THE YAWGER FAMILY Count Philip Yawger (A) came with four sons from Coblenz, Germany to America in 1755. He landed in Philadelphia and afterward settled in Hunterdon County, NJ. He had four sons: William who went to the south west country, the family soon losing trace of him; Henry who went to Nova Scotia, John who lived in Morristown, NY, and Philip who was but two years old when his father brought him to America. Philip [1753-1830] married Catherine Cool [Kuhl 1755-1832]. They had eleven children. In 1800 they emigrated to New York State and lived in Owego two years. In the spring of 1802, Philip came to Aurora to a horse race where he met Col. Richardson, who told him of an improved farm for sale in Spring Port. He came and purchased the land, returned to Owego and moved his family that spring to their new home. The farm is now owned by Mrs. Don Judson and the Backus Brothers [The Greek Revival House at corner of Route 90 North and Backus Road.]. There was a log house and barn at the entrance of the lane just north of the Judson house where the family lived while the new house was being built down near the lake. The land was nearly all sown with wheat when he bought the farm. They harvested the wheat and had a great yard of stacks when one night they were all burned. The new house was a New Jersey house with a basement. Their home was a resting place for all of the people emigrating from New Jersey to the far west beyond Cayuga bridge. My mother told me she had often been there when they would see a large canvas top wagon coming down the lane. Her grandmother would go to the head of the stairs and call, "Girls, put the kettle on, there is someone coming from the Jerseys." Then when they came her grandfather and grandmother would so kindly welcome them, then would have so many inquiries of old friends left in New Jersey. Two or three days afterwards when the people were well rested, would supply them with plenty of provisions for the remainder of the journey. No one ever went from their home empty handed. The older children were married in New Jersey and Catherine and Elizabeth died there. Catherine married Mr. Jobes and lived about a mile from her father. She had a tea party. It looked like a storm, her mother left early to walk home, Catherine going a piece with her and taking an affectionate leave of here. There was a fearful thunder and lightening storm, so many of the guests stayed all night, Catherine giving up her own bed to some of them, and making a bed on the floor in front of the fireplace for herself and husband, the baby lying between them. Someone heard the baby crying so long, they went to see what was the trouble when they found the young father and mother dead. The baby was badly burned where it rested on the mother's arm. The storm was so great that Catherine's mother could not sleep. Peter heard his mother, so got up and watched the storm with her. They saw the lightening strike, his mother said, "It must have been Catherine's house." In less than an hour a man came and told them Catherine and Mr. Jobes were both dead. The bolt came down the chimney and the house did not take fire. Catherine's mother took the baby and brought him up. He was the same age as her youngest child, Daniel, and was Samuel Jobes. Elizabeth married Mr. Hill and had one child who visited her grandparents once in Spring Port. Her home was in New Jersey. Anna married Mr.Stout. They had six children. Their children were Betsy (Milegan), Maria (Bigelow), Catherine (Bower), Philip, and Anna. Mr. [James] Stout was a millright. They came to Cayuga County within ten years after her father and settled in Springport. John Yawger married his wife in New Jersey. Her name was Elsa. They lived on the point now owned by James A. Seymour [Howland Point/McDonald], afterwards kept a tavern where Yawger Bray now lives [the brick house at the northeast corner of Schoby and Cayuga Streets in Union Springs). The house was near the road a little north of the present house. John was killed by a runaway horse. They had five children, Kay (Fish), Polly Ann (Euers), Sally Ann (White), Philip, who married Mary Ann Hoglan, John whose first wife was Starkweather and his second wife was Nancy Emery. The daughters all married Quakers and lived south of Rochester. The sons lived in Union Springs. Philip [1783-1816]went to Michigan where he died. Sally [Sarah 1791-1826] eloped and married William Hall. He owned a small mill afterwards the Shank's mill. They had a large family. She died when the eldest boy was not quite fifteen. The father soon married again and went to live near his mill. The children stayed on the farm. The eldest son, William, did the work on the farm. Some of his sons are living in Auburn. The sisters and brothers were: Betsy (Caster), Catherine (Mason), Jane (Case), Peter, Philip, Daniel and Henry and others. Some lived at Honeyoy and Lima. Philip Yawger [1783-1816] married Miss [Maria (Polly)] Weed. They had four daughters. He died when quite young. His father and mother took the two elder daughters. They were Kathy Ann (Bray) and Nancy Durkee. Kathy Ann married her cousin Andrew Bray and lived in Honeyoy. Nancy and her husband settled in Michigan. Their mother married again and went to Michigan taking the two younger girls with her. Mary [1774-1849] married Mr. Barkley. They had one son, Thomas. When she was left a widow she af-terwards married Mr. Bray. They had several children; Andrew who married Kathy, Aaron, Daniel, Rebecca (Tubbs), and James who married cousin Sally Ann. William Yawger [1790-1868] married his cousin, Sally Criss. Their children were; Hannah (Shoemaker), Mary Ann (Flinn), Margaret (Thompson), Sarah Jane, Cornelia (Wm. Ruffis), John Van Buren, and Eliza (Trus-dale). Peter [1787-1869 married Cornelia Mersereau of Owego. August 23, 1810. They had fourteen children. Two died in childhood. Eliza Ann married Llewellyn Davis, John Perine married Ellen Ann Snyder. Daniel's first wife was Clara Walley, The second wife was Laura Candee. Catherine married Alexander P. Davis, brother of Llewellyn) and lived in Michigan. Cornelia married Karner Winegar. Mary [married] David Bower. Philip's first wife was Emily Shoemaker, the second Eunice Walley. Peter Manroe Amanda Louise married Jehile Stevenson; Sally who died when she was eleven. William Jackson married Emma Stout and died when he was twenty-five. Lafayette married Jackson's widow. Thomas Jefferson first married Amanda Arnold, afterwards Estelle Fordyce. Pauline [who] was next older than Jefferson, died when she was five years old. Henry Yawger married his cousin's daughter, Polly Oliver. Their children were Mary (married Maxwell Davis, brother of Llewellyn), Sara married John Richardson, John Cool married Ann Elizabeth Ludlow, then was Mrs. Frank Francis. Henry married Sarah Catherine Smith. Christina. Louisa married Charles Howland. Philip married Annie Hussie. Catherine and Victoria died when they were children. Daniel married Hannah Lowery. Their children were Elenor, Sally Ann, wife of James Bray, Hannah, wife of Mr. Griffith, Daniel married Lorinda Johnson, Catherine wife of William Catlin, Mary Eliza wife of Robert Smith, Martha Joanah, wife of Wallace Al-verson. Grandmother's (Catherine Cool [Kuhl] Yawger) sister Lizzie and her husband, Barnet Criss [Crise] came and bought the farm joining on the north and built a large house. I remember going there with my mother when I was a child. It was a nice place with large trees. The house is still there but dilapidated, the trees are gone. It is near Backus's Plaster mill and is owned by Backus. Aunt Sallie, Uncle William's wife was their daughter. William Criss [Crise], Polaski [Pulaski] Mersereau's father-in-law, was their son. There were several others. They discovered gypsum plaster on the land and it was quite an income for them. Grandfather [Philip] invested his money in land and was a large land holder. Grandma told me that Uncle Lafayette looked more like him than anyone, but grandfather was a large man. He had not a son or grandson as fine looking as he was. He had one of the finest turnouts in the country, such fine horses, carriages, and sleighs with fine robes. Grandmother was a very frail woman and had black eyes. I have been told that my mother looked much like her but her eyes were blue. They were Dutch Reformed and used to go over on the east side of Owasco Lake to church, about 15 miles. They afterwards united with the Presbyterian Church in Spring Port, the old Stone Church. Grandfather had a stroke of paralysis in his throat and could not swallow. He was in his 78th year when he died [1830]. Grandmother lived two years after and stayed at Uncle Henry's who had built the house near the road , now Judson's [at corner Route 90 & Backus Road].The old house (grandfather's) was always occupied by tenants after that, part of it is there yet. In 1809 Aunt Anna (Stout) was living in Owego. Mr. Stout was building a mill in Cayuga County. She wished to visit her father and mother and see her husband. She persuaded grandmother Mersereau to let her daugh-ter, Cornelia, come with her. They came on horseback. Aunt Anna carrying a baby. The road was through the woods the most of the way. One day a man on horseback joined them. He showed his admiration for Cornelia so much she was greatly annoyed. In conversation Aunt Anna said she was going to see her husband. Cornelia said "I am going to see my husband too." The man soon after that rode on and left them. It was a great on Cornelia, for on that visit she first met Peter Yawger. About a year afterwards he went to Owego and married her. There was quite a stir there about Cornelia Mersereau marrying a dutchman. One woman ran out of the door to see him and said she expected to see a black man. Grandpa used to laugh about it. He said his hair was so light it was almost white and he was very fair. Grandmother was said to be very beautiful, tall and very slender, grandpa said he could span her waist with his two hands. She had a round face and blue black eyes and was very fair and had a wealth of beautiful black hair. When she was married she wore a white India linen dress, low neck and elbow sleeves with a fall of lace from the neck and sleeves. It was the fashion for brides to wear caps but her sister Ann said it could be a shame to cover her hair so her mother bought her a large shell comb to wear. They commenced housekeeping in the little log house at the entrance of grandfather's lane [Backus Road]. Grandpa made the most of their furniture working with a cabinet maker. When their third child was born, they moved to the farm now owned by Uncle Philip [on curve of Route 326 at former Weed Road in Springport] and lived in the house that is there now. In 1840 they built the brick house that is on the Hughes farm near the lake costing $7000, a considerable sum for those days [Brick Greek Revival on Route 90 approx. 3 miles north of Union Springs] My mother [Eliza Yawger Davis] and Aunt Cornelia [Yawger Winegar] were married in the old home, my mother was 20 [1831] and Aunt Cornelia but 18 [1837] when they were married. There was a house full of young people and many happy times; but in eight years after they entered the new house, the last daughter, Cathereine was married. There were many family gatherings, we were always sure of welcome at Grandpa's. Grandpa was a very active man. He was sheriff of the county and was sent to the State Legislature before he was 36. Afterward, State Senator, when he was stricken blind by cataracts. They were removed, but his health was impaired. He lived to be over 80. Grandma was a busy housekeeper as long as she lived. She was a very ear-nest Christian. She died from pneumonia three years after Grandpa died. The Olivers lived north of Grandpa [on Route 90 first house north of railroad track on east side of road.. My mother always spoke of Mrs. Oliver as being a widow. The eldest son, David, worked the farm. Aunt Polly was the eldest daughter (Mrs. Henry Yawger). After the children were all grown, David had the farm. His wife was called Aunt Sallie Oliver by Grandpa's family. She was quite a favorite. David used to come to Grandpa's every Sunday afternoon, his wife often came with him. They had no children. The farm is now owned by Mrs. Samuel Van Sickle who is the daughter of John Oliver, David's brother. The family records were in a large German bible which had three large clasps. After the old home was broken up, Aunt Annie Stout took the bible to her home in Tompkins County. The house was burned and the bible was burned in it. Grandfather Philip and Grandmother Catherine used to converse in German. Grandpa Peter could understand German, but could not speak it. Daniel Mersereau and his brother were French Huguenots who escaped in a wine cask from Holland, fleeing to Scotland and thence to America. The first written record of Daniel Mersereau in America is his marriage in the French Huguenot church in New York City on August 6, 1693 to Susanne Marie Doncint. * Daniel Mersereau Marie 8/6/1693 Susan Marie Doncint Children John, Daniel, Susanne Marie, Stephen John Mersereau Married 1725 Elizabeth Creage Children Daniel, Joshua, John Daniel Mersereau Married 3/4/1757 Cornelia Vanderbilt B 7/18/1731 D 1786 B 1740 D 7/23.1810 Children Daniel, John Daniel Mersereau Married Annie Perrine B 4/23/1761 D 1/29/1848 B5/26/1770 D11/27/1863 Children Cornelia, Harry, John P. Aaron, Daniel, David, Elizabeth, Catherine. Cornelia Mersereau Married 8/23/1810 Peter Yawger B 1772(?) D 1866 Owego B 1787 D 1869 Count Philip Von Jager came to Philadelphia with four sons; William, John, Henry, Philip, 19 1755 later settling in Hunterdon Co., NJ. No mention is made of the mother, whether she were living or remained in Germany. The youngest son, Philip, was born in Coblenz, Germany, and was but 2 years old when he came to America. Philip Yawger 2nd Married 1774 Catherine Cool [Kuhl} B 1753 D 1830 Owego 1800 B 1755 D 1832 Settled in Springport, NY 1802 Children John, Catherine, Elizabeth, Philip, Annie, Mary, Peter, William, Sally, Henry, Daniel Peter Yawger Married 8/23/1810 Cornelia Mersereau B 1787 D 1869 Owego, NY B 1792 D 1866 Children Eliza Ann, John Perine, Daniel, Catherine, Cornelia, Mary, Philip, Peter, Amanda Louise, Sally, William Jackson, Lafayette, Thomas Jefferson, Pauline Eliza Ann YawgerMarried 12/15/1831 Llewellyn Howell Davis B 1811 D 1878 B 1802 D 1770 * * * Mary Eliza Davis, who wrote the preceding history of the Yawger Family, was the daughter of Eliza Ann Yawger & Llewellyn Howell Davis. She was born October 9, 1841 and died in January 5, 1923. She lived at 80 North Street in Auburn, NY with her brother, Charles Davis, an inventor of a grain drill part manufactured in Auburn by the company that became the International Harvester Company.