My Genealogy Hound

Jacob Yoes, a leading business man of the county, is the oldest but one of a family of six children born to Rev. Conrad and Kizey (Bloyd) Yoes, and was born September 3, 1839. His grandfather came from Germany and located in Virginia, where his father was born in 1804. When young he came west, and for some time lived in Missouri, and then in the western part of Arkansas Territory. That part of the Territory being given to the Cherokees, he moved to Washington County, and there married Miss Bloyd, who died when our subject was about ten years old. He then married Wilsie Hanse, with whom he now lives in Mountainsburg, and who has borne him two daughters. For more than forty years he has been a minster in the Methodist Church, with which both of his wives were united. He was formerly a Whig, but is now a Republican. Jacob Yoes passed his childhood on a farm near the West Fork of White River, in Washington County, and owing to the scarcity of schools, received a very meager education. When seventeen years old he started to make his way in the world, with but $2 and his clothes. His father’s parting advice was “Pay all your debts, be truthful, be honest,” and his financial success has been based on these cardinal principles. His first contract was to work “three dry months” at three bits per day. After spending some time in the Granby lead mines of Missouri, and some time in Kansas, he returned to Washington County, and in 1858 married Mary A. Reed, a native of this county. He farmed until June, 1862, and then enlisted in Company D, First Arkansas Cavalry, United States Army, serving three years, three months and twenty days. He was on detached duty the greater share of the time, and the only battle in which he participated was at Prairie Grove. May 24, 1863 he was fired on by a posse of Confederates, one shot taking effect in his right hip, one in his left, and a third breaking a bone in the left limb. He was taken prisoner to Van Buren, a distance of fifty miles, and held until exchanged in August of 1863, after which he served until the close of the war. In 1864 he was commissioned first lieutenant, but would not accept. He was discharged at Fayetteville in August, 1865. He was elected sheriff of Washington County during his absence, and upon his return assumed the duties of the office. In 1867 he was appointed to the same position, and served another year. In 1868 he represented the county in the State Legislature and in 1870 took the Government census. The same year he opened a country store twenty-five miles south of Fayetteville, which he still owns. He is a successful man, owns a large store at West Fork, a flouring-mill, hotel, and has a controlling interest in a canning factory. At Chester, Crawford County, he has a large store and hotel, and at Mountainsburg another store. Then he owns stores at Woolsey Switch, Walker Switch, and at Graphic. He has about 100 acres of land in the county, and has made all his money himself, his only inheritance being $33. He is a Mason, and a member of the I. O. O. F. and G. A. R. He is a Republican, and his wife is a member of the Christian Church. They have had eleven children: William C., Lydia J., Francis M., James J., George A., John W., Gilham C., Thomas D., Mary B. and Matilda and Daisy, deceased.