John Yager, Sr.

In one reference is called "Blind John Yager". He was called by one source, a "Rev. War Patriot. "It was reported in The Germanna Record #10, p. 36 that John was very religious and in 1800 he went to the factory in Pennsylvania and purchased a pipe organ for the Hebron church which was brought by ox cart and set up in the church. It is still being used today.

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA. DAR Ancestor # A129513

GEDCOM Source

@R503450768@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=158643364&pi... The son of Adam Yager, Sr. and his wife Susanna Kobler.

In his old age he was known as "Blind" John Yager.

He married c. 1757, Madison Co., VA to Mary Margaret Wilhoit, daughter of John Christian Wilhoit and his wife Walburga Weaver.

They lived about four miles northwest of Madison Court House.

1764 - Culpeper Co., VA rent roll Isaac Smith Will Smith Adam Yager Adam Yager Jr John Yager Michael Yager

"It was reported in The Germanna Record #10, p. 36 that John was very religious and in 1800 he went to the factory in Pennsylvania and purchased a pipe organ for the Hebron church which was brought by ox cart and set up in the church in 1802."

"John was very active in the Hebron Lutheran Church and served as a trustee. Mr Huddle says he went to factory to purchase the church's pipe organ in 1800." [Garr Germanna Record #10]

"The writer owns a pair of brass and silver cups, of simple and elegant form, which once belonged to the John Yager. They are engraved with the initials J and M, for John and Mary, and tradition claims that they were made to John Yager's order that they might have them to drink their brandy from."

1791 Culpeper Co., VA tax list John Yager Sr. & son 2-4-0-7 Adam Yager Jr. 1-3-0-1 Nicholas Yager 1-3-2-5

1793 - Madison County was formed out of Culpeper.

1799 Madison Co., VA personal tax list John Yager & son 2-4-0-7 John Yager (P. Woods) 1-1-0-3 John Yager, Jr (P. Woods) 1-1-1-3 John Yager son to John 1-1-1-4 John Adam Yager 1-0-1-3

Maria probably died about 1800 as John remarried on 14 Feb 1801 in Madison Co., VA to Susanna Berry.

1810 census, Madison Co., VA, p. 715 John A. Yager 1-1-0-1-0 1-0-1-1-0 0 slaves John W. Yager 1-2-0-1-0 2-3-2-1-0 5 slaves John H. Yager 1-0-1-0-1 2-1-0-1-0 4 slaves Adam Yager 1-0-0-0-1 0-0-0-0-1 9 slaves Daniel Yager 2-0-1-1-0 1-0-2-0-0 2 slaves Michael Yager 0-1-0-1-0 4-1-0-1-0 7 slaves James Yager 0-0-0-1-0 0-0-1-0-0 7 slaves Benjamin Yager 1-3-0-1-0 2-1-0-1-0 5 slaves

The following is a copy of a letter written by John Yager (b.1732) to his grandson David Blankenbaker (son of Phoebe Yager Blankenbaker) then living in Jefferson County, Kentucky. [With acknowledgment to Joint Collection University of Missouri Western Historical Manuscript Collection - Columbia and State Historical Society of Missouri Manuscripts.]

Madison County Court House VA. October 1818 My Dear Grandson, - I received that beautiful epistle of yours dated August 22, 1818 which gave me great satisfaction indeed, in my old days. It is true when I read the first part I felt sorrowful to hear that your complaint had not yet left you, and that your brother N_____ had been visited with a severe disease of body. Oh my son it is the hand of God that so often visits us in this vale of misery. His purpose is good first to awaken those that sleep and are dead in sin and secondly to keep the Christian humble, meek, low - faithful on his guard and watching like a faithful soldier least the enemy break in on him and destroy his stronghold, yes to keep in our view that we too must die and how uncertain it is when the son of man will ask our souls of us. I am happy to learn from your pious letter that you too have enlisted under the banner of Jesus marching on to battle to fight the good fight of faith, go on my dear grandson, don't look back, strive to make your election sure, bear the cross of Jesus with patience and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, always make Jesus the principle object of your divine worship pressing forward for the high calling, in all your troubles, crosses, tribulations, pains, sorrows and tears be patience in sorrowing, in tears going on weeping for you shall reap your harvest in joy and gather home in your graners sheaves of eternal salvation. I leave you and your cares in the hands of that protecting power above who knows best what to do with us; I return to myself, here I set as an old pilgrim, crowned with grey hairs, lost my dear companion, entirely blind almost like old Elisha who was fed by the ravens but thank God he had provided other means to feed me, I have enough so far to live and persons to wait on me but what a great blessing have I lost, namely in my eyesight, but thank God I can hear and talk and what is more precious I have a spiritual faith sight and living hope which I ground on the merits and dying love of Jesus which I would not exchange for all the temporal pleasures of this world. I have no reason to murmur, the Lord gives and the Lord takes blessed be his name. I set here meditating on my past days sometimes singing sometimes praying and sometimes wishing I could see my children and grandchildren, but it can't be here, but O the living hope, I hope to meet them in heaven where the sight will never fail, but where all shall see, rejoice and forever feed upon the rewards of our labors, pray for me, that I remain strong to the end, may the Lord bless one and all of you, we are all at this time enjoying tolerable good health, my infirmities are great, I am but for a short time on this earth, I hope these lines will find you in good health, give my parental love to one and all, my last farewell to meet I hope in heaven from your grandfather and fellow traveler in the patience of Jesus. John Yager"

1820 census, Madison Co., VA, p. 113 John Yager 0-0-0-0-0-1 0-0-0-0-0 One male over 45; b. by 1775 [John] Slaves: One female 14-25 [Sarah, who was named to be freed in his will]

20 Feb 1823 - Madison Co., VA - John made out his will:

"In the name of God Amen. I John Yeager of the county of Madison and Commonwealth of Virginia being weak in body but of sound mind and memory, and knowing its appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, revoking and disannulling all other Wills Therefore [?] made by me. As touching the worldly property wherewith it hath pleased the Almighty God to help me, I give and dispose of in manner and form following, Viz.: I Will that my tract of land whereon I now life shall be sold on a credit of one, two, or three annual payments as my executors think proper, my slaves shall be sold to the highest bidder on a credit of twelve months for all sums exceeding five dollars the purchasers giving bond with approved security; my house wench SARAH shall have her freedom and twenty dollars out of my estate at my decease. I Will if any of my children are deceased who have children also deceased, and have left bodily heirs behind, these heirs shall have full title to their Father's or Mother's part coming to them from my estate; but should the last mentioned have no bodily heirs, their part shall be equally divided among their brothers and sisters. I Will that my executors shall have full power to make a legal right to the purchasers for my land, and other property (if required) Furthermore I ordain that my executors shall settle and divide my estate among the legatees by and according to the book divided among them. I do hereby appoint BENJAMIN GAAR and JOEL UTZ Excutors of this my last Will and testament and sincerly hope that my estate may be settled without altercation or liegation. O may the peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and preserve your bodies and Souls unto eternal life, Amen, Amen, In conformation of these presents I hereunto set my hand and affix my seal this the twentieth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty three. Attest John Yeager, Sr: his seal BARTLETT ROSSON ABEL CARPENTER EPHRAIM CARPENTER

At a Court held for Madison County the 24th day of August 1826 This Last Will and testment of John Yeager deceased was produced into Court and proved by the oaths of BARTLETT ROSSON and ABEL CARPENTER witnesses thereof and ordered to be recorded. The execors in said Will named refused to take upon themselves the execution thereof; on the motion of BENJAMIN GAAR and JOEL UTZ, letters of Administration with the Will annexed on the estate of said deceased was granted them in due form, whereupon they qualified and entered bond with security according to law. Teste Belfield Cave

Will Probated: August 24, 1826, Madison County, Virginia Will of John Yeager, Senior LL Executors: Benjamin Gaar and Joel Utz Witnesses: Bartlett Rosson, Abel Carpenter, Ephraim Carpenter Executed: 20 Feb 1823 Proved: 24 Aug 1826

[The Autobiography and Chronological Life of Reverend Paul Henkel [. . .], 2002, p. 224.] Paul Henkel stayed overnight with "old John Jager" on November 1, 1813: "First Christmas Day, Saturday, the 25th. 1813. Preached an English sermon on [ . . .] to a fairly large congregation. Spent the night with old Mr. John Jager, who has almost completely lost the sight of his eyes." [p. 225.] On visits to Madison County on March 5, 1814 and May 19, 1814, Henkel refers to him as "the old John Jager." [pp. 229 & 231.] Sandra Yelton"

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Children

1. Moses Yager, b. 1759, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; he d. after 1778, reportedly as a Revolutionary War soldier.

"The names of Aaron and Moses Yager appear on the communion rolls of the Hebron Church in 1778. No later record has been found. Tradition says that they set out to join the patriot army in the Revolution and were never heard from again."

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2. Aaron Yager, b. 17 Apr 1760, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; he d. after 1778, reportedly as a Revolutionary War soldier.

"The names of Aaron and Moses Yager appear on the communion rolls of the Hebron Church in 1778. No later record has been found. Tradition says that they set out to join the patriot army in the Revolution and were never heard from again."

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3. Phoebe Yager, b. 1762, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m.c. 1780 Culpeper Co., VA to Henry Blankenbaker [b. 25 Jun 1756, near Madison, Culpeper Co., VA; d. 8 Oct 1821, Jefferson Co., KY; son of Jacob Blankenbaker and Mary Barbara Thomas]; she d. 15 Jul 1812, Jefferson Co., KY.

1785 - Culpeper Co., VA - Henry was a sponsor at the baptism of a child of Joshua Yager, his brother-in-law.

1787 - Henry wasn't listed on the Culpeper county tax list, so he and Phoebe may have already left for Kentucky.

1810 census, Jefferson Co., KY, p. 22 Henry Blankenbaker 0-1-0-1-1 0-1-1-0-1 6 slaves

Henry married Mary Doups on 26 Oct 1813, Jefferson Co., KY.

Phoebe Yager's children:

1) Mary Blankenbaker, b.c. 1781, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m. 1799, Jefferson Co., KY to Michael Nunnamaker [b.c. 1778 VA];

2) Aaron Blankenbaker, b.c. 1783, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA;

3) Jacob Blankenbaker, b. 15 Oct 1784, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; he d. 8 Jan 1864, Jefferson Co., KY.

4) David Blankenbaker, b.c. 1790, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m. 29 Oct 1812, Jefferson Co., KY to Mary Tyler [b.c. 1793]; he d. 1872, Jefferson Co., KY.

5) John Henry Blankenbaker, b.c. 1792, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m. 1st to Rhoda Jane Yager [b.c. 1808, Madison Co., KY, daughter of Joshua Yager and Mary Wayland]; m. 2nd 1815 to Mary Ann Cummins [b.c. 1795];

6) Phoebe Blankenbaker, b. 11 Nov 1792, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m. 16 Jel 1812 to Allen Tyler [b.c. 1789]; she d. 5 Dec 1857, Jefferson Co., KY.

7) Rosanna Blankenbaker, b.c. 1795, Madison Co., VA; m. 8 Jul 1830, Jefferson Co., KY to Butler Burrell [b.c. 1792];

8) Anna Blankenbaker, b. 5 Jul 1798, Madison Co., VA; m. George Tyler [b.c. 1795]; she d. 7 Oct 1885.

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4. Amy Yager, b. 12 Jul 1762, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m. 1779, Culpeper Co., VA to Samuel Blankenbaker [b. 12 Jul 1762, Culpeper Co., VA; d. 23 Jun 1785]; she d. 23 Jun 1785, Jefferson Co., KY.

Amy Yager's children: 1) Barbara Blankenbaker, b. 8 May 1780 2) Rhoda Blankenbaker 3) Felix Blankenbaker, b. 25 Apr 1785, VA; d. 16 Jan 1859, Harrison County, IN.

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5. Joshua Yager, b. 1 Jun 1764, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m.c. 1784, Culpeper Co., VA, to Mary Wayland [b. 1770, Culpeper Co., VA; d. 1835, Mercer Co., KY; daughter of John Wayland and his wife Catherine Broyles]; he d. May 1838, Mercer Co., KY.

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6. Joseph Yager, b. 13 Mar 1767, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m. 24 Jul 1793, Madison Co., VA to Margaret Wilhoite [b.c. 1779; daughter of Nicholas Wilhoite and Mary Elizabeth Fisher]; he d. 12 Jun 1856, Danville, Boyle Co., KY.

Joseph Yager's children:

1) John Yager, b. 24 May 1794, Lincoln Co., KY.

2) Nicholas Yager, b. 1797, Lincoln Co., KY.

3) Daniel Yager, b. 24 Jun 1800, Danville, Boyle Co., KY.

4) Isaiah Yager, b. 1802, Boyle Co., KY.

5) Joseph Yager, b.c. 1803, Boyle Co., KY.

6) Mary Polly Yager, b.c. 1804, Boyle Co., KY.

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7. Mary Yager, b. 1 Aug 1769, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m.c. 1785 to Aaron Wilhoit [b.c. 1767; d.c. 1846; son of John Wilhoit and ___ Smith]; she d. by 1830, Oldham Co., KY.

Mary Yager's children:

1) Joseph Thornton Wilhoit, b. 21 Oct 1786 2) Benjamin Wilhoit, b. 15 Mar 1788 3) Noah Wilhoit, b. 7 Apr 1790 4) Lameck Wilhoit, b. 25 Dec 1791 5) Enoch Wilhoit, b. 28 Oct 1793 in ,Madison,Va. 6) Isham Wilhoit, b. 12 Sep 1799 in ,Madison,Va. 7) Mary Wilhoit, b. 1800 8) Nancy Wilhoit, b. 25 Jul 1801 in ,,Va. 9) John Wesley Wilhoit, b. 12 May 1803 10) Milton Wilhoit, 11) Joshua Wilhoit, 12) Barbara Wilhoit, 13) Eliza Wilhoit, 14) Matilda Wilhoit, 15) Martha Wilhoit,

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8. John Wilhoit Yager, b. 12 Dec 1773, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m. 3 Nov 1791, Culpeper Co., VA to Margaret Wilhoit [b. 25 Sep 1774; d. 25 Jan 1849; daughter of George Wilhoit and Elizabeth Utz]; he d. 18 Apr 1851, Jefferson Co., KY.

John Wilhoit Yager's children:

1) Alpha Yager b. 26 Sep 1792 2) Eli Yager b. 24 Nov 1794 3) Laban Yager b. 23 Apr 1797 4) Melevia Yager b. 25 Jun 1800 5) Henry Yager b. 16 Feb 1803, d. 5 Apr 1819 6) Emma Yager b. 15 Jan 1805 7) Lavina Yager b. 5 Jun 1807 8) Lucinda Yager b. 10 Dec 1809 9) Mary Elizabeth Yager b. 26 Sep 1813 10) Berilla Martha Yager b. 17 Jan 1817

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9. Diana Yager, b. 28 Sep 1774, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m. 20 Oct 1792, Madison Co., VA to William Downing Smith [son of Downing Rucker Smith and Catherine Boehme]; she d. after 1820, Oldham Co., KY.

Diana Yager's children:

1) Fielding Smith b. 28 Sep 1793 2) Pressley Yager Smith b. 15 Dec 1794 3) Nancy Smith b. 10 Dec 1796, d. 4 Oct 1862 4) Ellen Smith b. 9 Apr 1798 5) Fountain Smith b. 18 Jun 1802 6) Early Smith b. c 1804 7) Mary Smith b. 29 Aug 1806 8) William Jefferson Smith b. 22 Aug 1808 9) John Madison Smith b. c 1810 10) Benjamin Smith b. c 1812 11) Wilson Rucker Smith b. 14 Jul 1814, d. 5 Jul 1844 12) Gency Smith b. c 1817 13) Robinson Garnett Smith b. 25 Dec 1820

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10. Rosanna Yager, b. 28 Sep 1774, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m.c. 1791, Culpeper Co., VA to Michael Smith; she d. by 1832, Oldham Co., KY.

They went 1806 or soon after to Oldham Co., KY.

1832, Oldham Co., KY - her nephew Weedon Smith became attorney to represent their orphans in an inheritance case.

Rosanna Yager's children:

1) Ruth Smith b. 6 May 1792 2) Daniel Smith b. 10 Oct 1793 3) Nathan Smith b. 8 Feb 1795 4) Rhoda Smith b. 4 Dec 1796 5) Reuben Smith b. 22 Oct 1799 6) Edward Smith b. 30 Sep 1800 7) Henry Smith b. 4 Dec 1802

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11. Barbara Yager, b. 6 Jun 1777, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m. 23 Feb 1795, Madison Co., VA to Asa Smith [b.c. 1777, Madison Co., VA; d. c. 1812, Madison Co., VA; son of Downing Rucker Smith and Catherine Boehme]; she d.c. 1812, Madison Co., VA.

Barbara Yager's children:

1) Gabriel Smith

2) Augustine Smith, b. 1798, Madison Co., VA; m. 2 Jan 1824, Madison Co., VA, to Frances Anderson [d. 1850-60, Randolph Co., MO; daughter of Obediah Anderson and Catherine Conrad]; he d. 1860-1870, Randolph Co., MO.

3) Wedon Smith

4) Frances Smith

5) Matilda Smith

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12. Daniel Smith Yager, b. 20 May 1779, Culpeper (now Madison) Co., VA; m. 3 Nov 1806 to Susannah Berry [b. 23 May 1788, d. 27 May 1844]; he d. 14 August 1860.

Daniel Smith Yager's children:

1) Eliza Jane Yager 2) Franklin Jackson Yager 3) Walter Head Yager, b. 3 Jul 1809 4) William Jefferson Yager, b. 3 Sep 1811 5) John Kobler Yager, b. 13 Jan 1814, d. c 1831 6) Smith Gibbs Yager, b. 29 Mar 1816 7) Paschal Berry Yager, b. 21 Jan 1818, d. c 1833 8) Lucinda Rebecca Yager, b. 20 May 1822* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jul 8 2021, 17:45:51 UTC

• Reference: TNG Genealogy - SmartCopy: Aug 7 2021, 19:21:36 UTC