NTHONY YERKES',* the founder of the Yerkes family in the United States, emigrated from Germany and settled in Germantown, Pennsylvania, about 1700, possibly a few years prior to that date. He was accompanied by his wife Margaret, son Herman, and probably other children. He served on a jury at a court held in Germantown, II September, 1702, and in the following year he was elected one of the burgesses of The records of the borough, under date of 28 December, 1703, contain the following entry :

Germantown.

"Arents Klinker, Bailiff, Hans Henrich Meels, Peter Schumaker Jr and Anthony Gerkes three eldest burgesses, Simon Andrews Recorder and William Le Weis constable, were all attested to serve in their respective places."

The bailiff and burgesses were the chief public functionaries of the borough, and the selections for these offices were from among the men of importance in the settlement. Klinker, the bailiff, is said to have come to Philadelphia with William Penn, and to have built the first two-story house in Germantown, Penn attending the "raising dinner."† Schumaker and Meels, the associates of Yerkes in the burgessship, figured prominently in the early history of Germantown. The former, with Klinker, was appointed in 1701 on a committee to collect subscriptions for a school and arrange with a teacher.

Anthony Yerkes removed from Germantown to the manor of Moreland, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) county, about 1709, in which year he purchased from John Holme three hundred acres, a part of said manor, for which he paid seventyfive pounds. His son John was a student in the school of the noted Francis Daniel Pastorius. His wife Margaret died before 17 November, 1705, on which day he married,§ as second wife, Sarah Eaton,|| widow of Reverend John Watts, the eminent * The name is variously spelled in old documents Yerkhas, Yerkas, Yerkus, Yerkes, Yercas, Gerckes, Gerkes, and Jerghes.

† Watson's Annals, ii. 20.

Deed dated 5 November, 1709, recorded at Philadelphia in Deed Book E, iv. 368.

? Pennepek Baptist Church Register.

|| Sister of George and John Eaton, who were among the early Welsh emigrants to Pennsylvania.

pastor of the Pennepek Baptist church.

She died 27 June, 1723. The date of the death of Mr. Yerkes is unknown. He was living 20 August, 1723, when he conveyed* to his son Herman two hundred acres of the land which he acquired in 1709; but he was dead before 1 March, 1744, when the son sold a portion of the land, the deed for the same reciting the death of the father.

Children of Anthony' and Margaret Yerkes :

2. HERMAN YERKES?, born circa 1689, in Germany; died 1750-1; married Elizabeth Watts. 3. ADOLPHUS YERKES,† was living 5 October, 1744; married Ann

4. JOHN YERKES2, probably died unmarried.

2. HERMAN YERKES2 (Anthony') was born in Germany circa 1689, and emigrated to Germantown, Pennsylvania, with his parents, and removed with them, about 1709, to the manor of Moreland. In 1723 his father conveyed unto him, as before mentioned, two hundred acres of land in said manor, also a part interest in a gristmill. The remaining interest doubtless belonged at that time to the son, who was engaged with his father in the milling business. The home of the family was the farm now or lately owned and occupied by Joseph Evans, north of the site of the burned paper-mill, Moreland township, Montgomery county. Herman Yerkes accumulated wealth rapidly, due in part, no doubt, to the assistance of his eight sturdy sons. At the time of his death he had acquired and distributed to his sons about eight hundred acres of the best farm land along the Pennypack creek, lying in the neighborhood of Shelmire's mill, Huntingdon valley, and the present village of Yerkesville. He died between 2 May, 1750, and 4 March, 1750-1. His will bears the former, and was probated at Philadelphia on the latter date. He married, 8 February, 1711, Elizabeth, daughter of Reverend John Watts by his wife Sarah Eaton, born in Philadelphia county, 15 April, 1689; died there, 11 October, 1756.

Children of Herman2 and Elizabeth (Watts) Yerkes, born in Moreland township, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) county, Pennsylvania.

5. ANTHONY YERKES3, born 28 November, 1712; died 9 March, 1791.

6. JOHN YERKES3, born 21 February, 1714; died in 1790; married Alice, daughter of John McVaugh, and had issue.

7. SARAH YERKES3, born 15 July, 1716; married, 6 March, 1747, Daniel Evans.

*Philadelphia Deeds, H, viii. 414.

† He had son Anthony, who died in 1744, and son Samuel and daughter Hannah. Letters of administration on Anthony's estate were granted at Philadelphia, 5 October, 1744, unto two of his creditors, John Harrison and James Eaton, his father and mother, Adolphus and Ann Yerkes, declining to administer.

Register of Christ Church, Philadelphia.

? In his will, dated 22 February, 1790, proved 26 April, 1791, he is styled "Anthony Yerkes, Sr. of the Manor of Moreland, county of Montgomery, late Philadelphia." The will names eldest son Obadiah, daughter Elizabeth Fulton, of Virginia, sons Anthony and David, son Joseph, of Philadelphia, daughter Sarah Grant, son Jacob, father Herman Yerkes, and brother Elias Yerkes. (Montgomery County Wills, i. p. 248.)

8. JOSIAH YERKES3, born 28 November, 1718; died in September, 1793; married and had issue.

9. HERMAN YERKES3, born 18 January, 1720; died circa 1804; married (1) Mary Stroud; (2) Mrs. Mary Clayton; (3) Mrs. Elizabeth Tompkins.

10. SILAS YERKES3, born 15 February, 1723; died 25 September, 1795; married Hannah

Dungan.

11. ELIZABETH YERKES3, born 29 January, 1725; died 11 March, 1793; married John Howell, Esq. (See HOWELL FAMILY, page 157.)

12. STEPHEN YERKES3, born 3 August, 1727; died in December, 1811; married Rebecca Whiteside.

13. ELIAS YERKES3, born 7 February, 1729; married, 18 March, 1756, Rebecca Foster and had issue.

14. TITUS YERKES3,* born in 1731; died in 1762; married Margaret Paul.

9. HERMAN YERKES3 (Herman2, Anthony1) was born in Moreland township, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) county, Pennsylvania, 18 January, 1720, and died there, circa 1804. He was a prosperous farmer and miller, and a large land-owner, and served in the Revolutionary army. He married† (1) 26 March, 1750, Mary, daughter of Edward Stroud, of Whitemarsh, Montgomery county. She died in Warminster township, Bucks county, in 1770, where Mr. Yerkes then resided. He married (2) 30 September, 1773, Mary Houghton, widow of Richard Clayton. She died in January, 1785, and he married (3) 28 March, 1785, Elizabeth Tompkins, widow of John Tompkins, and daughter of Ball. She died in 1819.

Children of Herman3 and Mary (Stroud) Yerkes :

15. WILLIAM YERKES', born 10 February, 1751; died in infancy.

16. Elizabeth YERKES', born 5 September, 1753; married, 14 April, 1770, John Huffdale. 17. CATHARINE YERKES', born 19 June, 1755; married, 28 March, 1782, Reading Howell, Esq. (See HOWELL FAMILY, page 166.)

18. EDWARD YERKES', born 19 April, 1757; was a soldier in the Revolution and a sea captain; died at sea.

19. SARAH YERKES‘, born July, 1759; died in infancy.

20. Stephen YERKES1, born 20 October, 1762; died in 1823; married Alice Watson, born 17 November, 1787; died 17 November, 1859.

21. MARY YERKES', born 5 January, 1765; died unmarried.

22. HARMAN YERKES', born 25 July, 1767; died 12 February, 1837; married Margaret Long. 23. WILLIAM YERKES', born 23 June, 1769; died in 1823; married Letitia Esther Long.

10. SILAS YERKES3 (Herman2, Anthony1) was born in Moreland township, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) county, 15 February, 1723; died there, 25 September,

* His son Titus had three children, among whom was Mary Paul Yerkes, who married Joel Cook, Esq', of Philadelphia, by whom she had four children, of whom are: Joel Cook, Esq', author, and for many years one of the editors of the Philadelphia Ledger, and Richard Y. Cook, president of the Guarantee Trust Company.

1795, and was buried in the graveyard of the Southampton (Bucks county) Baptist church. He was a large land-owner and a prosperous miller and farmer, and is believed to be the Silas Yerkes who served in the Revolution.* On the decease of his father, partly through inheritance and partly by purchase from his mother and brothers, he became possessed of the homestead of his father and grandfather, which included what is now known as Shelmire's Mills. It is one of the most picturesque places in Montgomery county. Mr. Yerkes was a prominent member of the Southampton Baptist church. His will,† dated 21 March, 1795, was proved 22 October, 1795, and names the children below given, with the exception of Thomas and John, both of whom are supposed to have died before the will was made. He was married by the Reverend Joshua Potts, 14 June, 1750, to Hannah, eldest child of Thomas ‡ and Esther Dungan, of Warminster township, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. She was born in the latter county, 24 September, 1725, and died at the seat of her husband, 22 August, 1792.

Children of Silas3 and Hannah (Dungan) Yerkes :

24. ELIAS YERKES', born 7 December, 1751; died 15 January, 1837.

25. DEBORAH YERKES', born 3 September, 1753; died 11 February, 1826; married, 12 December, 1772, Samuel Ayres; died 26 October, 1804, in the fifty-sixth year of his age.

26. ESTHER YERKES', born 13 February, 1755; married Charles Ayres.

27. THOMAS YERKES1, born 24 September, 1756.

28. ELIZABETH YERKES', born 26 March, 1758; died 2 September, 1826; married Daniel Howell.

29. JOHN YERKES1, born 26 September, 1760.

30. SILAS YERKES*, born circa 1762; died 15 January, 1837.

31. HANNAH YERKES', born circa 1764.

32. DANIEL YERKES', born 23 July, 1767; died 30 September, 1824.

33. BENJAMIN YERKES', born 22 February, 1768; died 25 June, 1847.

20. STEPHEN YERKES1 (Herman3, Herman2, Anthony') was born in Plymouth township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, 20 October, 1762; died in Warminster township, Bucks county, in 1823. He married his cousin Alice Watson, born 17 November, 1787; died on her seventy-second birthday, 17 November, 1859; daughter of John Watson by his wife Sarah, daughter of John and Alice (McVaugh) Yerkes.

Children of Stephen1 and Alice (Watson) Yerkes :

34. EDWARD YERKES", died without issue in 1825; married Mary Shelmire, who, upon the death of Mr. Yerkes, married Moore Stevens.

35. JOHN WATSON YERKES, born 22 December, 1811; died 24 January, 1884. In 1873 he was elected prothonotary of Montgomery county, which office he held for several

* Pennsylvania Archives, second series, vol. xiii. p. 248.

† Montgomery County Wills, i. 471.

For the ancestry and family of Thomas Dungan, see LATHAM FAMILY, Part V. of this volume.