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Chase County Obituaries


1863 - 2008



Yeoman, S. E.

S. E. Yeoman, one of Chase county’s most notable pioneers is dead. The end came Sunday morning at the little cottage in Strong City where Mr. Yeoman had spent so many years of his life. Several weeks ago he had suffered a serious illness from which he had rallied, thereby showing a wonderful vitality for a man of his age.

The funeral services were held at 2:00 o’clock Tuesday afternoon in Strong City, Rev. Fintel, pastor of the Strong City and Elmdale M. E. Churches, preaching the sermon. Interment was then made in the Strong City cemetery.

Mr. Yeoman was born Nov. 16th, 1847, at Iona, Michigan.

When a lad of 12 years he came to Kansas, in the year 1859. Two years later at the age of 14 years, he enlisted and served throughout the Civil War. Much of his service with the Union army was scout and guide work.

When the Santa Fe built through Kansas, Mr. Yeoman acted as guide and scout through this state and also as the line extended to the southwest to New Mexico.

On Jan. 23rd, 1873, Mr. Yeoman was married to Ernestine Bennett and to this union two children were born.

Martin, a son, died when a child of three or four years, and Adah, a daughter, who later became Mrs. J. A. Hawthorne, died on June 6th, 1923. Mrs. Yeoman died in 1916, so Mr. Yeoman is the last of his family to answer death’s call.

Probably the greatest distinction of the aged pioneer, however, was the fact that he published the first newspaper in Chase county. At that time, he was given the nickname of “Em” Yeoman and he has since gone by that name. This newspaper was the “Chase County Banner.” The first issue made its appearance on Aug. 17th, 1867, in Cottonwood Falls. The press used was brought to Chase county by Mr. Yeoman from Lawrence and known as the old "Meeker” press where it had been used for a number of years to print a free state newspaper.

During the border ruffian days, however, the newspaper office was one day wrecked and the press thrown into the Kaw river at Lawrence by raiders from over the Missouri line who swooped down on the town in one of their notorious raids.

Later the press was salvaged from the river and brought to Chase county by Mr. Yeoman who after rebuilding it started the first newspaper here. Some of the type which had been dumped in the Streets of Lawrence when the paper office was wrecked was gathered up and saved and Mr. Yeoman said that a part of it was used by John Brown for the purpose of making cannon balls, but some of the type was brought to this county by Mr. Yeoman and used in connection with the publishing of the paper here.

Chase County Leader News, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, Dec. 15, 1925.



Chase County Death Notices and Obituaries,
compiled and abstracted from the Chase County Courant and Chase County Leader Newspapers
by your Chase County Host, Lorna Marvin.
Please submit your obituaries and death notices.




Chase County Host
Lorna Marvin



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