Jacob Yoder

83y. 6m. 4d.

Jacob Yoder, who resides near Goshen, Ind., has been remarkably successful as a husbandman and at one time was the owner of 600 acres of as fine land as could be found in Elkhart county. For generations the family have been members of the Amish Mennonite Church and were originally from Switzerland, from which country they fled on account of religious persecution, to America and sought a home in the wilds of Pennsylvania, where an asylum had been offered them by the great law giver and benefactor, William Penn. The Yoders settled in Lancaster county and were a peaceable and law-abiding people and thrifty and industrious farmers and, like the patriarchs of old, whose ways they closely followed, they multiplied and flourished in the land.

Christian Yoder, the great-grandfather of Jacob, was born in Switzerland in February, 1728, but in 1744 he took up his abode in America and until 1775 was a resident of the eastern part of Pennsylvania, at which time he moved to Somerset county of the same State, where he was called from life in the month of November, 1816. His sons were: Christian, Solomon, John, Jonathan, Henry, David and Jacob. He was married twice.

His son, Jacob, was born in the Keystone State and became a substantial farmer and land owner of Somerset county. He was also married twice and his first wife bore him a number of children, only David, Christian, Joseph and Elizabeth of whom are remembered. His second wife bore him children named: Mary, Catherine, Philip and Jacob. He lived to be an old man, was much respected in the community in which he resided, was honorable in every particular, was industrious, and in other ways set a good example to his children.

His son, Christian, was born in the old homestead in Somerset county, was brought up to a thorough knowledge of farm life in his native county. He was married there to Miss Juda Gindlesperger, who was born July 24, 1787, and died November 8, 1832, after having borne him a family of ten children, all of whom grew to maturity with the exception of two, Peter and Barbara, both of whom died in childhood. Those who attained manhood were: Stephen, Jacob, Tobias, Joseph, John, Valentine, Daniel and Herman.

The father of these children took for his second wife Miss Koffman, who bore him two children: Moses and Elizabeth. Mr Yoder lived to be nearly eighty years of age and died on November 17, 1866, on his farm in Somerset county. He was a devout Christian, a follower of the doctrines of his church and lived an upright and useful life. He was at one time township collector, and in various other ways proved himself a useful citizen.

Jacob Yoder, his son and the immediate subject of this biography, first saw the light of day on his father's farm in Somerset county, Penn, September 2, 1814, and there he obtained a slight knowledge of German, but no knowledge of the English branches. He early learned to labor in a thorough and painstaking way and at the age of twenty-three went to Wayne county, Ohio, and worked at clearing land, and was there married on January 4, 1837, to Miss Rachel Yoder, who was born June 23, 1810, in Somerset county, Penn, her parents being Solomon and Barbara (Miller) Yoder. Their marriage resulted in the birth of five children: Herman; Elizabeth, who died in early womanhood; Edward; Amos; and Jonas, whose death occurred in childhood.

Mr Yoder cleared a woodland farm of 150 acres in Wayne county, Ohio, but sold it and in 1847 came to Indiana and settled on his present farm consisting of 180 acres. As he has been prospered financially he has made additional purchases of land and is now the owner of some magnificent real estate which is very valuable. This property was mostly acquired by hard work, in the good old-fashioned way of tilling the soil, in which his faithful wife gave him efficient aid. Like their ancestors before them they are members of the Amish Mennonite Church; have brought up their children to the same belief, and thus have been handed down from father to son the religious principles of the early founders of the church.

Mr Yoder followed the example of his father and gave each of his children a good start in life, but reserved 177 acres in Kosciusko county. This family is an example of prudent living and of simple, Christian life.

Pictorial and Biographical Memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties, Indiana Together with Biographies of Many Prominent Men of Northern Indiana and the Whole State, Both Living and Dead Goodspeed Brothers Publishers 1893

[ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66944444/jacob-yoder ] 83y. 6m. 4d.

Jacob Yoder, who resides near Goshen, Ind., has been remarkably successful as a husbandman and at one time was the owner of 600 acres of as fine land as could be found in Elkhart county. For generations the family have been members of the Amish Mennonite Church and were originally from Switzerland, from which country they fled on account of religious persecution, to America and sought a home in the wilds of Pennsylvania, where an asylum had been offered them by the great law giver and benefactor, William Penn. The Yoders settled in Lancaster county and were a peaceable and law-abiding people and thrifty and industrious farmers and, like the patriarchs of old, whose ways they closely followed, they multiplied and flourished in the land.

Christian Yoder, the great-grandfather of Jacob, was born in Switzerland in February, 1728, but in 1744 he took up his abode in America and until 1775 was a resident of the eastern part of Pennsylvania, at which time he moved to Somerset county of the same State, where he was called from life in the month of November, 1816. His sons were: Christian, Solomon, John, Jonathan, Henry, David and Jacob. He was married twice.

His son, Jacob, was born in the Keystone State and became a substantial farmer and land owner of Somerset county. He was also married twice and his first wife bore him a number of children, only David, Christian, Joseph and Elizabeth of whom are remembered. His second wife bore him children named: Mary, Catherine, Philip and Jacob. He lived to be an old man, was much respected in the community in which he resided, was honorable in every particular, was industrious, and in other ways set a good example to his children.

His son, Christian, was born in the old homestead in Somerset county, was brought up to a thorough knowledge of farm life in his native county. He was married there to Miss Juda Gindlesperger, who was born July 24, 1787, and died November 8, 1832, after having borne him a family of ten children, all of whom grew to maturity with the exception of two, Peter and Barbara, both of whom died in childhood. Those who attained manhood were: Stephen, Jacob, Tobias, Joseph, John, Valentine, Daniel and Herman.

The father of these children took for his second wife Miss Koffman, who bore him two children: Moses and Elizabeth. Mr Yoder lived to be nearly eighty years of age and died on November 17, 1866, on his farm in Somerset county. He was a devout Christian, a follower of the doctrines of his church and lived an upright and useful life. He was at one time township collector, and in various other ways proved himself a useful citizen.

Jacob Yoder, his son and the immediate subject of this biography, first saw the light of day on his father's farm in Somerset county, Penn, September 2, 1814, and there he obtained a slight knowledge of German, but no knowledge of the English branches. He early learned to labor in a thorough and painstaking way and at the age of twenty-three went to Wayne county, Ohio, and worked at clearing land, and was there married on January 4, 1837, to Miss Rachel Yoder, who was born June 23, 1810, in Somerset county, Penn, her parents being Solomon and Barbara (Miller) Yoder. Their marriage resulted in the birth of five children: Herman; Elizabeth, who died in early womanhood; Edward; Amos; and Jonas, whose death occurred in childhood.

Mr Yoder cleared a woodland farm of 150 acres in Wayne county, Ohio, but sold it and in 1847 came to Indiana and settled on his present farm consisting of 180 acres. As he has been prospered financially he has made additional purchases of land and is now the owner of some magnificent real estate which is very valuable. This property was mostly acquired by hard work, in the good old-fashioned way of tilling the soil, in which his faithful wife gave him efficient aid. Like their ancestors before them they are members of the Amish Mennonite Church; have brought up their children to the same belief, and thus have been handed down from father to son the religious principles of the early founders of the church.

Mr Yoder followed the example of his father and gave each of his children a good start in life, but reserved 177 acres in Kosciusko county. This family is an example of prudent living and of simple, Christian life.

Pictorial and Biographical Memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties, Indiana Together with Biographies of Many Prominent Men of Northern Indiana and the Whole State, Both Living and Dead Goodspeed Brothers Publishers 1893