William Edward Yeager

  Noted events in his life were:

• Birth: US Census proof of birth, 1860, Springfield Twsp, Williams Co, OH. Birth noted in listing of family, John D and Ann Yeager. William listed as fourth child of five. He is five years of age at the time the Census was taken.

• Alt. Birth: Written family record, Abt 1958, Brownwood, Brown Co, TX. A family history and genealogy compiled by Lutie E Yeager Gingrich gives date of birth of her father.

• Residence: Deed for land purchase, 1 Nov 1877, Wolcottville, Noble Co, IN. William purchased Lot 21 in Wolcottville, IN from John D. Yeager and wife for $700.
(Deed Bk 27, p 385). This lot had been purchased by his father just a year before, in 1876.

• Marriage Contract: Cert. Copy, Marr. Certificate, 17 Jun 1879, Wolcottville, LaGrange Co, IN. ⁴ In the Certificate dated 16 June, 1879 . . . "Know ye that any person empowered by law to solemnize Marriages is hereby authorized to join together as Husband and Wife (names couple) . . . "states this document, signed by Samuel P. Bradofrd, Clerk of the LaGrange Circuit Court.
Following, the document states that the certificate was filed in the clerk's office (June 20th) naming C.H. Blanchard, Elder, as the person who joined in marriage William E. Yeager and Mary Ella Dickinson, 17th day of June, 1879.

• Occupation: Sawyer,Sawmill Operator, Mercantile business, Abt 1870 - abt 1905. William began, as did his father and brothers as a lumberman. We believe his family began their move west from Pennsylvania following the demand for men to cut down trees. By the time father John D and William reached Indiana they had advanced in means to the point of becoming sawmill operators. This occupation finally took William and many of his relative on to Arkansas in search of more hardwood trees. Somehow through this move the Yeagers were joined by the Elkhart, IN Jacob Gingrich family who started a furniture factory. A few years later Lutie Yeager and Ivo Gingrich fell in love and were married.

After the saw mill was sold (or burned as I was once told) William tried many things. The most interesting one to me and his young sons and grandson, Jack, was when he managed (or owned?) one of the first automobile agencies and garages (Studebaker) in Pine Bluff, AR.

Another venture was in planting and harvesting a fruit orchard. This was said to have failed when a train load of fall peaches was inadvertently side-tracked. The fruit spoiled.

• Personal Attributes: Cheerful, social man, Abt 1888, Lima, Noble Co, IN. According to his daughter, Lutie and his two grandchildren, Marion and Jack Gingrich, William was always a cheerful man, one who enjoyed picnics, concerts, etc. Lutie notes that it was he who insisted that the family take their daughters to see the World's Fair in Chicago. Jack and Marion recalled treats from the store and delicious fruit in the orchard and a grandfather who always had time for them. Daughter Lutie reports that her father was a soft touch for people who need credit or a loan, that after his stroke when he was unable to work, wife, Ella, tried unsuccessfully to collect on many outstanding debts owed to them.

• Death: Stroke victim, 3 Jan 1922, Hope, Hempstead Co, AR. William lived on after his stroke, but never regained his heath enough to go back to work.

• Burial: Rose Hills Cemetery, Jan 1922, Hope, Hempstead Co, AR. William Yeager is buried in a lovely, shaded place among the trees of Arkansas.

William married Mary Ella Dickinson, daughter of Levant Benois Dickinson and Mercy Muriel SHEPARD, on 17 Jun 1879 in Wolcottville, LaGrange Co, IN.³ (Mary Ella Dickinson was born on 24 Feb 1860 in Wolcottville, LaGrange Co, IN,⁵ died on 22 Aug 1933 in Brownwood, Brown Co, TX and was buried in Aug 1933 in Greenleaf Cemetery, Brownwood, Brown Co, TX.)