Benjamin Yates, aged 81, pioneer El Doradoan, died at 1 o'clock yesterday at his farm home, 5 miles southwest of Leon. Since the death of his wife, last June, he had divided his time between the Wichita home and the homes of his only children, Frank and William Yates. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Yates are on the home farm and William lives at Augusta. Mr. Yates had been in feeble health several months.
Mr. Yates had a ruggedness of character that distinguished him and endeared him to hundreds of person sin Butler County, where he lived for 55 years. He had a marked sense of humor and was notably honest and hard working. One of his earliest business ventures was a grocery store here, on North Main Street. When they disposed of the store, Mr. and Mrs. Yates moved to their Little Walnut Township farm from which home they extended much cordial hospitality.
After many years of hard work on the farm, and saving to acquire more land, Mr. and Mrs. Yates were rewarded materially years ago when the oil boom spread in their direction and they leased land for a substantial sum. With an inherent generosity they gave each of their sons several thousand dollars, presented several favorite relatives with a thousand or two each and then moved from the farm to an extremely comfortable home at Wichita. There they enjoyed for a few years the comforts and ease for which they had worked, not for themselves, but for their sons.
Twelve hours before the death of Mr. Yates, oil was discovered on his homestead. He was told of the strike and expressed delight. His last thought was for the happiness of his sons. Mr. Yates was born at Petersburg, Va., April 19, 1841, and there spent his boyhood days. Later he moved to Illinios and came to Kansas in 1836.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 o'clock tomorrow afternoon at the Methodist Church at Leon. Rev. W. E. Freeman, minister of that church will officiate and burial will be made in the Leon Cemetery. (Walnut Valley Times, January 3, 1922)
Charles E. Yates died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Charles Burgess, near Douglass, Wednesday night. He was born on July 17, 1848, and was 84 years, four months and 23 days of age at the time of his death.
He came to Butler County 18 months ago from Seneca, Ill. He leaves two daughters, Mrs. Clara R. Burgess, Douglass; and Mrs. Hazel Nattyzin, Houston, Texas.
Funeral services were held this morning at the Congregational Church in Douglass. They were conducted by the Rev. Mr. Scott. Burial was in Douglass Cemetery. Dunsford Funeral Home, of Augusta was in charge. (The El Dorado Times, December 2, 1932)
YEAGER FUNERAL TO BE TOMORROW
Funeral services for N. A. Yeager, pioneer Augusta attorney, who died at his home at that place yesterday, will be held at 2 o’clock tomorrow afternoon at the Augusta Methodist Church, it was announced this morning. Burial will be made in the Augusta Cemetery.
Judge George J. Benson, of Division No. 2 of the Butler County District Court, announced this morning that the court will be adjourned tomorrow afternoon for the funeral. It is expected that a big majority of the El Dorado attorneys will attend. A number of other residents of El Dorado also are planning to be at the funeral. Mr. Yeager was one of the well known pioneers of this section of the state and he had many friends. (The El Dorado Times ~ Wednesday, November 22, 1933)
RITES FOR N. A. YEAGER TODAY
Funeral services for N. A. Yeager, prominent Augusta attorney, who died at his home there Tuesday, were held at the Methodist Episcopal Church, at Augusta, this afternoon with Dr. W. H. Moore and Rev. Jessie Clyde Fisher officiating. A large group of friends were present at the rites to show their respect for one of Butler County's most prominent citizens. Masonic services were held at the mausoleum at Elmwood Cemetery. The body had lain in state at his home from 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon until the services. The Butler County District Court adjourned at noon today so that members of the bar could attend the services. (The El Dorado Times ~ Thursday, November 23, 1933)
N. A. YEAGER DIES AT AUGUSTA HOME
END COMES TO WELL KNOWN RESIDENT AND DEAN OF BUTLER COUNTY BAR TODAY
N. A. Yeager, Augusta attorney since 1883, and dean of the Butler County bar, died at his home there shortly before noon today from bronchial pneumonia. He had been ill only a few days.
Mr. Yeager, who was 80 years old was one of the most widely known members of his profession in Kansas and commanded the respect of everyone who knew him. His death comes as a shock to hundreds of persons throughout the county.
The Augusta attorney was born in Kosclusko County, Ind., on May 21, 1853 and was educated in the public schools of that state. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University, being graduated with the class of 1878. He taught school in Indiana
for a time and later served as teller in a bank at North Manchester, Ind. He came to Kansas in May, 1881, settling at Augusta, and two years later was admitted to the bar. His first law practice was done with the firm of Shinn & Yeager, his partner being T. O. Shinn. This firm operated until 1891 when Mr. Yeager took over the business.
In addition to his extensive law practice, Mr. Yeager figured conspicuously in the politics of Butler County for a number of years. The Augusta attorney was a candidate for prosecuting attorney in 1890 and 1898 on the Republican ticket and in 1898 on the Democratic ticket and in 1908 he was a candidate for judge of the Thirteenth Judicial District but on each occasion he was defeated by small pluralities. Mr. Yeager was also postmaster of Augusta from 1884 to 1888 and served as mayor there for one term.
Funeral arrangements will be announced through the Dunsford Funeral Home at Augusta. (The El Dorado Times, Tuesday, November 21, 1933)
N. A. YEAGER IS GONE
Augusta Gazette:
Kindly, courteous and helpful was N. A. Yeager, whose death here yesterday saddened his hundreds of friends in this community. His passing leaves a void none can fill, and which for a long time to come will remind folks of the good
effect he had on the lives of those with whom he came in contact.
An individual may be prominent on the pages of history, or he may be great in the hearts of men. To the latter class belonged Mr. Yeager, who leaves behind him thousands that, directly or indirectly, felt his tremendous power for good in his simple and direct philosophy affecting everyday men and affairs.
A famous author once said: “Men are known for what they are, not what they do.” Citizens of this community for the past 52 years knew Mr. Yeager for what he was, and respected and loved him for it.
An Augusta attorney for 50 years, and dean of the Butler County bar at the time of his death, Mr. Yeager conducted his law business in a manner to win the high respect of brother attorneys. He also played his full part in the community life, politically and socially, and besides this met people with a kindly, courteous bearing at all times.
Extraordinarily active for his age, Mr. Yeager attended to business at his office every day till he was stricken with pneumonia last week. He was familiar figure down town, and his cheerful disposition will be missed at those places he was accustomed to dropping into for a visit.
Augusta is much better for Mr. Yeager having lived here 52 years, and it is difficult to conceive anyone’s passing being more deeply felt or sincerely mourned than is his. (El Dorado Times ~ Thursday, November 23, 1933)
Maurice Yoakem, 81, of Cottonwood Falls, died Friday evening, March 4, 1994, at Friendship Manor. Services were held Monday morning in Homestead Cemetery with Rev. Dallas Evans officiating.
He was born Jan. 26, 1913, in Chase County, the son of Charles and Nora Knab Yoakem. He and Allegra G. Blankenship were married Dec. 19, 1958, in Cottonwood Falls. She died July 20, 1982. He had been a farmer and stockman in Chase County most of his life.
Survivors include: brother, Cecil of Cottonwood Falls; sisters, Eunice Leonard of El Dorado, Velma Scharenberg of Bella vista, Ark. He was preceded in death by a sister, Leona Parks, and brothers, Percy, Lloyd, Bus and Ted. Brown-Bennett-Alexander Funeral Home has the arrangements. (El Dorado Times, March 7, 1994)
Mrs. Frank R. Youmans, 818 West First Avenue, a resident of El Dorado for the past seven years, died here late last night after a brief illness. She was 43 years old and had been ill only a week.
Mrs. Youmans was born at Junction City on June 12, 1890, and resided there for 28 years. Four years after her marriage on July 13, 1914, at Kansas City, Mo., she moved to Ramona, Okla., with Mr. Youmans where they lived for eight years, coming to El Dorado from that place.
Mrs. Youmans was a member of the Presbyterian Church and a war charter member of the Eastern Star at Ramona.
Funeral services will be held at the Byrd Funeral Home Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock with Rev. R. M. Truesdale, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, officiating. Following the services here, the body will be taken to Junction City, where services will be held and interment made in the Highland Cemetery there.
Mrs. Youmans is survived by her husband, one son, Franklyn, aged 12; two daughters, Jeanette, 14 and Sarah, 18; two sisters, Mrs. J. H. Conners of Parsons and Mrs. B. A. Robinson of Waldron, Ark.; and two brothers, W. S. Schraag, of San Francisco, Calif., and L. S. Schraag, of Junction City. (The El Dorado Times, September 25, 1933)
Hiram Max Young, 75, of Potwin, retired Plum Grove Township road maintainer, died Friday, April 22, 1994. Services are 10 a.m. Tuesday at Potwin Methodist Church. Burial will be in McGill Cemetery. Rev. Dennis Hanna will officiate the services.
He was born June 24, 1919, in Halstead. On Aug. 18, 1972, he and Doris Irene Robinson were married in Potwin. He was a member of American Legion Post No. 81.
Survivors include: wife, Doris, sons, Hiram of Tulsa, Kenneth of Dallas, Floyd of Port Orchard, Wash., Charles, Robert, both of Potwin, daughters, Edith Blecher of Shoshone, Idaho, Edna Place of El Dorado, Evelyn Shultz, Elizabeth Pugh, both of Potwin, stepsons, Russell Adler of Hillsboro, Kevin Adler of Potwin, stepdaughter, Sandra Koehn of Potwin, brothers, Lloyd Young of Council Grove, Leo Young of Halstead, sister, Rena Honn of Arkansas city, 32 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, one brother, one grandchild and one great-grandchild. Memorials are to Potwin Methodist Church. Lamb-Nutter Mortuary has the arrangements. (El Dorado Times – April 25, 1994)
Dr. Younkin of Florence died of diabetes at 12 o’clock today April 25. He was the father of the late Mrs. John McGinnis and was an excellent man, citizen and physician. Mr. John McGinnis who left here yesterday for his home at Pueblo, Colorado had been at his bedside and bade him farewell, knowing he was soon to pass to a better world. Miss Mollie McGinnis his granddaughter was present at his death. (Walnut Valley Times, April 29, 1904)
YOUNKMAN, GEORGE N.
Funeral services for George N. Younkman, 209 South Taylor Street, who died here Tuesday were held at the Byrd Funeral Home yesterday afternoon with Rev. J. W. Abel, pastor of the Methodist Church, officiating.
The popularity of the pioneer El Doradoan was testified by the large crowd which attended the services while a multitude of floral offerings filled the chapel of the Funeral Home with their fragrance. Mr. Younkman had lived in El Dorado for 62 years and had made many friends and acquaintances during that time.
A trio, composed of Mary Elizabeth Shelden, Jeanne Lawrence and Thelma Atkinson, sang "I Need Thee Every Hour," and Miss Atkinson sang a solo, "Going Home."
Pallbearers were P.E. Carroll, James Feeley, Homer Cooper, J.G. Scoggins, Fred Clark and Murray McCormick. Interment was made in Belle Vista Cemetery. (The El Dorado Times, December 17, 1932)
YOUNKMAN: Died, December 19, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. M. G. Wells, Mrs. Sarah Younkman, aged 74 years. Sarah Brown Younkman was born in Stark county, Ohio, November 16, 1828. She was married in 1854 to D. D. Younkman, who died here some thirteen years ago and four children survive them, George Younkman and Mrs. Hattie Wells of El Dorado, Mrs. Alice Thompson of Harbor Springs, Michigan and Eugene Younkman of Colorado Springs, Colorado. With her husband she came to El Dorado in 1870 and all the older residents of Butler county knew and loved the two good old-fashioned, honest hearted people. For many years they owned a hotel here, noted for its excellent cookery and service. The Metripolitan – originally called the Younkman Hotel – is a monument to these excellent people. Mrs. Younkman was a member of the United Brethren church, joining at Huntington, Indiana in 1856 and she has lived her religion. She was a splendid woman, a noble wife, a loving and devoted mother and her children call her blessed; and as friend and neighbor she was loved and honored wide as her acquaintance circle. The funeral will be held from the Wells home Monday, December 22 at 2:30 p.m. (Walnut Valley Times, December 26, 1902, Volume XXXIII, Number 49)
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