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 19^th 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 19^th 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 Philadelphia Oct. 9, 1747. It also says that the son Andrew Yoder served in the 10th PA Calvary, Colonel Co. during the American Revolution from 1776 to 1781. The 1790 to 1820 census shows no “Andrew Yoder”. In 1790, however, there is an Andrew “Yeater” living in Mifflin Co., PA. In 1820 an Andrew Yater appears in Green County, PA.

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 Steiffisburg, Switzerland! The first DNA test came from a descendant of Henry (CG111). We have since found a volunteer in the family of his brother John (CG112) and a second 12 marker test is in process. We hope eventually to be able to fund upgrades to get a full 67 marker view of Andrew Jr.

JOHANNES YEATER LINK DISPROVED

What of the Johannes Yeater with family in Mifflin and Green Counties? Is our Andrew of Lycoming really his grandson Andrew? Probably the best compilation of data on this Johannes Yeater family is by T. Vernon Anderson and can be found at the Marshall County WV Roots Web Page at: http://www.lindapages.com/marshall/yeater.txt. T. Vernon writes that Johannes was born on April 1, 1724, in Stuttgart, Germany, and that he died in June 1805 in Derry Twp., Mifflin Co, PA. Johannes was married to Margaretha Korst on August 2, 1748, in Philadelphia. Margaretha was born in 1728 in Mifflin Co, PA., and died in Derry Twp, Mifflin Co., PA. Their children are shown as:

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 Green County census listings. This Andrew did have a son Andrew Jr., but he is a decade younger than our Lycoming fellow, and his life is documented through 1850, when he was living with a son in Marshall County, now WV.

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 PHILADELPHIA

1764 Belin Map of Philadelphia showing Pasayunk Twp.

Tax records from the Vol. XIV, Pennsylvania Archives Series 3 show an Andrew Yatter in 1769:

Page --Year--County--Township--Name___--Acres--Taxed
104--1769— Phila --Pasayank--Andrew Yatter--___-- x

The 1764 Philadelphia map shows the location of Passyunk Twp. Among others listed in Phliladelphia Co. for 1769 are:
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.

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MENNO YODER CEMENT BARN

CELEBRATES 100^TH BIRTHDAY

BARN UNDER CONSTRUCTION, 1908

West of Shipshewana, Indiana on CR250 is a local landmark which just celebrated its 100^th 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, Wilmington DE for $6.50.

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 Durham herd, but in 1907 he switched to Brown Swiss dairy cattle. In 1912 he painted “Swiss Brown Dairy” on the barn and in 1922 he paid $5 to have the farm name registered. He and his wife continued to live on this farm until 1929 when they rented it to daughter Elva and her husband Raymond Prough. The old folks then moved into Shipshewana.
 

 
MENNO YODER FAMILY ABOUT 1938

(Standing LtoR: Glenn, Floyd, Reuben, Leo, Lester, Dorsa, Olen; Sitting: Iva, Menno, Carrie, Elva

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“ROSANNA OF THE AMISH”

Great-Great-GRANDSON

GOES TO HOLLYWOOD

-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 Goshen, Indiana, and Thomas Gratten Proctor of Elkhart, (where just this morning, as I write this on holiday in Maui, our new president, Barack “Yoder” Obama, was holding a town hall meeting!) Audre told me that she held the birth off at Goshen General Hospital until after midnight so that I would be born on an auspicious day according to the poem... 
  "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 GOSHEN
 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 North Hollywood, California. 

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 Hollywood Walk of Fame. 
 And The Firesign Theatre will be performing on April 25th at the Golden State Theatre in Monterey to celebrate the release of our latest CD-set, "Danger in a Box" on Shout! Factory records, after over 40 years together. 
 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, Maui 
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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.
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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.

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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!
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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.

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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 Goshen. (Most of this info is also available free at the YNL Homepage).

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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 Switzerland. She traced the movements of the clock through the generations from “Widow Barbara” and “Strong Jacob”, moving around Pennsylvania and to Ohio. She told how when her grandfather died in 1920 it passed on by auction to a cousin, D. Bradley Yoder. One day someone “made him an offer he couldn’t refuse” and the clock passed out of the family. Bob writes that this article “became so very interesting to me, since Widow Barbara Joder was my 6th great grandmother. I am intrigued to know if, since 1987, anyone has attempted to do further research on the where-abouts of the "Grandfather Clock"? Today the "clock" is nearly 300 years old and would be a masterpiece of historical significance especially to we related Yoders.” No one knows where the clock is today. D. Bradley died in 1956

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this Yoder heirloom could be found? Do any of our readers have clues?

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Hello. I just discovered your website, and we Texas-to-California Yoders were enjoying and discussing it. It’s a very interesting project, and I’m glad y’all have undertaken this interesting work.

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, Colorado.” I told her she should find some sly way to let her coworkers know this and see if it gets her anything.

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

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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, Carson City, Michigan

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YODER POLITICO ELECTED JUDGE

State Senator John Christian Yoder, R-Jefferson, won election as circuit court judge in Division 2 of West Virginia's 23rd Judicial Circuit. With final returns reporting, Yoder led his opponent with a total of 31,721 votes to 30,597 votes. John Christian is the descendant of "Schweitzer Christian" Yoder (1728-1816), his son John (1772-1860) and his son Bishop Abner Yoder (1814-1883) (YR239b), featured for his Fraktur penmanship in YNL#13.

-In Kansas, State Rep. Kevin Yoder, 20^th District was re-elected with 65% of the vote.

-In Indiana’s 12^th State Senate District, Carlin Yoder was elected to a first term with 62% of the vote.

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Glenn W Guengerich, 92, awarded as Iowa’s Outstanding Older Worker, Oct. 2008. Glenn is a nephew of Sanford C Yoder, former President of Goshen College. –contributed by Erma Lou Yoder, Goshen, IN

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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. Meadow Mountain lies east of Grantsville. Going west from Grantsville about three miles you are about on top of Negro Mountain. The Casselman River flows between the two mountains. Shade Run is in the first little valley to the west, as you leave Grantsville. Between Shade Run and Negro Mountain, there is a County Road, the Posey Row road.

Solomon Yoder at one time lived on a farm on Posey Row Road. His sons, Harvey and Norman both lived in the area as well. Kenneth Yoder thinks his grandfather Harvey taught school at the Beachy School, which was near the National Pike in that same location. Another son, Lewis (my Grandfather) lived for a while on a place in the little valley by Shade Run. My wife and I drove up the valley a few days ago. The road ends - there are gates. But approximately 1/2 mile north of present alternate Rt. 40 there are "coal hills" There are no buildings around anymore.

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 Mennonite Church at Pinto.

Another factor that may be important in this connection is that according to Kenneth Yoder, the Upper Freeport Coal is only about 30 feet below the surface in that area.

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 KENTUCKY

 
 
 
Mr. Yoder, --I live on a farm in Nicholas County Kentucky that my family purchased in 1969. This past July, I started renovating an old log home on the property. Curious about the age of the home, I went to the county clerks office to check the deed records. I found a deed where in 1814 a “Coonrod Yeater” sold the property to a Jon Crouch. With “Coonrod Yeater” not being a common name then or today, I goggled the name and found mention of him and his family in your March 1, 2006 Newsletter. I feel that this is the same log home that the Yeater family lived in while in Kentucky, or at least part of it, and where his 10 children were born. The house has two log sections under roof. The first is a one story log structure that I believe was built first, because of its more primitive workmanship. The section that I believe was built next, has two stories and the construction was a lot better. The property would have been in Bourbon County at that time. In fact today it lays on the Bourbon/Nicholas Line.
 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 
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Editors note: Conrad Yeater/Yater (4/1/1769 PA-8/15/1834 Fulton, MO) was married about 1789 in VA to Sarah Honeyman (9/-/1768 NJ-7/4/1834 MO). They moved to Bourbon Co, KY where they lived until 1818, then moved to Warren Co., MO. The primary reference for this family is The Honeyman Family by Abraham Honeyman, 1909. This full work can be found on the internet with a Google book search. It appears this Conrad may have been related to Henry Yater (b. c1765 VA) who settled in Kentucky by 1792. DNA testing shows this Henry Yater shares a common male ancestor with the Samuel Yetter family of Columbia Co., Pa They DO NOT link with our Swiss Joder family.
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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 Parnell, IA to Tofield, Alberta in 1912.  

TOP ROW: John, Ezra, Ray, Vernon Middle row: Mary, Katie (my grandmother), Sarah (from Levi's first wife)  Bottom row: Henry, Jacob, David, George. 
  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
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***************************Queries************************

The YNL will publish Yoder related inquiries or exchanges at no charge. Send Queries to: Chris Yoder, 551 S. Maple St., Saugatuck, MI 49453 or email at cyoder@tds.net .

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Who was George Yoder b. 1808 Germany res. 1860 Louisville, KY. Occupation ‘steamboat maker or master”. Wife Margaret b. Wales, with Mary-21, Godfrey-19, Susan-17, John-14, Charles-12. Reply to: Chris Yoder, 551 S. Maple St., Saugatuck, MI 49453. cyoder@tds.net

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YODER FALLS, SOMERSET CO., PA

BILL SHETLER AT YODER FALLS

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 Yoder Falls?”

Bill Shetler, Davidsville, Pa. sent the above photo from his visit to the falls on March 11, 2008. He writes: “We only live a couple of miles from the falls, and when I was growing up our farm was right next to them. My trip to the falls is something to behold. You have to climb over rocks, through the water and around big rocks through mountain laurel …. You can only take this trip in the cold weather because of snakes. I’m almost 80 years old and retired. God Bless You.” – Bill Shetler

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“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 Pleasantville Union Cemetery in Berks County. You can either add your ancestor to a cemetery, or post data on an existing record. For assistance write: Chris Yoder at: cyoder@tds.net .

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.
 
 
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(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., AL (Res.1880 -Hall Co, TN)
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John Abel Yoder (Con111) d. May 10, 1864 (according to NC Yoder Book d. Civ. War, Battle of Bristow Springs, VA.) m. Lizzie Jarrett. Buried in Spotsylvania Confederate Cemetery, Spotsylvania, VA, “Enlisted on 10/12/1863 at Camp Vance, NC as a Private, he mustered into "F" Co. NC 23rd Infantry. He was killed in action in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, VA.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Newton, died Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008, widow of Roy (Con11364).

-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, Stuttgart, Ark (daughter of YR2511g42)
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OLEY YODER REUNION 2009
The Oley Reunion will be Sat. July 18, 2009 at the Firehouse in Oley, PA. For info call Nancy Yoder at 616-323-7736.
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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, Suite 110 Houston, Texas 77008.

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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. 
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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. 

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NOTES:HAPLOGROUP I1c HAS BEEN REnamED I2B1; WANTED - YR17 DESCENDANT FOR DNA TEST
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L. M. YODER HOME, BELLEVILLE, PA

Thanks to Zelda Yoder of the Mifflin County Mennonite Historical Society for identifying the owner the Belleville, Pa. home appearing on this old postcard. She reports:
 “The home is very much part of the Belleville landscape, located at 4138 E. Main St. It is now headquarters for the local VFW.”
 “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 Trella Street --named after a daughter—which are still used as residences. You will remember Joseph W. as the author of the books Rosanna of the Amish, Rosanna’s Boys, and Amische Lieder. Levi’s brother John was at one time president of the Goshen Milk Condensing Company and may have descendants in the area.”
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OREGON YODERS TO MEET
The Oregon Yoder Reunion that has met annually since 1936 will meet again on August 2 2009 at about 1 pm. It meets at Smyrna UCC Church fellowship hall on the Canby-Marquam highway south of Canby OR. The Oregon reunions are pot luck dinners so reservations are not required. They welcome anyone interested enough in the Yoder clan to attend.  Jim Yoder" <jyoder@shaw.ca> 
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ANNUAL NC YODER REUNION
 At last year's NC Yoder Reunion the group voted unanimously to hold their next annual event at Grace Lutheran Church near Newton, NC, on Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 1:00 p.m.
 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
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