Biography - Solomon Yantis
SOLOMON YANTIS. is the owner of one hundred and eighty acres of
well-improved land located on sections 27 and 28, of Pickaway Township,
Shelby County. He is a general farmer and successfully operates his tract of
land making it yield as much as any farmer does a larger tract. Mr. Yantis
is an intelligent man and a close observer, having early familiarized
himself with the ways of nature. He has adopted many ideas from his German
and English neighhor's, who, in their native lands where the soil is held at
a higher premium than here, learned to utilize every foot of soil and make
it yield crop after crop in a single season.
Our subject has placed many valuable improvements upon his tract, which is
well-stocked. If it were the custom in this country, to give a name to the
country residences as it is in England and France and some parts of the
South, our subject might properly give his the beautiful name of "The
Walnuts," for he has upon his place a grove of walnut trees which covers ten
acres. He also has a fine peach orchard covering five acres, in which about
one thousand trees have recently been set.
The place has good and substantial buildings, the residence being
comfortable and commodious, and the barns and outbuildings indicate the
careful attention the proprietor gives to every detail of his farm work. He
purchased the farm in 1862 and then began the work of improvement, it being,
at the time of his purchase, unbroken prairie land. He has lived in this
township and county since the spring of 1855.
Our subject was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, December 16, 1839. He is the
son of Daniel Yantis. who is one of the well-known and influential men of
this county and township, although now quite advanced in age, but still
living on his old farm, and still retaining his faculties. Our subject is
one of fifteen children that grew to manhood and womanhood. Of these nine
are yet living, most of them residing in this State. He of whom we write
remained with his father until twenty-seven years of age. He reached his
majority in this township, and was married in Pickaway County, Ohio, to Miss
Mary Runkle. She was born in Pickaway County, September 20, 1842 and comes
of a good Pennsylvania Dutch family. Her parents died in Pickaway County,
the father at the age of eighty-seven. Mr. and Mrs. Runkle, as were the
Yantis family, were members of the German Reformed Church.
Since marriage, the original of our sketch and his wife have lived upon the
farm which they at present occupy, and have here raised a family of ten
children. One of these died in infancy. The living children who are still at
home are: Mary E., Daniel, Henry, Cora M., Noah, Grace, Alma P., James M.,
Harley and Roy.
Our subject is a member of the Baptist Church. Mrs. Yantis holds to the
Reformed Church. Mr. Yantis is now serving his second term as Superintendent
of the township. Politically he is independent. Socially he is a member of
the Fanners' Mutual Benefit Association.
Extracted 16 Feb 2019 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 616-617.
