The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-02-16
THE TRUE STORY OF
nASIE" YODER.
A Somerset County Celebrity Whose
Genius Wa in Advance of His
Generation.
BY W H. wELFLEY.

The readers lof the HERALD will
doubtless remember an amusing arti-
Gle which appeared in It's columns in
1895 entitled q Exie and the other Ar.
gonauts,n the central figure or hero oi
which was the late Joseph j. Joder.
Now, 1t is true that the legends con-
cerning him as they are related in that
article, do SUBSTANTIALLY exist among
the older families of Elk Lick and
Summit townships, where they have
been handed ddwn for several genera
tions, and the talented author, when
he condensed them into a newspaper
article, was not drawing very much, II
any, upon his Imagination.
These legends had their first origin
among the more ignorant of his neigh
bors-peoplc who did not really know
nor understand man who, notwith-
standing his plain garb and the fact
that he had been brought up among
them, was, so far as education and gen.
eral information were concerned, far in
advance of many Of his fellows - and
they place him ia somewhat false
light in the eyesOf the present genera
ton, among whom his name still lin
gers. His lines were cast in what may
be called the primitive times of the set
tlemenb days in which any man of an
investigating turn of mind could ex-
pect to be accused OF dealing in the
''black art"
a different story of this mans life can
be told from that which would be look
ed for after hearing these legends as
they are still related, and it is the pres
ent writer's purpose to try and tell
something of this story.
Jacob Joder (the name in our time is
usually spelled and pronounced Yoder)
was one of the early pioneer settlers of
Somerset county. He is said to have
been born in Switzerland, or possibly
in one of the German protestant prov
inces, and came to America when quite
young man. 1t is known that his
father also emigrated to America, but
his name is forgotten, nor is it known
that he ever lived In Somerset county.
Jacob Joder (or Yoder) took up
farm on the east bank OF the Cassel-
man river, about two and a half miles
vest of what is now Meyersdale, about
he year 1850. possibly year or two
earlier, or perhaps little later; the
precise date csn.Rot now be deternlIn-
ed. What is now known as Yoder sta
fion is on this farm. His wife was
daughter of John Hochstetler, who was
the pioneer ancestor of the Hochstetler
family of our day.
The family of Jacob Yoder consisted
of four sons and three daughters, as fol-
lows: John, Elizabeth, Joseph j., An
ma, Sarah, Daniel and Solomon. OF
these, John Yoder was married to sis
ter Of the late Michael Sipe, and moved
10 Holmes county, Ohio; Elizabeth Yo-
der became the wife of Jost Schrock
Anna Yoder was married to Frederick
Helmuth, and they also moved to
Holmes county, Ohio, in 1885.
Jacob Yoder died in 1879, and his re-
mains rest in graveyard near the Cas-
selman River.
Daniel and Solomon Yoder became
the owners of the home farm after their
fathers death, and lived and died in
Somerset county.
Joseph ]. Joder was born on the Yo-
der farm on the 18th day of December,
17Ss, and on this farm his early days
were passed. In his time there were
no common schools. His family were
Amish. Now, the writer does not wish
10 convey the idea that the early Am
ish people were against the educating
of their children. 70 this they gave
some attention, but it had to be in the
German language; it was educating
their children in the English language
that they resisted.
But, Notwithstanding the attitude of
Jacob Yoder's CO. religionists on the
matter of the education of their chill
-iren, his son Joseph received what for
that day was a fair English education.
de wrote quite legible English hand,
AS specimens of his writing as far back
as 1870, which have been preserved,
will show.
lot MiIfar ..rl,<. Lived % III ha ostfh
ID Blue Lick run, about a mile and
lnalf down the river from Meyersdale,
was blacksmith. In 1910 Joseph Jo-
sag went to his shop and became an ap-
psentiee TO this Jost Miller, remaining
with him for two years. He then seems
10 have worked at the trade two years
R0nger with one Jacob Dietz- In 1914
me stayed with his father for short
rameon the farm, and later entered into
"a partnership with John Bittner, who
was also blacksmith This continued
until late in 1915.
About this time he determined to go
10 PhiIsdeIphia, where he apprenticed
himself 70 Elliot & Co. for the purpose
of learning the art Of matchmaking
and repairing. This was in January,
1916. He remained in the city some
thing over year employed in this busi-
ness. Deciding to quit the city, he laid
in a considerable stock Of the more
fancy goods Of that day, supplied him
self with = st Ct watchmaker's tools
and returned to Somerset county, when
he engaged in the occupation of ped
ding. as well as repairing, watches
and clocks
An odd account-book shows that he
sold goods on credit to one hundred
and thirty-two persons in Somerset
township, all Of which accounts were
settled and paid save two; these two
persons living somewhat out OF the
way were never asked to pay. Would
q peddler or any other business man
fare 50 well in giving credit to the de-
scendants of these people in the pres
ent day?
In 1922 be established himself in Sal
isbury and opened shop for the re-
pairing Of watches and clocks; but
that section was then still sparsely
settled and he soon left the town and
returned to his fathers farm.
In December, 1s3O, he married Ger
f-,,d.. Gshroek He settled hiunsalf in