William W. Yoakam
William W. Yoakam, one of the leading agriculturists of Bath township, has been a resident of the township for almost 60 years, and has a fine farm of 120 acres, located in sections 22 and 23. He was born May 31, 1821, in Virginia (now West Virginia), near Beverly, the county seat of Randolph County. He is a son of Jacob Yoakam and grandson of Michael Yoakam. The grandfather was among the early settlers of Randolph County, Virginia, and also of Ohio, as he located in Mount Vernon, Ohio, during his later years.
Jacob Yoakam was born in Randolph County, February 28, 1790, and spent his entire life there, with the exception of one year spent with his father in Knox County, Ohio. He was in the War of 1812, at which time he was stationed at Norfolk, Virginia. He was a planter of prominence, his plantation consisting of some 300 acres of valuable land. He married Jane Wamsley, who was born in the same county on July 25, 1790, and died at the age of 44 years, while Jacob Yoakam reached the extreme age of 98 years and 6 months. They reared a large family of children viz: John, who was born February 18, 1812 and died at the age of 93 years; Mary born August 13, 1813, who was also past 93 years of age when she died; Jonathan, born December 14, 1814, a resident of Homer, Ohio; Sarah, born July 29, 1816, who died at the age of 24; Jane, born April 24, 1818, who is a resident of Randolph County, West Virginia; William W., our subject; Eliza, born February 28, 1823, who resides in Randolph County, West Virginia; Matthew, born August 23, 1825, who is a wealthy retired citizen of Homer, Ohio, having an extensive acreage of some of the choicest land in Licking County, Ohio he formerly shipped hogs to New York on a large scale and was the first man in Allen County to ship hogs by railroad; Washington born June 26, 1827; Eliza, born August 19, 1829, who is now deceased; Jacob, born January 20, 1832, who resides near Beverly, West Virginia; and Rebecca, who died in infancy. The longevity of the Yoakam family is remarkable. Of 12 children, four brothers and two sisters are still living, their ages ranging from 73 to 91 years, while as noted above, of those who died, one lived to be 93 and another to be more that 93 years of age.
William W. Yoakam remained on the farm with his parents until he was 22 years of age, when he removed to Licking County, Ohio, and rented a farm near Utica. Six years later he moved to a farm near Columbus Center, and in 1848 came to Allen County and bought his present farm of 120 acres in Bath township. A log cabin of one room had been built, but no attempt had been made to clear the timber which covered the tract. The deed which Mr. Yoakam holds this property is the oldest document of its kind in the township. He has the land all under cultivation and splendidly improved with good buildings.
Mr. Yoakam was married in 1847 to Nancy C. Channell, a native of Randolph County, Virginia. They had one child, Norton, who died about six years ago at Sidney, OHio, where he had been in the railroad service for 14 years. Mr. Yoakam was a member of the Ohio National Guard just before the Civil War. His wife died just as his company and regiment was ready to start for Washington to guard that city, but he was able to secure a substitute and to remain at home. On September 8, 1864, he was married to Rebecca A. (Ann) Chenoweth, who was born April 23, 1843, and is a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Vanthorn (( this should read Hanthorn, both Elizabeth and John are buried at Tony's Nose Cemetery in Allen County, Ohio. I have more information on Hanthorn in the Bio for Thomas S. Hanthorn located on the same web site)) Chenoweth. The fruits of this union were three children, namely Allie, born October 27, 1865, who is the wife of William French, who has charge of Mr. Yoakam's farm; Nancy E., born August 1, 1868, who is the wife of Theron Hadsell, of Bath township; and Mina L., born December 27, 1872, who is the wife of William Faze, of Perry township. Mr. Yoakam's grandchildren are Charles and Bonnie Yoakam, Ell and Virgil Hadsell and Dorothy and Evon Faze. He was formerly a Democrat and voted for James K. Polk. Later he voted for John C. Fremont and Abraham Lincoln, and has ever since been an ardent Republican. He served as justice of the peace for six years and has held a number of minor offices. He is a member of the Christian Church, but was formerly affiliated with the Methodists during pioneer days until the society to which he belonged disbanded. He is hale and hearty, a splendid type of American manhood and might easily pass for a much younger man.