My Genealogy Hound

FRANK E. YERKES. M. D., of Ambler, is descended from one of the oldest families in eastern Pennsylvania, who settled originally in Bucks county. He is a nephew of Hon. Harman Yerkes, for many years judge of the court at Doylestown.

Frank E. Yerkes was born on the family homestead in Warminster township, Bucks county, on January 9, 1870. He acquired his education in the public schools and later in the high school. He attended for a time the state normal school at West Chester, from which he graduated in 1890. He taught school for a time, and commenced the study of medicine, Dr. Thomas Reading, of Hatboro, being his preceptor. After six months spent in this way he attended medical college, and spent the vacations with his preceptor. He then entered Hahnemann Homeopathic Medical College in Philadelphia in 1891, taking a three-year course, and graduating in 1894, receiving a diploma in medicine and surgery. In October, 1894, he opened an office in the borough of Ambler, where he has established himself on a firm basis, giving all his attention to the duties of his profession, and achieving great success, his good business methods winning the confidence of the entire community. He is a member of the Medica1 Club of the Twenty-third Ward of Philadelphia; of the Tri- County Medical Society of Chester, Delaware and Montgomery, of the Homeopathic Medical Society of the state of Pennsylvania, and of the Hahnemann Alumni of Philadelphia. He is thoroughly up-to-date in his profession, and is building up a large and lucrative practice.

Dr. Yerkes is the son of Alfred and Mary A. (Hazlett) Yerkes. The father is a native of Bucks county, and the mother of Montgomery. Alfred Yerkes is a son of Stephen and Amy H. (Montanye) Yerkes, both of Bucks county. The Montanyes are of Scotch-Irish descent. Stephen Yerkes was a son of Harman Yerkes. Stephen Yerkes was a well known farmer, and a prominent member of the Baptist church. The children of Stephen and Amy Yerkes: Thomas, engaged in gold mining in Mexico, where he is manager of the Yerkes Mining Company; Stephen, a farmer at the old homestead; Margaret (Mrs. Captain George Bucher); Harman, ex-judge of the Bucks county courts; Alfred (father); Edwin, died in Arizona, where he was engaged in gold mining. Amy Yerkes, their mother, was a daughter of Thomas B. Montanye, an ordained Baptist clergyman who came from New York to Southampton, Bucks county, where he was for many years the pastor of the old Southampton Baptist church, serving very acceptably in that position.

Alfred Yerkes, father of Dr. Yerkes, was reared in Bucks county, and is a farmer by occupation, raising large quantities of hay. He has never aspired to public office, preferring to keep close to his occupation of agriculture, and make a success of it. He also makes a specialty of raising stock. In politics he is a Democrat, and attends the Baptist church.

Mrs. Yerkes is the only child of Samuel M. and Cornelia (Vanartsdalen) Hazlett. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Yerkes: George H., a farmer; Dr. Frank E., subject of this sketch; Alfred, died young; Cora M., died at sixteen years of age; Margaret (Mrs. L. B. Selner); Adeline B., unmarried; Amy, a teacher. The mother is a member of the Hatboro Baptist church.

Dr. Frank E. Yerkes married, in September, 1901, Miss Sue May Carpenter, of Mauch Chunk, who was born January 9, 1880. She is the daughter of Samuel and Alice (Wilhelm) Carpenter, of Mauch Chunk. He is a jeweler, and a prominent citizen of that place. He is a Democrat in politics, and has served as a school director. Both himself and his wife are members of the Methodist church. Their children: Hattie (Mrs. I. M. Church); Sue M., wife of Dr. Yerkes; James and Margaret. The child of Dr. Frank E. and Mrs. Sue Yerkes: Harman Alfred, born October 20, 1902. Both parents are members of the Presbyterian church.

Dr. Yerkes is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the Ancient Order of the Knights of the Mystic Chain. The maternal grandfather of Dr. Yerkes, Samuel Hazlett, was a charter member of Hatboro Lodge, I. O. O. F., and was treasurer of that lodge for more than a half century.

The Yerkes family made their appearance in Bucks county nearly a hundred and eighty years ago, locating in Warminster township, where Harman Yerkes purchased 181 acres of the Noble tract, on the Street road. The name is probably of Holland Dutch origin, and has been variously spelled Jerghes, Gerjhes, Gerches, Yerkas, and otherwise, the orthography being apparently a puzzle to their neighbors until it became authoritatively settled in its present form, which it is likely to retain in future. About the year 1700 two brothers came from Europe and located on the Schuylkill river. Anthony was one of the three burgesses of Germantown, December 28, 1703. The other brother was Herman or Harman. The brothers were naturalized in 1729. Harman finally located on the Pennypack creek, in Moreland township, now Montgomery county, near Shelmire’s mill. He had two sons, Harman and Anthony. Harman married and had eight sons, and Anthony did so and had seven children, four sons and three daughters. One son, Joseph Yerkes, married Sarah Purdy, descended from the Southampton family of that name. Many of the descendants of Anthony Yerkes, along with the Purdys, removed to Seneca county, New York, in 1799, and some of them afterwards to Michigan, where they now form a numerous family. The Warminster family to which Dr. Frank E. Yerkes belongs, descended directly from Harman, a grandson of the first Harman who settled on Pennypack, through the two Harmans and Stephen, as already stated. The Yerkes family furnished a number of soldiers in the Revolutionary war, the rolls having on them the names of John, Silas, Harman, Elias, George, Anthony, Jonathan and Stephen, of Philadelphia county, which included Montgomery at that time, and Edward and Henry, of Bucks county. Seven of eight sons of Harman appear to have entered the service of their country in those trying times.