After many long, weary days and nights of patient suffering, as a beautiful day was nearing its close, lovingly the angels opened the portals of heaven and one more soul was welcomed into the celestial city.

Martin W. Yetter, son of Martin and Katherine Yetter, was born in a log cabin within sight of his present home, July 28, 1847, and departed this life, May 25, 1917, at the age of 69 years, 9 months and 27 days.

At the time of his birth, his father had in process of erection, a large brick residence which, when completed was the family home, where the subject of this sketch grew to manhood, sharing the toil and hardships of pioneer life.

Jan. 28, 1871, he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Thompson of Burnside, Ill.  To them were born three children, William, of near Galesburg; Otis of this vicinity, and little Dora, who died at the age of 3 years.

On Jan. 12, 1890, the hand of Providence took from him his companion and left him the care of two motherless little boys.

Oct. 16, 1890, he was again united in marriage to Mrs. Mary Brown.  To this union was born five children, Albert, Mrs. Goldie Booz, Mrs. Vernice Harmon, all living near the parental home, and Fred and Pearl at home.  There are also four grandchildren, Forest, Olive, and Harley Yetter, children of Otis Yetter, and little five-year-old Roland, son of Mrs. Goldie Booz, and who, having spent most of his life with his grandparents, was his especial comfort and companion during his last days; these, together with the loving and faithful wife and a legion of other relatives and friends, mourn today the passing of a good man.

His parents, with three children, came to Illinois from Pennsylvania in 1856 and settled on the farm, which has always been his home.  There were nine children of his father's family, Mrs. Mary McElvane, Mrs. Eliza McElvane, Mrs. Emeline Kinney, Mrs. Sarah Thompson, Mrs. Barbara Lenix, Mrs. Kate Howd, Martin W. Yetter, Lewis T. Yetter and John, who died in childhood.  All of these, but the youngest son, Lewis, of Geneseo, Ill., have passed to their long home beyond the tomb.

In his younger days Mr. Yetter gave his heart into the keeping of the God he loved, and united with the U. B. Church.  Since the dissolution of that denomination here, he consecrated himself anew and professed the faith of the Free Methodist church, especially during his last illness, when he daily emphasized his faith in God, and his hope to gain a welcome to the eternal city.

Many times during his illness he called his family around him and admonished them to live for God, always assuring them of his readiness to go whenever the summons came.

Mr. Yetter was an honored member of the I.O.O.F. lodge of this city and his place in their ranks will be hard to fill.

In 1905 he built the new commodious residence nearby the old brick mansion, which for fifty-seven years had been his home, and the hospitality of the Yetter home has for generations been a subject of comment among not only relatives, but by all who chanced to enter there.  His friends were numbered by his acquaintances.  No one ever came who went away empty handed.  Always kind to the poor, every out cash or down-trodden soul, found a harbor of rest within his house.

Mr. Yetter was a hard working man and by his honesty and industry he accumulated a comfortable estate to leave to his family, but the best legacy, is the good name, born by the kind heart and loyalty toward God and man.

Although his illness extended over many months and every known remedy was tried by both local and special physicians, as well as the untiring devotion of his faithful companion and children, yet nothing could stay the ravages of disease, and it was only a patient waiting without murmur or complaint, for the mortal to put on immortality," and with consciousness retained until the latest breath, as his loved ones gathered about him, loathe to give him up, that his spirit returned to God who gave it.

"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord."

A post mortem held by Drs. Bouseman, Parr and L. C. Knight, showed the cause of Mr. Yetter's death to be cancer of the intestines.

Those in attendance from a distance were, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Yetter of Galesburg; Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Howd, of Macomb; A. O. Howd, of Augusta; Joel Howd, of Burnside; Mrs. Willa Sharpe of Ft. Madison, Ia.

Funeral services were held from the F. M. Church Sunday, May 27th, at 2 o'clock p. m., conducted by the Rev. E. M. Smith of Carthage, assisted by Rev. J. D. Lockhard, pastor in charge here. Rev. Mr. Smith gave a splendid discourse, full of hope and sympathy for the bereaved ones, dwelling principally upon the brevity of life and the necessity of preparing for the certainty of the dark hour of death which must come sooner or later to all.  A selected choir composed of Miss Adda Spangler, Miss Mae Duffy, Mrs. J. A. Beebe, Mrs. J. A. Robinson, Messrs. Clem Duffie and Arthur Spangler, with Miss Adda, organist, sang the hymns that the deceased loved so well, viz., "Gathering Home," "Beautiful River," "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere," and "The Christian's Goodnight."

Martin married Nancy Ann Thompson on December 28, 1871.  Marriage License

Also known as Annie, Nancy was born February 19, 1851 (calculated from tombstone inscription) in Kentucky, perhaps Madison County.  We believe Nancy was the daughter of James Hudson Thompson and Rebecca Wright, both originally from Madison County, Kentucky.  According to the obituary of Julia Thompson Hamrick, one of their nine children, James and Rebecca came by covered wagon from Kentucky to Hancock County in 1853.  This young married couple was counted in the 1850 Federal Census in Madison County; the enumerator helpfully noted the county of birth for each family member.

Another theory is that Annie was the daughter of Andrew Jackson Thompson and Eliza Brown.

The children of Martin W. Yetter and Nancy Ann Thompson were most likely all born at the family home in Hancock Township:

i.	William Noel Yetter, born October 29, 1872.
ii.	Dora Bell Yetter.  The inscription on her tombstone, as read by Warren Van Dine in the 1960s, was only partially illegible: Our Daughter, Dora Bell, Died Dec. __ 187_, Aged _____.  Martin's obituary stated she was three years old when she died.
iii.	James Ottis Yetter, born March 12, 1885.  He died June 26, 1959, at Carthage, Hancock County, and was buried at Webster Cemetery in Fountain Green Township.

Annie probably died at the Yetter home in Hancock Township; burial at Yetter Cemetery.

FEB. 17.--Died, Feb. 11, 1890, Annie, wife of Martin W. Yetter, aged 39 years.  Although the death of Mrs. Yetter was hourly expected by those having charge of her during her illness, yet to the community at large the announcement of her death was a great shock, and caused widespread sadness.  Annie was a devoted member of the U. B. church for a number of years.  She was a quiet large-hearted lady, striving hard to cheer and comfort all who were in sickness or distress.  A better, nobler, purer soul never lived to bless and comfort family and friends.  The funeral took place Thursday, conducted by Rev. Mr. Weigle.  The church was crowded to its utmost, and many were unable to enter.  The husband and two sons, aged respectively 16 and 5, have lost a loving wife and mother.  Her place can never be refilled.  "Gone home!"  Ah, how few realize the meaning of those two simple words.  Better say, one less at home, one more in heaven.

Mary was the daughter of William Virgil Mosley and Elizabeth Asbury.  She was born in 1866 in Hancock County, died May 2, 1932, in Fountain Green Township, Hancock County, and was buried at Oak Grove Cemetery, Hancock County.

Mary had first married Eugene Brown on February 11, 1885.  He died December 8, 1888. Mary and Eugene had one son, Johnnie A. Brown, born November 11, 1885, in Hancock County near Oak Grove.

The children of Martin and Mary Mosley Brown Yetter, also born at the family home in Hancock Township:

i.	Albert Smith Yetter, born July 12, 1891.  He died August 20, 1922, at Keokuk, Iowa.  Burial location undetermined.
ii.	Goldie Mae Yetter, born May 27, 1893.  She died July 29, 1955, at Carthage, and was buried at Yetter Cemetery.
iii.	Vernice Lee Yetter, born in 1896; she died July 27 or July 29, 1934, burial at Yetter Cemetery.
iv.	Fred Martin Yetter, born July 31, 1898, died December 3, 1967, at Carthage, burial at Yetter Cemetery.
v.	Pearl Yetter, born 1898.

Martin Yetter, 43, male, farmer, value of real estate 3600, born PA
Catharine, 36, female, born PA
Mary, 18, female, born PA
Anne E, 16, female, born PA, attended school within the year
Emeline, 14, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Barbara, 10, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Sarah J, 8, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Catharine, 5, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Martin W, 3, male, born IL
Henry Graham, 10, male, born IL, attended school within the year

Martin Yetter, 54, male, farmer, value of real estate 9500, value of personal estate 2500,
born PA
Catherine, 49, female, born PA
Catherine L, 16, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Martin W, 14, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Lewis, 6, male, born IL, attended school within the year

James Thompson, 38 ?, male, farmer, value of real estate 2500, value of personal estate 600,
born KY
Elvira C Galloway, 1, female, born IL
Rebecca Thompson, 35, female, born KY
Sarah M, 13, female, born KY, attended school within the year
Mary J, 11, female, born KY, attended school within the year
Nancy A, 9, female, born KY, attended school within the year
[continued on next page]
Julia Thompson, 3, female, born IL
James H, 1, male, born IL

Yetter, Martin, 63, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 16000, value of personal estate 3000, born PA, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Catherine, 56, female, white, keeping house, born PA
Martin, 23, male, white, born IL
Lewis T, 10, male, white, born IL [no indication of school attendance]
Thompson, Alferd, 8, male, white, born IL [no indication of school attendance]
[Thompson], William, 9, male, white, born IL [no indication of school attendance]

Thompson, James H, 49, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 4000, value of personal estate 600, born KY, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Mary, 49, female, white, keeping house, value of real estate 3000, born PA
David, 18, male, white, born OH
Nancy, 19, female, white, born KY
Julia F, 13, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year
James H, 11, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
George T, 8, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Ida A, 6, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Emma S, 5, female, white, born IL

Yetter, Martin W, white, male, 32, married, farmer, born IL, both parents born PA
Nancy A, white, female, 29, wife, married, keeping house, born KY, both parents born KY
William N, white, male, 7, son, single, attended school within the year, born IL, father born IL, mother born KY

Yetter, Martin W, head, white, male, July 1847, 52, male, married for 9 years, born IL, both parents born PA, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 74

Mary E, wife, white, female, Jan 1866, 34, married for 9 years; mother of 5 children, all living; born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, could read, write and speak English

James O, son, white, male, [illegible] 1886, 14, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Albert S, son, white, male, July 1891, 8, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Golda C [sic], daughter, white, female, May 1893, 7, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 5 months, could read, write and speak English

Vernice L, daughter, white, female, July 1896, 3, single, born IL, both parents born IL

Freddie M, son, white, male, July 1898, 1, single, born IL, both parents born IL

Brown, John [illegible initial], stepson, white, male, Nov 1885, 14, single, born IL, both parents born IL, could not read, write or speak English

Yetter, Martin, head, male, white, 63, married (2nd) for 18 years, born IL, both parents born PA, spoke English, farmer, general farm, employer, could read and write, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 69

Mary, wife, female, white, 44, married (2nd) for 18 years; mother of 6 children, all living; born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, spoke English, could read and write

John, stepson, male, white, 24, single, born IL, both parents born IL [no entries for ability to speak English or literacy]

Birt, son, male, white, 18, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Goldie, daughter, female, white, 16, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Vernice, daughter, female, white, 13, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Fredie, son, male, white, 11, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Perl, daughter, female, white, 9, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Yetter, Mary E, head, owned her home free of mortgage, female, white, 54, widow, could read and write, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, spoke English, no occupation, employer, farm schedule 139

Frank M, son, male, white, 21, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, farm ______ [illegible], home farm, working for wages,

Pearl, daughter-in-law, female, white, 24, married, could read and write, born IL, father born MO, mother born IL, spoke English

Kimbrough, Roland G, grandson, male, white, 7, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, born Illinois, father born ID, mother born IL

Yetter, Mary, head, owned her home, home value 1200, owned a radio, did not live on a farm, female, white, 64, widow, age at first marriage - 25, could read and write, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, spoke English

Kimbrough, Roland, grandson, male, white, 17, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, could read and write, born IL, father born ID, mother born IL, spoke English