History of Southeast Missouri, by the Goodspeed
Press, page 1152
Biographical Sketches of Wayne County, Missouri.
1888.
Joel Yancey is a Virginian by birth, born August
13, 1830. His parents, Robert J and Catherine L. (Ross) Yancey were also
Virginians and were of Welsh descent [1]. Great-grandfather Yancey and three
brothers came to the United States from Wales and settled in Virginia and
Kentucky [2]. One of the brothers was killed at the Battle of Eutaw Springs, SC
during the revolutionary War [3]. The grandfather, Joel Yancey, served as Major
in the War of 1812. He died in Virginia. Robert J Yancey and wife came to
Missouri in 1835 and soon became residents of Wayne County. The father was a
lawyer by profession , but after coming to Missouri followed the occupation of
farming, and at the time of his death was a poor citizen. His death occurred in
July, 1861. He was County Clerk at one time, and for many years was Justice of
the Peace. Five of their eight children are living: Joel, Mattie A., Jenie, Charles
D., and Virginius R. The eldest of these, Joel, was about nine years old when
he came to this country. He made his parents house his home until the breaking
out of the war, and he immediately enlisted in the Missouri State Guard and
served six months. In 1862 he enlisted in Company B , Fourth Missouri Infantry,
Confederate States Army, and served until the close of the war. He rose to the
rank of Second Lieutenant, and was a participant in the Battle of
Frederickstown, Missouri, Prairie Grove, Helena, Arkansas, Little Rock, Jenkins
Ferry, Pleasant Hill and Sabine Crossroads, Louisiana. He was also in several
sharp skirmishes but was not seriously wounded during the entire service. After
returning home he worked at the carpenter's trade and also wagon and carriage
making, in connection with farming. He owns about 315 acres of land and is one
of the thrifty farmers of the county. Oct 22 1858 he married Alice Q. Taylor
and by her became the father of ten children, only eight of whom are living:
Charles R., John L., William L., Jessie B., Lawrence R., Margaret V. , Mary A.,
and Zinnia R. [4] The wife died March
31 1875. Mr. Yancey is a Mason and was Worshipful Master of the Blue Lodge for
six years, and was district Deputy Grand Master for ten years. He has taken the
Royal select Master's degree and was Noble Grand of the I O O F [5].
He has always taken a great interest in these organizations.
[1] Indeed - the most
common family story over the last century is that the Yanceys were of Welsh
descent. The legend has been that they
descend from the Nanney Family of Wales.
But no evidence has ever been found to prove the Yanceys were Welsh nor
that they descend from the Nanney family of Wales. On the contrary DNA testing (done in 2013) has
proved that the Yanceys do not have a common genetic descent from the Nanney
family and most of the characterstics of the early Yanceys would tend to make
one believe they were English and not Welsh.
[2] The ancestry of
Joel Yancey has been traced back – back to one Charles Yancey of early Virginia
in the early 1700’s. The story of
“three or four brothers” is
a common
myth among descendants of American immigrants and there is no evidence
to
support such a claim. Joel Yancey (1830-1907) was the son of
Robert Yancey (1797-1861) who was the son of Joel Yancey Jr (1774-1833)
who was the son of Joel Yancey Sr (1753-1774) who was the son of
Archelaus Yancey (????-1764) who was the son of Charles Yancey - who
was probably the son of a Charles Yancey Sr who was probably an
immigrant from the British Isles.
[3] Joel Yancey did
not die at the battle of Eutaw Springs
as this battle took place in 1781 and Joel had died in Louisa County,
Virginia in 1774.
[4] Joel Yancey was
married at least three times. 1st
Wife: Alice Q Taylor ( 9 children); 2nd Wife: Almira Johnson, divorced (2 children) ; 3rd Wife: Mary Lilly Effie Williams
(6 children). At least 17 children in total (though there may have been more
who died as infants)
[5] For info on Yanceys and Masonic connections see: http://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/masonry.htm
For more
details see:
http://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/yanceyletters.htm
http://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/errors1.htm
http://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/jxy2pic.htm
http://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/joel.htm
http://yanceyfamilygenealogy.org/joel2.htm