IAGenWeb Project - Clayton co.

William F. Yearous

William F. Yearous has been a resident of Highland township from the time of his birth to the present, has here exemplified progressiveness and enterprise as a substantial exponent of agricultural and live stock industry and is a popular scion of one of the honored pioneer families of Clayton county.

He was born in Highland township on the 8th of September, 1867, and is a son of Charles and Catherine (Peters) Yearous, the former of whom was born in Baden, Germany and the latter of whom was born in Ohio, of German ancestry. Charles Yearous established his home on a pioneer farm in Highland township in the year 1854, and with the passing years he developed and improved a productive and valuable landed estate. He was one of the well known and highly esteemed pioneer citizens of Clayton county at the time of his death, which occurred January 7th, 1905, and his venerable widow resided near Fayette, Fayette county, until her death in August, 1916. Of their children the eldest is Aaron, who is now a resident of Wright county, this state; Jacob S., is a farmer in Fayette county and Jerome N., of Page county; Martha is the wife of Frank Kimpston, of Fayette county; Christian A., resides at Potosi, Grant county, Wisconsin; Charles now maintains his home in South Dakota; Ulysses G., is deceased; William F., of this review, was the next in order of birth; John W., is a resident of Fayette county; and Andrew is a prosperous farmer of Highland township.

William F. Yearous supplemented the discipline of the district schools by the completion of an effective course in a business college at Fayette, and thereafter he continued to be associated with his father in the work and management of the home farm until he had attained to the age of twenty-five years. He then rented eighty acres of his father, from whom he later purchased one hundred and ten acres, in Section 9, Highland township, where he has since given his time and attention to well ordered operations along the lines of diversified agriculture and the raising of excellent grades of live stock. He has made excellent improvements on the farm, including the erection of a modern residence of two stories, and he is known as one of the vigorous and resourceful farmers and influential and popular citizens of his native township. He has served in minor township offices, was secretary of the school board of his district for ten years, is a staunch supporter of the cause of the Republican party, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of Gleaners, in which last named order his wife likewise holds membership.

On the 23d of October, 1892, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Yearous to Miss Blanche Chesley, who was born and reared in Volga township, this county, and who is a daughter of Norman and Lucy (Phillips) Chesley, the former a native of Canada and the latter of the state of Illinois. It is worthy of note that Mrs. Yearous' maternal grandmother, Mrs. Louisa Ann (Geer) Phillips, was a neighbor and friend of the historic and eccentric patriot, John Brown, concerning whom she had many interesting reminiscences, she having lived to the remarkable age of ninety-eight years. Mrs. Yearous was but one year old at the time of her father's death and she and her twin sister, Belle, were the youngest of a family of three children. The eldest child, Isadean, is the wife of Hiram R. Palmer, of Hawkeye, Fayette county, and Belle is the widow of Dr. James McGregor, her home being in the city of Denver, Colorado. For her second husband Mrs. Lucy (Phillips) Chesley wedded Frank Goodwin, and both are now deceased. They became the parents of five children, of whom the firstborn was Grace, now deceased; Rhoda is the wife of Edwin Howe, of Knoxville, Illinois; Ernest resides at Volga, Clayton county; Hattie is the wife of Robert Duff, of Highland township; and Louis is a successful teacher in the public schools of Watson, Colorado.

Mr. and Mrs. Yearous have but one child, Justin Paul, who was born September 17, 1896.

source: History of Clayton County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical Times Down to the Present; by Realto E. Price, Vol. II; pg. 453-454

-OCR scanned by S. Ferrall

 

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