Francis Yoachum

According to an extensive genealogical study of the "Yocum" family published by Dr. H.C. Smith in 1963, the first ancestors of the Yocum family branch that is discussed , arrived in America about the mid 1600's. They settled in New Amsterdam, New York Province. The family over the years used a number of variations of their name. The initial spelling of Jochem evolved to Yoakum, Yokem and Yocum. Dr. Smith found that there were approximately 84 different spellings of the Yocum surname. .

More recent genealogists have questioned much of Dr. Smith's data on the first few Yocum ancestors in America. The family may have been of Swedish descent although the first Yocum's in America likely emigrated from Germany. Dr. Smith's study lists the first known Yocum's in America as Francis (Jochem) Yocum and his wife, Millie Felty. The data attached to their names is from Dr. Smith's study.