"The BIOGRAPHICAL History of Clark County, Wisconsin"

Compiled by Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge, Chicago and Winona, H. C. Cooper Jr., & Co. in 1918.

FREDERICK YANKEE, a pioneer settler of Lynn Township, Clark County, now deceased, was born in Pommern, Germany, his boyhood home being not far from the city of Berlin. Growing up in his native land, he was there married to Frederica Knaul, and one child, Frederick, Jr., was born to them in Germany, who was later killed in the American Civil War. With his wife and child he came to America in the early forties, taking passage in a sailing vessel and landing after a voyage of seven weeks. Located first in Canada. About 1845 he came to the United States and bought eighty acres of wild land in Washington County, Wis., on which he erected log buildings. After a while he sold that place to locate in Clark County, buying six eighty-acre tracts of land in Lynn Township. He then returned to his family, whom he had left in Washington County, there now being eight children-Frederick (deceased), Augustus, James (deceased), Henry, William, Ernest (deceased), J. Herman and Rose (deceased). The journey to Clark County with his family was made with an ox team, they being accompanied by two other families. The party arrived in the county June 1, 1856. Mr. Yankee built a log house in Section 7, where the first white child was born in the county, George Kleinschmidt He also engaged in the manufacture of shingles, hauling them by ox team to Black River Falls, where he traded them off for provisions. This place was his home for the rest of his life, he dying At the age of 75 years. On his farm he built a good frame house, his son, Herman, building the barn. On seven different occasions Mr. Yankee served on the side board of the township, also holding the offices of chairman and assessor. In early days he and other members of his family carried provisions on their backs from Neillsville. He was one of the organizers of Lynn Township, which, when he came to it, was a part of Pine Valley.

His wife, Mrs. Frederica Yankee, died at the age of 86 years. Their son, J. Herman Yankee, was born in Washington County, Wis., July 17, 1851. He attended school in Lynn Township, walking three miles to it, as the school was situated at Mapleworks. He has always remained on the home farm, which he assisted his father to clear. Herman Yankee has, like his father, served in local office, having been chairman of the township board, a member of the side board and of the district school board, and also having served several times as assessor.

Mr. Yankee married Louisa Richards, a native of Germany, whose parents located in Monroe County, Wis. They have had six children-Otto, who resides in Lynn Township Atilia, now Mrs. Herman Wagner, of Granton, this county Charles and Amasa, who are living on the home farm Amanda, who resides in Colorado, and Aleda.