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JOHN H. YERKES, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of Taylor Township, residing on section 25, is a native of Durham County, Ind., born Dec. 25, 1840. He is the son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Med) Yerkes, his father being a native of Virginia and his mother of England. His parents were among the early settlers of Indiana, and there his father died about 1850: his mother is yet living and resides with her son Thomas.In 1861 John H. came to Benton County, accompanied by his older brother, Stephen A., and located on the site of his present home. He purchased thirty-two and one-half acres of land, built a neat frame residence and a good barn, and made other improvements. In 1870 he opened the stone-quarry on his place, the contents of which proved to be of fine quality, and for which he has had a good demand, having sold about 3,000 perches. There was an old quarry on the place when he purchased it, but believing the contents of the latter quarry to be of a superior quality, he has principally worked the new one. In February, 1879, while at work in this quarry, a stone slipped and caught him on the leg, breaking it, laying him up for one year, six weeks of which time he never turned over in his bed.
Mr. Yerkes was united in marriage, Feb. 5, 1863, with Lucinda, daughter of Lyman D. and Sarah E. (Kinsinger) Bordwell. They are the parents of two children — William H., born Feb. 18, 1865; and Elbert, born Sept. 2, 1875. Mrs. Yerkes has been a member of the United brethren Church. Mr. Yerkes is an industrious and intelligent citizen. During his early married life he met with a great many misfortunes, losing at one time four head of horses, and being compelled to work by the day to earn money to replace them. Notwithstanding his early trials he has been fairly successful in life, and is now enjoying many comforts, the fruit of his earlier toil and economy.
Source Citation: "1887 Benton County, Iowa Biographies" [database online] Benton County IAGenWeb Project. <http://iagenweb.org/benton/>
Original data: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Benton County, Iowa." Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887, p. 281-282.
Transcribed by: Sue Soden. Submitted to the Benton County IAGenWeb Project on February 10th, 2009. Copyright © 2009 The IAGenWeb Project.
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