIA ANSWER: J. A. HECKELMAN

Last week I posed the question: Who served as ANA First Vice President during 1899-1901?

A good answer would be J. A. Heckelman. That is the way his name appears in The Numismatist about 50 times. He is listed as an officer but little else is said about him. He is listed with membership number 5 in 1905.

A bad answer would be John A. Heckelman. An 1895 article gave his name as “John A, Heckelman, Virginia.” Another article in 1904 gave his name as “John A. Heckelman.” The name has gone into the history of the ANA as John A. Heckelman.

While searching for biographical information, I came across John A. Heckelman in Cullom, Illinois. He was born in 1828 and died in 1875 so his span of life does not fit. However, he had a son named James.

James A. Heckelman was born in Cullom, Illinois, on October 29, 1862. He was married to Nellie Lee Baker (1864-1935) on May 13, 1886. Their children were Lena Margaret Mowery and Thelma Evangeline Brown. James died at Cullom on January 4, 1933.

Cullom was a small town with a 1900 population of 456. At that time, James was living with his mother, wife, daughter and a servant. The 1910 Census gives his profession as real estate agent.

Thus. it appears more likely to me that J. A. Heckelman was really named James and that James A Heckelman is the best answer to the trivia question.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: JANUARY 10, 2021 : ANA Trivia Question: First Vice President 1899-1901 (https://www.coinbooks.org/v24/esylum_v24n02a19.html)

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