My Genealogy Hound

ISRAEL YOST, a highly respected agriculturist on the west shore of Cayuga Lake, in the town of Varick, lives upon the farm where his father settled in 1825. He was born in Berks County, Pa., December 18, 1814, and is a son of Daniel and Foraney (Hess) Yost, the former a native of Berks County, and the latter of Northumberland County, Pa. In 1823 the family came to Seneca County and settled at East Varick, and two years later located on the farm where our subject now resides. Daniel Yost, a shoemaker by trade, was a well educated man, and for many years engaged in teaching both English and German in Berks, Lehigh and Northampton Counties, Pa. On coming to this county he engaged in farming exclusively, and remained on the old homestead until his death, at the age of seventy-six years.

Politically the father was a Democrat, and took an active part in all political affairs. Religiously he was a Lutheran, and assisted in establishing the church of that denomination at East Varick. His wife, who was a member of the Presbyterian Church, died in her eighty-eighth year. They were the parents of nine children, two sons and seven daughters. One son, Stephen, died when twenty-eight years of age, and Israel is the subject of this sketch. Caroline is the widow of John Disinger, of Varick, and now lives in Canoga; Angeline is the widow of Jacob Larzerele, of that place; Christiana is the widow of Vincent Williams, of Varick, and resides with her son George on the farm; Clarissa married Charles Schwab, of Fayette, where they now live; Amanda married John Waring, and lives in Ionia County, Mich; Harriet is the widow of Henry Lisk, and resides near Romulus, in the town of Varick; and Sarah married Coan Bishop, and they reside in the town of Lodi. All married well and all have fine homes.

Israel Yost remained at home until his twenty-fifth year, working by the month the last year. He then followed threshing one year, and again worked on the farm by the month for Hiram Wheeler. The next season he was engaged in ditching. After working a time for others, he took charge of the home farm, which he worked until his father’s death, when he purchased the interest of the other heirs, paying $82 per acre for the same. He had saved $4,000 by the time he bought the old place, and this he used in payment for the farm. Times were then good, and he made considerable money, but suffered many losses by loaning his funds. Success, however, has crowned his efforts, and in addition to the old homestead he has two other good farms: the Abbott Farm, consisting of one hundred and fifty-five acres in the town of Fayette, which he purchased for $83 per acre, and the Waring Farm of seventy-six acres, for which he paid $65 per acre. They are both fine farms, and are occupied by tenants.

Mr. Yost lived a single life until sixty years of age, when he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Backman, who had been his house-keeper for six or eight years prior to this event. They have two children, Lutie Amelia and George. Both are yet at home, and are receiving a good education. Politically Mr. Yost is a Democrat, but has never been an office-holder. He has been a member of the Lutheran Church since young manhood. Though now in his eighty-first year, he can say that he has never had a law suit in his life.