Joseph P. Yordy b. 7 Nov 1857 Pekin, Tazewell Co., IL d. 19 Feb 1925 Eureka, Woodford Co., IL: The Schrock-Birkey Connection
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Joseph P. Yordy

Male 1857 - 1925  (67 years)


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  • Name Joseph P. Yordy  [1, 2, 3, 4] 
    Birth 7 Nov 1857  Pekin, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [5] 
    Gender Male 
    Residence 1867  Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Peter Yordy Farm: Joseph Yordy moved to this farm with his parents.
    Census 1900  Brown Twp., Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Listed as a farmer born 1857 (parents born in Germany), with wife Elizabeth born 1861 (parents born in France); children Ellen (Ella), Anna, Josephine, Aaron, Ezra, Walter, Jonas; and servant/farm laborer Carl Studer born in Switzerland.
    Occupation Farmer 
    Religion Amish Mennonite 
    Residence 1903-1904  CA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Lived there with his family for about two years.
    Residence 1898-1911  Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Purchased a farm two miles west of Fisher.
    Residence 1911  Secor, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Plainview Farm
    Residence 1922/3  Eureka, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • 502 West Cruger Avenue. Lived here after leaving Plainview Farm.
    Burial Feb 1925  Roanoke, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [6] 
    • Roanoke Mennonite Cemetery.
    Death 19 Feb 1925  Eureka, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [7] 
    • At his home
    Residence 1925/6  Eureka, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Two and one-half miles south of Eureka. Elizabeth Yordy moved to this farm after Joseph died.
    Person ID I562  Schrock-Birkey Connection
    Last Modified 28 Oct 2022 

    Father Peter Yordy,   b. 26 Jul 1815, Jaegerthal, Niederbronn-Les-Bains, FR Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 2 Jul 1897, Roanoke Twp., Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 81 years) 
    Mother Maria (Mary) Birky,   b. 18 Apr 1816, Bavaria, GR Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 May 1903, Roanoke Twp., Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years) 
    Marriage 9 Feb 1847  Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [8, 9] 
    • In the Amish Dillon Creek congregation.
    Family ID F225  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Elizabeth A. Roeschley,   b. 20 Jul 1862, Spring Bay, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 3 Feb 1953, Eureka, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 90 years) 
    Marriage 1 Jan 1882  Roanoke Twp., Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [10] 
    • At the Amisch Mennonite Church, Roanoke, Woodford Co., by Jacob Zehr, Minister of the Gospel. Witnesses: John J. Roeschley and Joseph Wagner. Joseph was living in rural Roanoke Twp. at the time of marriage and Elizabeth was living in Roanoke. Witnesses to the marriage were John Roeschley and Joseph Wagner (Wagler).
    Children 
     1. Ella M. (Ellen) Yordy,   b. 29 Mar 1883, Flanagan, Livingston Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 16 Jan 1960, Newton, Harvey Co., KS Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years)
     2. Anna M. Yordy,   b. 9 Mar 1885, Flanagan, Livingston Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 18 Jan 1975, Eureka, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 89 years)
     3. Josephine L. Yordy,   b. 14 Aug 1886, Flanagan, Livingston Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 3 Jan 1977, Eureka, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 90 years)
     4. Aaron A. Yordy,   b. 16 Mar 1888, Flanagan, Livingston Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Nov 1957, Eureka, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 69 years)
     5. Bishop Ezra Benjamin Yordy,   b. 6 Apr 1892, Flanagan, Livingston Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 9 Nov 1980, Bloomington, McLean Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 88 years)
     6. Walter Eli Yordy,   b. 6 Dec 1895, Flanagan, Livingston Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Feb 1976, Newton, Harvey Co., KS Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years)
     7. Jonas Elmer Yordy,   b. 9 Jan 1899, Flanagan, Livingston Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. May 1984, IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 85 years)
     8. Alvin Ray Yordy,   b. 8 Jan 1902, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Dec 1979, CO Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 77 years)
     9. Lewis John Yordy,   b. 17 Sep 1905, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Feb 1932, IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 26 years)
    Family ID F247  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 16 Mar 2021 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 7 Nov 1857 - Pekin, Tazewell Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1867 - Woodford Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 1 Jan 1882 - Roanoke Twp., Woodford Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus - 1900 - Brown Twp., Champaign Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1898-1911 - Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1911 - Secor, Woodford Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1922/3 - Eureka, Woodford Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - Feb 1925 - Roanoke, Woodford Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 19 Feb 1925 - Eureka, Woodford Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1925/6 - Eureka, Woodford Co., IL Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Joseph P. Yordy (1857-1925)    		Joseph P. Yordy (1857-1925)

  • Notes 
    • Obit: The Metamora Herald, Feb. 1925
      Yordy. - Joseph, son of Peter and Mary Yordy, was born near Pekin, Ill., Nov. 7, 1857; died at his home in Eureka, Ill., Feb. 19, 1925; aged 67 y. 3 m. 12 d. In boyhood he moved with his parents to Roanoke, Ill. On Jan 1, 1882, he was married to Elizabeth Roeschley. To this union were born three daughters (Ella, Anna, and Mrs. Josephine Schrock), and six sons (Aaron, Ezra, Walter, Jonas, Alvin, and Lewis). After his marriage he lived one year near Roanoke, fifteen years near Flanagan, twelve years near Fisher, and the remaining years in Woodford county. In his early manhood he united with the Mennonite Church and had a ringing Christian testimony to the end. He served the Church as a faithful deacon since 1920. Singing always found a great place in his life, and he always took an active part in worshiping God in song. Although never very strong physically, yet he had a strong faith in the living God and lived a stable consistent Christian life. Since Christmas he suffered much. Often during the last few months he longed for eternal rest. He was conscious to the last, although unable to speak, and showed great calmness the last hours of his life on earth. His desire is fulfilled now, for he has gone where "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, not crying, neither shall there be any more pain." He leaves his wife, nine children, nine grandchildren, one brother (Jacob, of Flanagan), two sisters (Barbara, of Eureka, and Mrs. Chris. Bachman of Cazenovia), many relatives and friends. Funeral services at the Roanoke Mennonite Church Feb 22, 1925, conducted by Brothers A.A. Schrock and H.R. Schertz. Text John 11:25. Interment in cemetery nearby.

      ———————————————————————
      Joseph and Elizabeth, according to best estimates, lived on a farm for one year in the vicinity of Roanoke. In 1883 they moved to a farm northeast of Flanagan and lived there until 1899. The thirteen years at Flanagan in Livingston Co. preceded a move to Fisher in Champaign Co. There they settled on a farm which was located approximately two miles west on what is now Rt.136. (While in the Fisher area, daughter Ella was sent several times to the Kankakee mental hospital--see notes for Ella. (db) In 1911 [after selling their Fisher farm to Jacob Zehr] the family moved back to Woodford Co. to a farm called Plainview, located southwest of Secor, on Meridian Road. The years from 1922 until 1926 were spent in Eureka and from there Elizabeth Yordy moved to the farm south of Eureka after the death of her husband in 1925.

      Joseph served as deacon at Roanoke Mennonite Church from about 1920-24. He was known as a “man of good judgement.” Town people considered him to have money and often asked to borrow from him. At one time he lived outside the Mennonite community in Secor, IL, near Panther Creek.

      Joseph had a bit of a wanderlust in his blood: in 1903-4 he took the family to California; in 1912 to Texas. He also took a trip to Washington, D.C. to satisfy his curiosity about the seat of government.

      Eunice Schrock Kandel writes, “Grandfather Joseph Yordy died in 1925 during my second year in school. We visited with him at Christmas time, 1924. There is a picture in my mind of him in a long flannel robe, standing over a hot air register at their home in Eureka. The holiday atmosphere was subdued because of his illness. In February of the next year, while I was fighting a persistent cough and fever, we received the news of Grandpa’s imminent death. Mother wrapped me in comforters and made a bed in the back seat of our Model T, and our family of four made the trip to Eureka. As we drove up to the house, Uncle Alvin stood on the porch with tears in his eyes. Mother said, ‘We’re too late.’ Just minutes before our arrival Grandpa had passed away.” [11]

  • Sources 
    1. [S368] Yordy Family Records.

    2. [S882] Joseph Yordy Will.

    3. [S883] Petition for Probate of Will.

    4. [S19] Joseph Yordy Family Record.

    5. [S1] Donna Schrock Birkey, Personal knowledge and family records, Family Bible.

    6. [S1] Donna Schrock Birkey, Personal knowledge and family records.

    7. [S18] Gravestone name and dates.

    8. [S102] Interview with Alta Heiser Detweiler.

    9. [S607] Gary L. Yordy and Carol Yotty Heilman, The Yordy Siblings of Central Illinois: Peter Yordy, Christian Yotty, and Jacobina (Philabena) Yordy.

    10. [S375] Marriage Record of Joseph P. Yordy and Lizzie A. Roeschley.

    11. [S291] Eunice Schrock Kandel, Early Memories.


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