ANDREW YODER,
LYCOMING
CO., PA. – NEW
“YODER” LINE
CONFIRMED
DNA testing
has again broken ground in ferreting out the “great Yoder puzzle.” Testing has
confirmed that a sizeable bunch of Yoders from Lycoming Co., PA. form a branch
of the Swiss Joder tree. For many years, information about the family of Andrew
Yoder of Jackson Twp., Lycoming Co., has languished in the “Unlinked” file of
the Yoder Newsletter homepage. This didn’t bother us TOO much as there were
several hints which led us to be a little suspect of the family.
According to
"Genealogical Helps for Blockhouse Area-- Volume 1 Jackson Twp, Lycoming
Co and Liberty Twp, Tioga Co. Pa", Andrew Yoder Jr. (2/1/1776-c1831) came
with his son Henry to Jackson Twp. in 1831. It states:
"Andrew Yoder Jr., wife and children
settled in warrant 1661 on 65 acres of land. Their children were: Henry 30,
John B. 22, Daniel 11. Andrew died before the squatters rights ended, so Henry
got the deed."
Andrew Jr. is
shown in the unlinked Yoder Newsletter file with family ID “CG11”. The name of
his wife is not yet known. His children were (CG111) Henry (7/8/1800-1876),
(CG112) John B. (5/21/1809-9/1/1880), and
(CG113) Daniel (c1820- ). We don’t have very good early records for the
family. By the mid 19th
century, some census records can be seen for this line using spellings like
“Yetter” and “Yutter.” It is only in the second half of the 19th
century that the spelling “Yoder” seems to be consistent.
The
“Genealogical Helps” reference claims that the line originated with a Johannes
Jacob YEATER who came with son Andrew (Sr.) and wife from the Palatinate
on the on ship “Restoration”, which docked in
We know from
some of the earlier DNA testing that some of the different Yetter and Yeater
and Yater lines, while connected to each other, are not connected to the Swiss
Joders. They seem likely to come from a separate German family. So we thought,
“perhaps this line is not from our Swiss folk and the spelling Y-O-D-E-R was
adapted over time?”
Much to
our surprise and pleasure, the first DNA test coming back from the line
shows an exact 12 for 12 marker match with the ancestral Yoder/Joder
Y-chromosome profile! This means these Yoders DO have a common male ancestor
with the Yoders of the other immigrant lines and with those of present-day
JOHANNES YEATER LINK DISPROVED
What of the
Johannes Yeater with family in Mifflin and
1.
Ludwig "Lewis" Yeater (born in March 1749)
2.
Catherine Yeater (born about 1753)
3.
Samuel Yeater (born in 1755)
4.
Andrew Yeater (born in 1760)
The son
Andrew, born about 1760, is the Revolutionary war soldier and the man who appears
in the Mifflin and
The son
Samuel is the Samuel Yetter of Columbia Co., PA who has been tested and matched
to the Henry Yater of the Kentucky line as a SEPARATE family from the Swiss
Joders, which, if true, makes it impossible for the Lycoming Andrew to have
been a descendant of this line.
We hope to
locate male descendants of Ludwig and the Green Co. Andrew Yeater who can join
the DNA test. Our expectation is that they will match to the German Yetter/Yater
family, and not the Joders.
ANDREW
YATTER OF
1764 Belin
Map of
Tax records
from the Vol. XIV,
Page --Year--County--Township--Name___--Acres--Taxed
104--1769— Phila --Pasayank--Andrew
Yatter--___-- x
The 1764
035--1769--Phila.--Whitpain--John Yeator--100-- x
58--1769-- " --Low.Salis.--Melchoir Yeoder--____-- x
061--1769-- "--Up.Hanover--Daniel Yoeder--_____-- x
176--1769-- "--Dock Ward--John
Yatter--______-- x
Melchior is
the founder of the Melchior Yoder line. The Daniel could be connected to the
lines we discussed at YNL37, and one of the John’s his reputed father “John
Yothers who married Wilhelmina Bloomenshine”.
An Andrew old
enough to be taxed in 1769 had to have been born before 1748. He could well
have had a son Andrew born in 1776, and one of the John’s could have been his
father. Was the story of Andrew, son of an Andrew who arrived on a ship with
his father John a true one? Maybe someday we’ll know.
***********************************************************************************
MENNO YODER
CEMENT BARN
CELEBRATES
100TH BIRTHDAY
BARN UNDER CONSTRUCTION, 1908
West of Shipshewana, Indiana on CR250 is a local
landmark which just celebrated its 100th anniversary. Last September
over 200 visitors joined the Malcolm Prough family and the local Historical
Society as State Rep. Martin Stutzman presented a certificate of recognition.
FROM THE LAGRANGE STANDARD - 1909
MENNO FAMILY AT AN EARLIER RESIDENCE c1900
(Family photo by Dr. Peter A. Yoder,
Menno’s brother)
In 1908,
Malcolm’s Grandfather Menno S. Yoder (YR2337a5) (1863-1952) researched,
designed and then built the “round” (really a dodecagon with twelve sides)
cement barn. He kept detailed diaries and extracts were published by Margaret K
Yoder in 1989 as “The Life and Times of Menno S. Yoder”. She writes “He
had originally planned to build an 8-sided structure, with a silo in the middle
but as he drew up his plans he changed to a 12-sided one with a silo at the
side.” On Feb. 11, 1908 Menno ordered two carloads of cement to be delivered in
March. The first carload of 150 barrels arrived Mar. 30.
Apr. 14 he
wrote “Have hauled 171 loads gravel and are done and put the Concrete Mixer in
the barn.” In the 1980s one of his sons told of driving the wagon to haul
gravel and rocks for the construction. All of the boys helped. Menno designed
and patented a hay carrier especially for the shape of the barn.
STABLE PLANS ADVERTISING POSTCARD
Menno
advertised the barn and sold plans for 10 cents each. Articles about it
appeared widely and many came to visit and study the completed structure. In
February 1910, he paid $15 to have 5000 postcards printed by Continental Art
Co. In March he had another 1000 printed by the Eureka Post Card Co,
House
and barn 1911
Menno had
obtained this farm in 1900 from David Platz, moving in on March 29 of that
year. Margaret wrote that Menno always had a lot of livestock. In 1902 he had
started a Polled
MENNO YODER FAMILY ABOUT 1938
(Standing
LtoR: Glenn, Floyd, Reuben, Leo, Lester,
Dorsa, Olen; Sitting: Iva, Menno, Carrie, Elva
*******************************************************************
“ROSANNA OF
THE AMISH”
Great-Great-GRANDSON
GOES TO
-Contributed by Philip Proctor
4
generations- Audre Yoder Proctor,
Philip,
KristIn, George Yoder
I was born on
Sunday, July 28, 1940, to Audre Jane Yoder of
"Saturday's child works
hard for a living,
But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day
Is bonny and blithe and good and gay..."
My mom and
dad had met through the theatre, both being actors at Stephens College and
Notre Dame, respectively, so it's fitting that I ended up pursuing a successful
career on stage, screen and other media now in existence and yet to be created!
I sincerely believe that I inherited many of my god-given talents from my great
uncle Joseph Warren Yoder (1872-1956), the son of preacher Christian Z. Yoder
and Rosanna (McGonegal-O'Connor) Yoder, an Irish Catholic orphan reared by her
"Momly", an Amish maiden lady living in the Big Valley of Mifflin Co.,PA.
GEO.YODER HOME IN
I remember
meeting the celebrated man in the 50s at the home of my grandparents, George C.
Yoder and Hazel Stiver Yoder, in the big brick house near Main Street, and was
later amused to read that Joe had acted himself -- in, first of all things,
minstrel shows -- and became a renowned writer, musician, singer, linguist,
athlete, lecturer, moralist, visionary and teacher who started many physical ed
and musical programs in schools throughout the Eastern United States; and
although my accomplishments pale in comparison, I can attest to a similar
cultural effect due to my involvement in The Firesign Theatre, a 3-time Grammy
nominated 4-man satirical group, whose 70's album "Don't Crush That Dwarf,
Hand Me the Pliers" was recently inducted into the National Library of
Congress. I speak 7 languages (so far), can play the violin, have fenced saber
and practiced gymnastics, have sung on Broadway and still perform regularly
with my wife, Melinda Peterson, in classical theatre works with the award-winning
Antaeus Company in
PHIL TODAY
I guess I’m
best known these days as the voice of the drunken French monkey in the “Dr.
Doolittle” films and as “Howard” in the 3-time Emmy Award winning “Rugrats”,
which also earned a star on the
And The
Firesign Theatre will be performing on April 25th at the Golden State Theatre
in
But my
happiest news is the birth on November 25, 2008, of Bowen Gordon Campbell to my
daughter Anne Kristin Proctor, whose mom is Barbro Semmingsen of Oslo, Norway,
and to Geoffrey Campbell, the son of Canada's Gordon Campbell, the present
Premier of British Columbia. Kristin herself is an actress and was featured in
the second season of the acclaimed cable series "The Wire".
I'll finish,
for now, with the chorus from one of Joseph's songs quoted in the Yoder
Newsletter, Number 15, in 1990:
"Then
let us sing the Yoder name,
Let's
lift its virtues high;
Defend
it e'er from wrong and shame,
When
sore temptations nigh."
-Phil
Proctor, February 10,
- - - - - - -
EDITOR
NOTE: Phil’s Mom Audre was one of the early supporters of the Yoder Newsletter.
She passed away in 2002 and her obit appears in YNL 39. In YNL 15, the late H.
Harold Hartzler presented a biography of her uncle Joseph W. Yoder, whose
classic work Rosanna of the Amish is still in print and available from
“Amazon.com” and other sources.
*****************************************************************
**********************************
The
Yoder Newsletter- Founded 1983 by
Ben
F Yoder (1913-1992), Chris Yoder & Rachel Kreider
Chris
Yoder, Editor, Saugatuck, MI; John W. Yoder, Circulation Manager, Middlebury,
IN; Rachel Kreider, Senior Contributing Editor, Goshen, IN; Esther E. Yoder,
Mail Manager, Goshen, IN; Donald Kauffman, YNL
Webmaster, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Other Contributors: Richard H.
Yoder, Bechtelsville, PA; Dr. Don Yoder, Devon, PA; Neal D. Wilfong, Cleveland,
NC.
********************************************************
YNL INCREASES PRICE !
After 25 years we have finally decided to increase the subscription
price for the Yoder Newsletter from $3 per year to $5 per year. This price is effective
with renewals beginning with YNL50. Subscriptions already in effect will
continue without adjustment. Please continue your support of the YNL!
*********************************************************
SEND
YNL CORRESPONDENCE:
- FOR CIRCULATION ISSUES ONLY such as
new or renewed subscriptions, changes of address, orders for back issues to:
Yoder Newsletter, P.O. Box 594, Goshen, IN 46527-0594.
- ALL OTHER CORRESPONDENCE- Dealing with
ancestral queries or contributions for future YNLs or archives (such as reunion
notices, letters to the Editor, copies of Bible records or other historical
information) to: Chris Yoder, 551 S. Maple St., Saugatuck, MI 49453 or email at
cyoder@tds.net .
- YNL PRICE INFORMATION
-Annual
YNL subscription (published Apr. and Oct.) for $5.
-BACK
ISSUES of the YNL are $2 per issue.
Visit:
http://www.yodernewsletter.org/subscrib.html
for mail-in subscription form.
********************************************************
YODER
DATA ON DISK. Included back issues of YNL text, census and county records,
family group data and pictures and scanned images. The price for our “Yoder
Data on Disk” is $10 (postage included). Send to YNL address in
*********************************************************
WHERE IS
“WIDOW BARBARA” YODER’S
GRANDFATHER CLOCK??”
Thanks to
Bob Hyde (YR251445112, YR123345112) for pointing out a mystery presented by the
late Mary Eva Harshbarger in the July, 1987 issue of Mennonite Family
History. Her grandfather was John R. Yoder (b. 1844) (YR146115), and as a
child she was told that the old clock standing in the living room of his home
had come across the ocean from
Wouldn’t
it be wonderful if this Yoder heirloom could be found? Do any of our readers
have clues?
****************************************************
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Hello. I just
discovered your website, and we
I was
fascinated by the first sentence of your first edition, “All American Yoders
whose ancestry is known or suspected trace their lineage to the Joder clan in
the canton of Bern in Switzerland,” because my sister and I have been
half-joking over the last year about eventually relocating in Switzerland;
perhaps our genetic foundation compels us.
Also, my
sister works at Disney and I read this on your site: “Walt Disney’s Aunt was a Yoder! Beloved American legend Walt
Disney, was the son of Elias Disney and Flora (Call) Disney. Elias’s youngest
brother, William Harvey Disney, married Lydia M. Yoder on 11/24/1903 in
Denver,
I’m
thunderstruck that there’s a St. Yoder’s Day in August. I’ve suggested to my
Yoders that we celebrate with mulled wine and hog’s feet and reflect with
humility on the prudence and fortitude of great aunt Eusebia Yoder who guided
her kin through the Depression on Christian faith and the gristled flesh of
stray dogs. Then we could go Yodering, which, as you know, is the ancient sport
of swatting warm balls of Gruyère at each other with birchwood rug beaters
while semi-nude and blindfolded, knee-deep in a peat bog. We could then join in
a rousing chorus of our family anthem (to the tune of George M. Cohan’s “Over
There”):
Yoder
there!
Yoder
there!
What a
herd,
Undeterred,
Everywhere!
We’re
multiplying!
We keep
supplying
Fresh, new
Yoders laissez-faire!
Have a
care:
Some may
stare!
If they
say
We’re passé,
Then
declare:
“We feel
the yen, sirs,
Like Pez
dispensers,
To spit
out Yoder after Yoder everywhere!”
--Travis Yoder,
LosAngeles, member of the YR14622231 family
- - - - - - - - -
I was thrilled
to see a picture of my great-great-great grandfather Joder’s violin in the
latest newsletter.
Joseph
Joder > Sarah Joder-Yoder >Catherine Ann Yoder Burns > Sarah Burns Joy
> Maxine Joy Nickert >Nancy Nickert Bollinger. ---Nancy Bollinger,
- - - - - - - - -
YODER
POLITICO ELECTED JUDGE
State Senator
John Christian Yoder, R-Jefferson, won election as circuit court judge in
Division 2 of
-In
-In
****************************************************
Glenn W Guengerich, 92, awarded as Iowa’s
Outstanding Older Worker, Oct. 2008. Glenn is a nephew of Sanford C Yoder,
former President of
*********************************************
UPDATE
ON THE YODER MINE
We
received the October Yoder Newsletter a few days ago. (What a wealth of
information they always have!) The
pictures of the Yoder Mine are of special interest. It shows two photos of the mine. There is
some conflicting information between the report by the Bureau of Mines and the
notation on the bottom of the pictures
The report from the bureau states
that the mine is east of
Grantsville. The notation on the
pictures says the mine was located at Shade Run. Shade Run is west of Grantsville.
The geography of the area can be described
this way.
Solomon
Yoder at one time lived on a farm on
In an
article from the fall 1974 “Casselman Chronicle”, by Andrew Durst, he writes
that after their marriage, his parents went to housekeeping “on a part of
what had been the Lewis Yoder farm. There was a coal mine there and it was
known as the Yoder Mine.”
Whether
any of them operated the Yoder Mine, we do not know. But there is plenty of
historical evidence that it may have been one of them who had the mine. Both Harvey and
Lewis opened mines after they had moved to other farms. Norman and family moved
to Pinto, MD. and were a part of the beginning of the
Another
factor that may be important in this connection is that according to Kenneth
Yoder, the
There is a
story told by my father, Eli, son of Lewis, that he remembers, as a boy, he saw
something moving up along the National Pike, and he asked his father, Solomon,
what is that? Solomon answered that
"that is an Auto"
I apologize for getting a
little long winded
- Paul H Yoder
CONRAD
YEATER HOME
IN
Mr. Yoder, --I live on a farm in
I have
attached some pictures of the home before and during renovation. I just thought
you might be interested in seeing them. -Gary Hamilton GaryD.Hamilton@uky.edu
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Editors note: Conrad Yeater/Yater (4/1/1769
PA-8/15/1834
****************************************************
A YODER NOSE?
I
read with interest in YNL52 your report about Michael Yoder and his passport
which reports that he had a "Nose: Large" - (page 4) I never thought that my Yoder ancestors had
exceptional noses, but recently I showed
my writing instructor a picture of the children of Levi D Yoder
(YR233746) which accompanied a Yoder piece I am working on. Her comment after seeing the
picture was "and there must be a Yoder nose."
See the
attached photo which a perfect stranger used to make her conclusions about the
existence of a "Yoder Nose":
These are the children of YR233746, Levi D Yoder who moved from
TOP ROW: John, Ezra, Ray,
This is a composite picture which David made
by cutting ovals from existing photos
and making this arrangement, which he then
photographed and made copies of for his siblings. I guess there is a
"wide similarity" in these noses.
A second
cousin of mine, Sylvia, is a grand- daughter of Jacob Yoder (bottom row in
photo). I told her this story about the writing instructor's conclusions re.
Yoder Noses, and Sylvia's reply was, "Well,
I have a Yoder nose story to tell you." In an email she said: "I have been a bit out of commission
these past two weeks. Two weeks ago I pitched forward and hit my nose on the
edge of a step. I ended up at emergency
with a fracture to my nose and two very black eyes.” When her sister told
another sister about the accident, the comment was “Now her nose will look like ours.” I didn’t know what she meant so I
asked. Apparently my siblings have had a discussion about the noses in our
family and came to the conclusion that I was the only sibling with a “skinny
Roth nose” and the rest of them have a wider Yoder nose. This was news to me. I’ve
certainly never noticed that my nose was any different than my siblings! No,
Don, I never noticed the “Yoder nose” before, but I’m sure now I will be
looking. I can almost see the scene at the next Yoder gathering as we watch
each one come in and have a gander at their nose!”
So, that is
my Yoder nose story for now, as Sylvia says, "We will be watching". ----From
Don Kauffman
****************************************************
***************************Queries************************
The
YNL will publish Yoder related inquiries or exchanges at no charge. Send Queries to: Chris Yoder,
****************************************************
Who
was George Yoder b. 1808
****************************************************
YODER FALLS,
SOMERSET CO., PA
BILL SHETLER
AT
In YNL15, April 1990, Ken Heeter, of Bel Air, MD,
found the following in “THE SOMERSET COUNTY (PA)-OUTLINE” by John C. Cassady,
1932, p. 243: "The Yoder Falls, in
Conemaugh Township near Paint Creek, is one of the most beautiful falls in the
county. The water of this small stream plunges over a precipice of about
fifteen feet." We asked “does anyone know if the falls still exist and
is so, are they still called
Bill
Shetler, Davidsville,
****************************************************
****************************************************************
“Find-A-Grave” - How to Help Document Your Own Yoder
Line
The
“Find-A-Grave” web site allows you to: post the name and dates of your ancestor
in the cemetery where he or she rests; to add his or her photo; to add a photo
of the gravestone; and to post a biographical summary or obituary.
Visit the site at: www.findagrave.com
. Already recorded are internments for: -3,325 (an increase of +575 from Oct.) –Yoder;
-100 (+29) – Yother; -26 (+6) – Yothers;- -62- (+6) – Yotter; -14- (+1) – Yoter; -27 (+1) – Yoders;, -6-(+2) – Ioder;
-14- (+1) – Joder; -6- (+4) - Jotter family members. In addition, we’ve just
posted the records for
Samples
of posted Gravestones are shown on this page.
Elias Yoder (1835-Feb. 28, 1905) (OY4265) buried in
Union Highland Cem., Florence, Fremont Co., CO. Elias was a Civil War Vet.,
serving as a Private in Co. A, Gutherie’s PA Militia from 16 Oct 1862to 23 Jul
1863.
- - - - - - -
(Con854) David Yoder (Mar. 4, 1836-Aug. 13, 1894) and
wife Nancy C. (Apr. 15, 1834-Mar. 23, 1924) Gulfcrest Baptist Church Cemetery,
Kushla, Mobile Co.,
- - - -
- - -
John Abel Yoder (Con111) d. May 10, 1864 (according to
NC Yoder Book d. Civ. War,
*******************************************************
YODER PASSINGS
-Mallie Gene Settlemyre, 70,
of Hildebran, NC, d. Jan. 22, 2009, father of Michael B. Huffman, former
officer in the NC Yoder Reunion.
-Effie Kiser Yoder, 100, of
-Alvin F. Yoder, Sr. Alvin F. Yoder,
Sr., 87, Mifflinburg, Pa, d. Jan. 20, 2009, (son of YR2683222)
- Mary Catherine
Yoder Linton, 92, Aug. 1, 2008,
****************************************************
OLEY YODER REUNION 2009
The
Oley
****************************************************
THE DNA PROJECT
HOW YOU CAN
HELP
Doing a basic
12 marker DNA test costs $101 through the Yoder DNA project. As of this time we
have had 76 participants. For an updated status see the Yoder Newsletter
Homepage at: www.yodernewsletter.org
. Contributions over the past two years have helped pay for eight selected
tests, or upgrades to tests. These have included: the Andrew Yoder Line (see
feature on page1); the Argentine Yoders (see YNL52); a test in the Daniel
Yothers line (see below); Alsatian Christian Yoder who m. Barbara Schott (see
below); an upgrade to a Frederick Yoder test (see below); a Jacob Yoder of
Lewisburg test (see YNL 50). Major lines have all been tested to 67 markers at
the immigrant level. As we find representatives of selected lines, we can
continue to learn about the Yoder family. YOUR CONTRIBUTION CAN HELP CONTINUE
THESE TESTS. Donate “on-line” at:
http://www.familytreedna.com/contribution.html
or by mail to “The YODER PROJECT”: Family Tree DNA, 1919 North Loop West,
**********************************************************
Daniel Yothers of Centre Co
We did a feature on Daniel Yothers
(c1774-1853) in YNL37. Descendants of two of his sons have been tested. Neither
matches to the Swiss Joder profile, nor to the Yater/Yeater profile. They also
do not match to one another. We will need a “tie-breaker” test from a
descendant of a third son to find Daniel’s profile.
**********************************************************
CHRISTIAN
YODER (YA2) MUTATION
Tests from descendants of two sons of
unlinked Alsatian immigrant Christian Yoder (who m. Barbara Schott) shows he
share’s the “16” vs “15” marker of the Amish Yoders AND a unique “12” vs “11”
marker which mutated either at Christian or a prior generation.
**********************************************************
NOTES:HAPLOGROUP I1c HAS BEEN
REnamED I2B1; WANTED - YR17 DESCENDANT
FOR DNA TEST
****************************************************
L. M. YODER
HOME,
Thanks to Zelda Yoder of the
“The
home is very much part of the
“L.
(Levi) M. Yoder was the son of Rosanna McGonegal Yoder. Levi, like two of his
brothers John and Joseph W, never joined the Amish church and he became a
business man in the community. For a number of years he owned a carpet factory
and also dealt in real estate. He built houses, designed alike, on
****************************************************
The
****************************************************
ANNUAL NC YODER
At last
year's NC Yoder Reunion the group voted unanimously to hold their next annual
event at
Grace Church
was the traditional meeting site of many of the early family reunions. The
group last met at that location in 1976. With the numbers dwindling in recent
years there were suggestions entertained last year to "go back home."
YNL Editor Chris Yoder plans to be there and will give an overview of Yoder
History, branches, and the results of the DNA testing as a part of the program.
For more information contact: Neal Wilfong at ndwilfongoptiker@aol.com
****************************************************