James Clark Yoakum

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1870, Piney, Texas Co, Missouri

Notes:

Census:
residence 28
Isaac Yoakum 59 1811 TN
William R Yoakum 30 1840
Rachael S Yoakum 50 1820 white
Nancey L J Yoakum 16 Illinois
Isaac R Yoakum 13 Alabama
Mary A M Yoakum 11 Missouri

residence 30
James C. Yoakum 24 TN
Milley 20 Missouri
Mary A. 4 Missouri
Margarett A. 4/12 Missouri


Died:

Fannin County, Folks & Facts pages 391 & 392
James Clark Yoakum
James Clark Yoakum was born on July 26, 1847 in Bradley County, Tennessee. He met Millie Dennison born 1849 of Pulaski County, Missouri and married her November 29, 1865. Their three daughters, all born in Licking, Texas County, Missouri were; Mary Ann Yoakum born March 30, 1867; Margaret R. Mintie Yoakum born February 3, 1871, and Eantha Hester Hoakum (sic) born February 11, 1873.
In 1873 James Clark made a trip to Bonham to visit relatives. At this time a public sale of Texas land was in progress, so James made a bid of $16.85 for a river bottom farm somewhat lager than a section located 16 miles south of Decatur. His was the highest bit on the land, however, he did not see it until two years later. Other men who bid on this and other parcels of land eventually moved to Wise County, and became neighbors of the Yoakum family.
After his return to Licking, Missouri, James wife Millie became ill during the spring of 1874, so she asked her cousin, Catherine Dennison born March 29, 1853 in Rolla, Phelps County, Missouri, to come to her home and take care of her and the three daughters. As her health declined, Millie realized that she could not recover and asked Catherine to marry James Clark at an appropriate time. Although Catherine was engaged to marry Billie Frasier at the time she promised Millie that she would. The exact date of Millie's death is not known, but it was sometime near the end of October. Six weeks or so later, James Clark Yoakum married Catherine Dennison on december 11, 1874 in Black Oak, Missouri and moved the family to Rolla, Missouri. Their first son was William James Yoakum Jr. who was born October 22, 1875 at Rolla, Phelps County, Missouri. Several families formed a wagon train at Rolla to go to Wise County in Texas about the first of November 1875, arriving about five weeks later at Prairie Point (Rhome). The Yoakum family was glad to come with the train to stay with the grandparents of Catherine. Her grandfather was Merriath Followell born in 1798 in Kentucky; her grandmother was Catherine born in 1808 in Kentucky. The Followells had moved from Kentucky to Pulaski County, Missouri, than to Bonham and finally to Prairie Point near Decatur.
After the Yoakums family arrived in Prairie Point, James Clark went to see the river bottom farm he had purchased at the public land sale in Bonham in 1873. It did not seem suitable for his homestead so he made a trip to Bonham to see if Adam Stump Yoakum could sell him a better parcel of land. There was another farm of 85 acres 16 miles south of Decatur available, so James Clark Yoakum bought it and erected a tent for a temporary shelter until 1876 when a log cabin was built. Their first child was Louisa Jane born in the long cabin.
Louisa Jane was born September 28, 1878 and married Julius Grant Keeter born July 19, 1868 in Canton, Georgia on July 4, 1897 at Keeter. Their four children are; Ida Cleo Keeter born June 26, 1899, in Decatur; Orland Winston Keeter born June 19, 1901 in Fort Worth; Joy Grant Keeter born December 9, 1903 in Fort Worth and died July 28, 1960 and Elwyn Benson Keeter born April 14, 1908 in Fort Worth.
The community was called Keeter because Albert Lafayette Keeter was the first settler in 1873 and owned about 2000 acres of land south of Decatur. Albert Keeter was an older brother of Julius Grant Keeter.
The next child of James Clark Yoakum was born in a frame house built near the log cabin. He was Lonie Modrant Yoakum who was born July 2, 1881. while seining on the Trinity River near his home, James Clark Yoakum was bitten by a water moccasin snake June 24, 1902 and died 48 hours later at home. He was buried in the cemetery at Keeter.
By Mrs. Ida Cleo Turbeville
findagrave
Maintained by: Laura Denison Pledger
Originally Created by: Bev
Record added: Oct 11, 2005
Find A Grave Memorial# 11936096

Family/Spouse: Milley. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]