Robert Nicholas Yordy

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer and raised turkeys.

Notes:

Buried:
Pleasant Grove Cemetery

Robert married Elsie Eigsti on 18 Feb 1931. Elsie (daughter of Christian Augustin (Eigsti) and Elizabeth Orendorff) was born on 3 Mar 1907; died on 22 Nov 1991; was buried in Elm Grove Twp., Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Gravestone date 1882. Staker has 1880. Place is figured from various dates of residence and emigration.

Buried:
Pleasant Grove Mennonite Cemetery

Christian married Magdalena Staker on 16 Feb 1904 in Tremont, Tazewell Co., IL. Magdalena (daughter of Nicholas Staker and Jacobine Roth) was born on 19 Apr 1883 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL; died on 3 Feb 1964 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL; was buried on 6 Feb 1964 in Tremont, Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: First Mennonite Church, Morton

Notes:

Obit:
Yordy, Lena, daughter of Nicholas and Bena (Roth) Staker, was born at Morton, Ill., April 19, 1883; passed away in her sleep at the home of her son, Russell, Morton, Feb. 3, 1964; aged 80 y. 9 m. 15 d. 

On Feb. 16, 1904, she was married to Chris H. Yordy, who died Feb. 27, 1958. 

Surviving are 3 sons (Clarence, Robert, and Russell), and 2 sisters (Viola - Mrs. Joe Kurtz and Mrs. Fannie Gerber). 

Three brothers and 3 sisters preceded her in death. 

She was a member of the First Mennonite Church, Morton, where funeral services were held Feb. 6, in charge of Clyde D. Fulmer; interment in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Tremont, Ill.

Buried:
Mennonite

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Religion: Mennonite
• Immigration: 1849, New York, NY
• Census: 1900, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

Christian was a farmer with his two brothers, Jacob and Joseph. They worshipped at the Dillon Creek meeting. Later, Christian served on the committee which was in charge of building the Pleasant Grove Mennonite Church near Tremont, IL, erected in 1879. The building no longer exists and the membership is part of First Mennonite of Morton, IL.

Immigration:
From Liverpool with his sister Barbara and her husband

Census:
Lists Eigsti home to include farm laborer Christian Yordy and three Smith children.

Buried:
Pleasant Grove Mennonite Cemetery

Christian married Barbara (Fanny) Yordy on 1 Oct 1888 in Roanoke, Woodford Co., IL. Barbara (daughter of Jacob Jordy and Magdalena Schantz) was born on 14 Dec 1853 in Bavaria, GR; died on 20 Sep 1894 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL; was buried in Elm Grove Twp., Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: 27 Jun 1884, New York, NY

Notes:

Barbara Jordy/Yordy was born Dec. 14, 1853, and died at Morton Sept. 20, 1894. Her headstone gives no birthdate, but only her age at death, 42. She became the third wife of Christian Eigsti.
—————
Barbara brought one son, Christian, to the marriage. Barbara and Christian Eigsti had no children of their own.

Woodford County Marriage Registry, Book 1, page 142 shows on October 1, 1888, four years after her arrival in America, Barbara Yordy was married to Christian Eigsti by Amish Bishop Christian Ropp in Roanoke township at the home of Peter Yordy. She listed her age as 37 years at the time of her marriage. It was her first marriage and his third. Barbara listed her residence as Roanoke Township, while Christian Eigsti lived in Morton Township, Tazewell County. Barbara listed her parents as Jacob Yordy and Magdalena Shants. Christian listed his parents as Nicolas Eigsti and Barbara Gascho. Barbara Yordy Eigsti died on September 20, 1894. She and Christian Eigsti had no children of their own. Both are buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Elm Grove Township.

Although to date there is no proven biological relationship between Barbara or Chris H. Yordy and the Yordy siblings of central Illinois, it is very likely that some biological relationship existed. The record indicates that Barbara and Chris H. lived with Peter and Mary Yordy in Woodford County when they arrived in America. Because she had an illegitimate child, she was not allowed to marry in the church. However, she followed Amish tradition by marrying Christian Eigsti in her “residence” … the home of Peter Yordy in Roanoke Township. These findings strongly suggest that Barbara was related to Peter Yordy (and thus to Christian Yotty and Jacobina Yordy Yeackley Ropp Krug) … possibly a niece.

Barbara’s illegitimate son, Chris H. Yordy, married Lena Staker on February 16, 1904 in Morton. He died on February 27, 1958 in Morton and is buried in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery. He was the progenitor of the “Morton Yordy’s”.

Immigration:
From Hamburg and Le Havre. Steamship Hammonia sailed late May 1884. “Babette Jordy, 28, native of Bavary, with son Christ, 4. They appeared to be traveling with other Amish Mennonite immigrants bound for Illinois: Marie Eichelberger (40) and her daughter Anna (4); Babette Augsburger (18) who would later marry John Landis in McLean County; Freidr. Porcellius (20) who would marry Carolyn Stähly in 1892 and live his life near Flanagan and Secor; an

Buried:
Pleasant Grove Mennonite Cemetery

Notes:

Married:
By Christian Ropp, at the home of her uncle, Peter Yordy.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Pleasant Grove Mennonite Church

Nicholas married Jacobine Roth on 7 Mar 1880. Jacobine (daughter of Daniel K. Roth and Catherine Ropp) was born in 1856; died in 1924. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• CLER: Y
• Occupation: Estate manager, farmer
• Religion: Mennonite
• USR1: Herzwassersucht - cardiac dropsy

Notes:

Nicholas owned a large farm near Munich and was also a preacher of the Mennonite church.

“Nikolaus and his family moved from Strasbourg in Alsace to Unterweilbach near Dachau. Later they leased the castle farm in Pellheim. Other Amish families and individuals were also in the neighborhood. For example, the families of Christian and Valentin Birki who owned properties in Arzbach. Christian Habecker's Amish family also lived there for three years as subtenants of Christian Birki. Also tenants in this area were the Zehr and Hiser families, all of whom were named in the Pellheim parish register. Jakob Müller was a farmhand in Pellheim, Christian Gascho and his wife Maria née Güngerich in Pellheim, Georg Hochstettler farmhand in Arzbach, the siblings Johann, Barbara & Valentin Ackermann also in Arzbach and Anna Zwalter (Schowalter), “Austräglerin” or elderly farm woman in Pellheim. We may assume that all of the people named in Pellheim were employed by Nickolaus Augustin or lived on the farm. According to the church register, Christian Gascho was the subtenant of Nikolaus Augustin on the estate in Pellheim. The same was the case with Christian and Katharina Jotter (née Augsburger).

“Nikolaus Augustin must have been a very good farmer, because in the Staatsarchiv I found an application for a certificate of property by the Pellheim community dated 21 May 1841 when he left his lease there. It records what he had in terms of cash, agricultural property, and equipment and livestock, as well as outstanding debts from creditors.” [Totaling 16,174 Guilders]

“Following are the names of local leaders of the community who gave attestations to Nikolaus’ wealth and reputation: Eduard Count Sprety, Landlord of Weilbach; Franz Mayer, mayor, community of Pellheim; Dachau regional court.”


Information taken from Eigsti Genealogy Book.
  Nicholas, a farmer, owned a large farm in Germany.  He was also a preacher in the Mennonite Church.  The children received training in the home which produces industrious and faithful citizens.  Being instructed in the faith of their parents, they accepted Christ as their Saviour in their youth.  Nicholas died at about 50 years of age in Munich, Germany.  Elizabeth, the youngest daughter, contracted dipthiria and died from the disease in 1849, at approximately 7 years of age.

  In Germany, the law of conscription required all young men to serve three years in military duty.  The family left a comfortable, prosperous farm to come to America, suffering the privations of pioneer life.  They came not for financial gain, but to escape militarism, believing that it was not in accordance with the teachings of Holy Scriptures.

  The first to come to America, was Joseph Burkey.  He lived for one year in Tazewell Co., Illinois, then returned to Germany and married Miss Barbara Eigsti, in 1847.  The following year Joseph Burkey with his new bride, Barbara and her brother, Christian, came to America and settled in Tazewell Co., Illinois.  Following the death of Nicholas Augstien, his widow Barbara and the remaining children joined the family in America.  The trip was made in small wooden vessels, taking 56 days to cross the Atlantic Ocean.  They landed in New York City, proceeded by rail to Chicago and by canal to LaSalle, Illinois, on by boat to Hennepin, and by team to Bureau County, Illinois.

  Barbara Augstien owned land two miles south of Morton, Illinois.  A deed was recorded on August 19, 1853 in Tazewell County.  The land was purchased for the sum of $5,000.  Barbara Augstien is recorded in both the 1870 and 1880 federal census as residing with her youngest son, John Eigsti.  On December 26, 1880, she passed away at the age of 80.  She was buried in the Willow Springs Mennonite Church Cemetery, near Tiskilwa, Illinois.

——————————
“In 1818 Nicholas Augstein left Strasbourg and moved to Gern (near Munich) with a number of other families. The family name was changed to Eigsti after resettling near Munich and it has been thought the cause could have been an anti-semitic climate.”

Died:
1852 Kirchdorf church register. He died at noon and was buried on Feb 3 in Kirchdorf in the grave belonging to the farm.

Buried:
In the grave belonging to the farm

Nicholas married Barbara Gascho in 1822 in Bavaria, GR. Barbara (daughter of André Gascho and Anna Zwalter) was born on 10 Nov 1800 in Desseling, Bas-Rhin, FR; died on 26 Dec 1880 in Tiskilwa, Bureau Co., IL; was buried in Dec 1880 in Tiskilwa, Bureau Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Mennonite
• Immigration: 7 May 1853, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA

Notes:

She found help in the Amish community in one Johann Springer, who lived nearby. He assumed guardiandship for the minor children, and helped when she sold her property. In December 1852 she applied to emigrate to America. Barbara traveled to Morton, Illinois with her remaining children: 2 adults and 5 minor children, in the spring of 1853.

Birth:
Year IX of the French Republic

Immigration:
Ship City of Glasgow

Buried:
Willow Springs Mennonite Cemetery

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1841-1853, Nittendorf, Bavaria, GR
• Residence: 1856-1874, Grünthal, Bavaria, GR

Notes:

German genealogist Herbert Holly has discovered a birth document that suggests Jacob may have been the father of an illegitimate son. The document describes a newborn child, named Peter Jordi, was born to unmarried mother Katharina Ringenberg on 8 Aug 1834. She alleged the father to be Jakob Jordi, an unmarried Mennonite from Freindorgerhof near Mitterfels. Katharina was born on the Samhof at Friedrichshofen, but was presently living at Josephenburg. Child Peter was baptized by the Mennonites, but later in 1871 was baptized as a Catholic.

Forty years later, shows Jakob was named in another document:
“Grünthal on August 18, 1874 
With the return of the received letter from the royal. District Office Hemau from the 4th of the month with the subject is reported as follows on the basis of the declaration of the farm owner Jakob Jordy from the Pentlhof: 1) From 1841 to 1853, the intended Jordy was 12 (?) years old as an economic tenant with Mr. Neuffert in Eichhofen. 2) His children born in Eichhofen are: a Maria Jordy b. on January 8, 1842 b) Elisabetha Jordy on September 15, 1844 c) Magdalena Jordy on September 25, 1847 d) Anna Jordy on February 16, 1849 e) Jakob Jordy on October 5th, 1852 f) Barbara Jordy on December 14, 1853 drawn to the most gracious awe Stadtamhof on August 20, 1874 Lehnert There is still to be researched when Jakob married Jordy and where he lives.”




“Jacob Jordy is presumed to be a member of this family [sibling to Peter, Christian Yotty and Pilippina] based on circumstantial evidence. As Gary L. Yordy discovered, 'Jacob Yordy' and 'Magdalena Shants' were named as parents on the (Tazewell County marriage license) of Barbara Yordy, the third wife of Christian Eigsti (see the supplemental genealogy EIGSTI). The marriage ceremony took place in the Woodford County home of Peter Yordy, who was thought to be Barbara's uncle. }




————————


From 1841 to 1853 they lived as tenants of the Neuffert family on the Eichenhofen estate at Nittendorf, a village seven miles west of Regensburg, Bavaria. From 1856 until 1874 widower Jacob lived on the Pentlhof estate at Zeitlarn (five miles north of Regensburg). }

Residence:
7 miles west of the outskirts of Regensburg, Bavaria. There he was described as a tenant of the Neuffert family. The ruins of Loch Castle, built before 1500, is within the municipality.

Residence:
Pentlehof estate at Zeitlarn 5 miles northeast of Regensburg, between there and Wenzenbach.

Died:
Pentlehof estate (Hochsetten)

Jacob married Magdalena Schantz in 1841 in Gross-Prüfening, Bavaria, GR. Magdalena (daughter of Christian Schantz and Anna Imhoff) was born on 16 Aug 1813 in Rimling, Moselle, FR; died on 3 Jul 1856. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Magdalena Schantz was born at Rimling, Moselle Aug. 16, 1813. She was a granddaughter of Jean Georges/Johann George Schantz and Catherine/Katharina Bürki of Nehwiller (the location is also found as nearby Niederbronn-lès-Bains); a daughter of Christian Schantz, born at Nehwiller in 1762, and his second wife Anna Imhoff; and a half-sister to Gross-Prüfening leaseholder Caspar Josef Schantz (whose mother was Suzanne Bürki).

Died:
one hour after the birth of a child

Notes:

Married:
This estate is now a neighborhood of the Regensburg suburb Prüfening, was about midway between Regensburg and Nittendorf.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Employed as a laborer or miller in the mill at Tragny, on Belgrade farm at Bistroff, in Bening Commune at Harprich (a farm and tile factory), at Linstroff (presumably on Hingsange farm), and finally as a jack-of-all-trades at Bertring.
• Religion: Anabaptist
• Residence: 1859, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL

Nicholas married Magdalena Eimer on 22 Aug 1841 in Hamilton, Butler Co., OH. Magdalena was born on 15 May 1819 in Lorraine, FR; died on 14 Mar 1907 in Tremont, Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• CLER: Y
• Occupation: Farmer
• Religion: Mennonite
• Census: 1860, Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

OBIT: Gospel Herald Vol XIV, No 48 2 March 1922

Roth - Daniel Roth was born in France Feb 5, 1833; died at his home in Morton, Ill, Feb. 10, 1922; aged 89 y, 5 d. Brother Roth came to America with his widowed mother when but four years of age. For a few years they lived in Ohio but later moved to Tazewell Co, Ill, where he lived the rest of his life. 

He was one of the pioneer settlers of this country, experiencing many of the privations and hardships of those early days, having been enabled to see the changes in the community in the course of its development from raw prairie to the thickly settled, modernized farms and towns of today. This can be better understood when we remember how he often related the fact that he helped to cut wheat with the cradle on the ground where the town of Morton now stands. He accepted Jesus as his personal Savior when a young man, uniting with the Mennonite Church. His Christian character won the respect of his fellow Christians, being called to the ministry by his church in which capacity he served them until the infirmities of old age settled upon him, having been a faithful shepherd of the flock and remaining loyal to his Master until called by death. 

In the year 1855 he was married to Catharine Ropp, who preceded him in death in 1885. This union was blest with nine children. 

In 1887 he was married the second time to Lisette Goldsmith. Two children were born to this union. He leaves his loving wife, eleven children, 43 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren, and a large concourse of neighbors and friends. 

The children were all in attendance at the funeral. They are Mrs Fannie Heiser, Mrs Phoebe Staker, Joseph, Amos, Jacob, Mrs Louisa Rich, Mrs Katie Rediger, Daniel, Mrs Mary Teuscher, Amelia, and Samuel. 

The funeral was largely attended, conducted by Bro C F. Derstine at the home, and at the church by Bro. Derstine and Bro. Simon Gingerich. Texts, Eccl 12:5; Psa 90; Phil 1:21.

Census:
Daniel’s mother is living with the family

Buried:
Pleasant Grove Mennonite Cemetery

Daniel married Catherine Ropp on 27 Feb 1855 in Tazewell Co., IL. Catherine (daughter of Bishop Andrew Ropp and Jacobina Vercler) was born on 27 Dec 1835 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL; died on 25 Mar 1885 in Tazewell Co., IL; was buried in Tremont, Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Catherine Ropp (1835 - 1885) and Daniel Roth (1833 - 1922)
Their Children

Jacobina Roth (1856 - 1924) and Nicholas Staker (1853 - 1941)
Veronica (Fannie) Roth (1856 - 1946) and Joseph Heiser (1854 - 1932)
Joseph Roth (1858 - 1949) & Amelia Ropp (1857 - 1894) & Elizabeth Ropp (1859 - 1940)
Amos Roth (1860 - 1945) and Barbara Augsburger (1861 - 1917)
Jacob Roth (1863 - 1939) and Rosina Ringenberger (1872 - 1938)
Louisa Roth (1866 - 1940) and Joseph Rich (1861 - 1933)
Katie Roth (1869 - 1942) and Edward Rediger (1870 - 1945)
Daniel K. Roth (1872 - 1968) and Leanna Mosiman (1873 - 1958)
Mary Roth (1875 - 1959) and John Teuscher (1875 - 1935)


Catherine Ropp lent truth to the old adage that the first child usually resembles his or her father. Her stature and general appearance together with her personality and mannerisms gave her a right to say that she was Andrew Ropp's daughter. She was born in a two-room log cabin on December 27, 1835. She was given her Grandmother Catherine Ringenberger Werkler Engel's name. Her childhood home was a very busy place. Her father's farm quickly grew to a size that required them to hire farm laborers to help in the fields and young women to help with the cooking and cleaning. They had frequent company. Grandpa Andréas Ropp and her six Ropp uncles lived nearby and her mother's family close enough to visit occasionally. Because father was the bishop of their church, brethren frequently met in their home.

Catherine was the eldest of seven children. Her sister Elizabeth was born about two months before Catherine's second birthday and her youngest sibling Andrew was born when she was fifteen years old. She began doing chores at an early age - there was always work that needed doing. She attended both a private German school - German was the language in her home and church - and a public school where she learned English. When she married, she had the skills to manage a farm home, cook for family and company, and care for children. She was a capable young woman.

Catherine's first pregnancy ended with a surprise - twin daughters Jacobena and Veronica, who soon responded to the names Bena and Fannie, were born February 14, 1856. They were Andréas and Elizabeth Ropp's first great-grandchildren. Catherine and Daniel had three more daughters - Louisa was born in 1866, Katie in 1869, and Mary in 1875. They also had four sons - Joseph was born in 1858, Amos in 1860, Jacob in 1863, and Daniel in 1872. Catherine died February 27, 1885 at the age of forty-nine. Her four older children were married and living nearby. Her five younger children were still at home - her youngest daughter Mary was ten years old.

From Walter Ropp’s writings:
“At one time this area of the county was called “Roppland” because of the many Ropp families who owned approximately 2000 acres of land in this section. The home of Catherine’s parents was located on the Allentown-Pekin Road, approximately one and one-half miles east of Pekin. The house, a brick structure built in 1832, is still standing with many old-fashioned flowers and an old pine tree surrounding it.

“Grandmother Catharine received her education in a nearby school called “The Railroad School.” It was so named because the railroad ran along beside it. It is also interesting that this building was used for Sunday school and that a cemetery dotted with many pine trees, was located at the rear of the school. for many years this was an important landmark until one day the little school burned to the ground. It was thought that a spark from the train perhaps caused the fire. However, the old pine trees still remain, keeping vigil over those loved ones resting in the cemetery.”

Buried:
Pleasant Grove Mennonite Cemetery

Notes:

Married:
The wedding was at home with her Uncle Christian officiating.