From "History of Cayuga County, New York" By: Elliot G. Storke, Assisted by: Jos H. Smith Published by: D. Mason & Co., Syracuse, New York, 1879 BEGIN CHAPTER XLII. TOWN OF SPRINGPORT. Philip Yawger came in from New Jersey with ten children, six sons and four daughters, in 1801, and settled one mile north of Union Springs, where his grandson John C. Yawger now lives. He came by means of Jersey wagons. He died on the homestead September 3d, 1830, aged 77. None of his children are living. One son, Peter, was Member of Assembly in 1827 and 1831. A small stream in the north part of the town perpetuates his name. Numerous grand-children are living in the County; among whom are Philip O., a merchant in Union Springs, and Lafayette, proprietor of a grist and plaster-mill on Yawger Creek, which was built about twenty-six years ago, and in which 500 to 600 tons of plaster are ground per year. Peter took up 260 acres, which are now owned by John O. and Henry, sons of Henry Yawger, and grandsons of Philip. Philip took up a section on the site of Owego, where he stopped one season; but disliking the location he came on to Springport. His grandson, Philip O. Yawger, says the Indians destroyed his first year's crops, which was the cause of much suffering. Upon Philip's farm was discovered the first plaster bed in Springport, about 1809. A portion of the plaster rock was brought to the surface by the plow, and having been paying a high price for Nova Scotia plaster, the hope of finding here a cheaper substitute for that article led him to give it a trial upon a fall crop. The rock was pulverized by means of pounding, and the result was so satisfactory as to lead to further investigation, and the discovery of the plaster bed as before stated. The embargo of 1812, which excluded Nova Scotia plaster, favored the rapid development of Cayuga plaster. TOWN OFFICERS.- The first town meeting was held at the house of John Yawger, inn-keeper, the first Tuesday in April, 1823, and the following named officers were elected: Wm. Cozzens, Supervisor; Wm. G. Harkness, Clerk; Giles Robinson, Henry Crane and Gilbert Goodrich, Assessors; Thomas A. Buddington, Giles Robinson and Samuel Wisner, Commissioners of Highways; John S. Toan and Moses Wisner, Poormasters; Asa N. Burnham, Jonathan Carr and Alexander Thompson, Commissioners of Common Schools; Stephen Mosher, Hiram Hunt and Asa N. Burnham, Inspectors of Common Schools; Wm. Sherd and Peter Flinn, commissioners of Public Lands; Samuel Marsh, Collector; Samuel Marsh and Ephraim Sharp, Constables. John Richardson and John C. Yawger, the former of whom had previously done business some four years, did business a few years from about 1841, under the name of Richardson & Yawger. They dissolved and divided their stock, Mr. Richardson becoming associated with Wm. Cozzens, and Mr. Yawger, with his brother Henry. Philip O. Yawger succeeded his brother John C., in 1862, and did business with Henry six years, and since then, alone. N C. Howland, who was born in the town August 11th, 1826, commenced the jewelry business in 1861, and is still engaged in it. POSTMASTERS- The post-office was established at Union Springs in 1811, and Dr. Jno. Mosher, who was the first postmaster, held the office till about 1841. He was succeeded by Geo. P. Morgan, who held it in 1842, and for a period of four years. Wm. Smith held the office for one year after Mr. Morgan, in 1846, and was succeeded by Frederick P. Cone, who held it till about 1849. Jno. C. Yawger was postmaster from 1849-'53; Edward Eldredge, from 1853-'57; Dr. Noyes Palmer, from 1857-'61. N. C. Simons next held it nearly four years, and was succeeded by Joseph Clark, who held it till Mr. Johnson took the presidential chair, when A. B. Capron was appointed, and held the office till 1869. James B. Burlew next held the office till 1873, and was succeeded by James R. Angel, the present incumbent, who was appointed December 10th, 1873. END will of Anthony Case ... BEGIN Hunterdon County NJ Archives Wills.....Anthony CASE, May 20, 1769 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nj/njfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Tinney linda@branches-n-twigs.com August 27, 2008, 2:51 am Source: State Of New Jersey, Will Number 843j Written: May 20, 1769 In the Name of God Amen, I Anthony Case, of the Township of Amwell, County of Hunterdon, province of West New Jersey, Yeoman, being in good Health of Body, and of sound and perfect Mind and Memory, Praise be therefore to Almighty God, do make and ordain this my present & last Will & Testament, in Manner & Form & following, That is to say, First and principly I command my Soul into the Hands of Almighty God hoping thro: the Merits, Death & passion of my Saviour, Jesus Christ to have full and free Pardon and Forgiveness, of all my Sins and to Inherit Everlasting Life. And my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently burried at the decretion of my Executrix & Executors, hereafter, named. And as Touching the dispossition of all such Temporal Estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me, I give & dispose thereof as follows, First I will that all Just debts and funeral Charges shall be paid & discharged. Item I give and bequeath unto my Eldest Son Peter Case the Sum of Ten pounds, over and above his Equal Share hereafter, Mentioned in Lieu and full Satisfaction of his Birth Right, to be paid to him Six Months after my decease by my Executrix Item I will, give and Bequeath unto my beloved Wife Eve Cathrine, All the Remainder of my Estate both Real and personal, to and for her use During her Natural Life, or Widowhood, and at her Decease, I will and order that all my Estate shall decend to and become the Right in Law of all my Children, whose Names Follow, Vis, Peter Case, John Mathias Case, John Case, Jacob Case, John Adam Case, Ann Elisabeth, the Wife of Francis Poxon, Anna Mary, the Wife of Coonrad Hummer, and Catha- rine the Wife of Herbert Trimmer, Among whom it shall be Equally divided share and share, alike, to be delivered unto them by my Executors, (after the decease of my beloved Wife Eve Catharine,) or in Case she should Marrey, then to be Intitled, only to her Lawfull Thirds, the Remainder of the Estate to be Equally divided amongst my Children aforesaid And Lastly, I do Ordain, Constitude, and Appoint my Loving Wife Eve Catharine, to me my whole & Sole Executrix, during her Natural Life(, & Peter Case, and John Mathias Case, Executors to Assist my said Executrix in all and every perticular she may or shall Request) of this my last Will and Testament, Intreating of them to cause the same to be punctually performed and Kept, to whom the Sevivior of them, their Heirs, or Executors, I do hereby Give full [torn] and Authority to Execute this my last Will and Testiment, According to the Direction herein [torn] [torn] to sell and dispose of my Estate (if need be) Either by way of public Vendue or otherwise as they shall [torn] Judge it most Advantagious, for the Heirs herein Named, and to make, Sign, Seal, and Deliver such Legal - Writings, as shall be Thought Needfull and Necessary for the Confirming the same unto the Purchaser or Purchasers - And I do hereby Revoke, and Disanul, all any Every other Former Testament Wills Legacies, Bequests and Executors by me in any Ways, heretofore, Willed and bequeathed Rattyfying and Confirming this and no Other to be my Last Will and Testament, In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal, this Twentyeth Day of May, in the Ninth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the Grace of God, King - of Great Brittain, France and Ireland, Anno Domini, One Thousand Seven Hundred & Sixty Nine 1769 - .....................................................................................................(signed) Anthony Case Signed, Sealed published and declared by the said Anthoney Case as his last Will and Testam- ent In presence of us, who in his presence, & In the presence of Each Other, have hereunto Subscribed, our Names Robert Dodd Jacob Servoss Peter Peterson B? It is my Will and I do hereby Order, that the Surviveing Children of my above said Daughter Anna Mary, by her Late Husband, Johanis Yawger, Namely, Peter, Philip, William and John Yawger, shall with the other children of the said Anna Mary, by her present Husband, Conrad Hummer, share that part of my Estate so Willed to my abovesaid Daughter, Anna Mary, Each and every One of them an Equal Share, and Share alike to be paid to the aforesaid Children, of Johannis Yawger, after the Death of my Loving Wife Eve Catharine, Executrix, as they may be, or Arrive to the Age of Twenty-One, by my aforesaid Executors, Peter Case & John Matthias Case, In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal this Seventh Day of June in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred & Sixty Nine 1769 Signed, Sealed published, as above said in presence of [end of page] Robert Dodd and Peter Peterson two of the Witnesses to the Will being duly Sworn on the holy Evangelist of Almighty God do depose and say that they saw Anthony Case therein Named Sign and Seal the Same, and heard him publish, pronounce and declare the within writing to be his last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof the said Testator was of Sound disposing Mind & Memory as far as these Deponents verily believes, and that Jacob Servess the other Subscribing Witness was present at the time and Signed his Name as Witness to the said Will together with these Deponents in the present of the Testator. (signed) Rob't Dodd (signed) Peter Peterson Sworn at Pitt Town the 11th day of Dec - 1772 before me Geo. Reading Sorag. Eve Catharine Case, Peter Case and John Mathias Case Execs. in the within Testament named being duly Sworn on the Holy Evengelist of Al- mity God, did depose and Say, that the within Instrument contains [worn] the true last Will and Testament of Anthoney Case the Testator therein Named, as far as they know or verily believes, and that they will well and truly perform the same, by paying first the Debts of the said deceased and then the Legacies in the said Testament specified as far as the Goods, Chattle, Rights and Credits of the said deceased can thereto extend and that They will make and exhibit into the Perogative Office in Burlington a true and perfect Inventory of all and Singular the Goods Chattles and Credits of the deceased that have or shall come to their knowledge or Possession or to the knowledge or possession of any other Person or Persons for their use, and send a just and true Account when thereunto Lawfully required Eve Catharine (her X mark) Case (signed) Peter Case John Mathias (his X mark) Case Sworn at Pitts Town this 11th day of Dec. 1772 before me Geo. Reading Sorag. Additional Comments: Transcribed from photocopy of the original. Spelling and punctuation as they appear in the original document. The very bottom of the will was "cut off" This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/njfiles/ File size: 7.2 Kb This file is located at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nj/hunterdon/wills/case-a.txt END From "THE INDIAN AND THE PIONEER" Chapter XI by Rose N. Yawger published 1893 by W. Bardeen, Syracuse, N. Y. Note.--Originally Jager or JAGER, meaning "hunter." BEGIN The Yawger family came to America from Coblentz-on-the-Rhine in Germany between the years 1750 and 1760, and settled on a large estate at Flemington, N.J. Unfortunately the early family records have been lost, so that it is not known in just what year they came, or how many there were. The complete family records were contained in a family bible printed in the German language, and brought from Coblentz at the time of the immigration. This bible was brought to Cayuga County in 1801, by Philip Yawger, the founder of the New York branch of the family, and descended from him to his daughter, Ann Stout, who carried it to Berkshire, Thompkins County, where it became destroyed. Philip Yawger was one of five brothers; their names were John, Peter, William, Henry, Philip. John, the eldest brother, spoke German, but Philip did not. Peter, William and Henry settled in New Jersey, where they have a great many descendants at the present time. They are all prosperous merchants and farmers. It is not known that they took an active part in the Revolutionary War, but they suffered great inconvenience by a frequent destruction of their property by the Tories. Before the revolutionary period John became disappointed in love and disappeared in the western wilderness, after which his brothers never had any communication from him. The following incident suggests a possible fate: During the great excitement in California in 1848-9, Peter M. Yawger II of Union Springs went to California, and there in a mining camp met a Col. Yerger of Mississippi. Mutual inquiries prompted by the similarity of name, led Col. Yerger to state that his grandfather, John Yerger, spoke the German language, and came from New Jersey. Family traditions stated that there he left four brothers with whom he had never communicated. Also, that John Yerger had been for many years a Kentucky hunter, but had finally drifted into Mississippi where he had married and had many descendants. This connecting link is considered sufficient to establish the relationship between the southern Yerger, principally in Mississippi and Texas, and the northern Yawger, chiefly of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. The founder of the New York branch of the Yawger family, as previously stated, was Philip Yawger, supposed to be the youngest of the five brothers. He was born June 22d, 1753 and while still in New Jersey married Katherine Kuhl, later spelled Catherine Cool,still later, Cole, who was born March 25, 1755. In 1780 Philip decided to move to New York State, and with that intention, he sold his farms, and packing all his household goods in canvas-covered Jersey wagons, he started with his wife and ten children, over the mountains, driving his stock. But little record remains of this journey. We only know that they passed through the Susquehanna Valley, which was an unbroken forest, and that they finally stopped at Owego in mid-summer where Philip purchased the Owego flats. That fall, Philip, accompanied by where Philip purchased the Owego flats. That fall, Philip, accompanied by a Judge Caryall, or Carheil, went to the Cayuga Lake Country to see a horse race in which both were greatly interested. While at Levanna, Philip visited William Richardson, Sr., and there began alife-long friendship. William Richardson, Sr., then lived in the house now occupied by George Ellis. His son William had taken up lot 82, and part of lot 83 in the northern part of the Cayuga Reservation about two miles north of Union Springs. Philip was highly delighted with the country, and the following summer he came and took up Gideon Allen's claim to lot 86, on the late Cayuga Reservation. This lot held two hundred and thirty acres of oak and hickory. Gideon Allen's title was not perfect. He held the land by virtue of a written instrument given by a commissioner of deeds, said instrument certifying that he (Allen) had settled on and improved said land,and by payment of a certain stated sum per acre could demand a settlement from the State authorities at any time, in preference to any other purchaser. Philip supposed his title perfectly secure, however, until 1812 when he saw an advertisement stating that Lot No. 86 together with other lands was to be sold at public auction in Albany April 13, 1812. The State had bought the reservation lands of the Cayuga Indians, and in payment for the same was to give a certain amount down and an annuity. The sale of lands which included lots to which the State Commissioner of Deeds had already given titles, such as Gideon Allen's, was for the purpose of raising the amount to pay the Indians. Philip did not at first pay any attention to the advertisement, but as the discovery of plaster had made his particular section of land very valuable, he finally yielded to the urgings of his friends and went to Albany to investigate the matter. There he found that his lands, crops, buildings, and discoveries of plaster interest were all to be sold and an absolute title given. Philip was acquainted with Martin Van Buren, afterward President ofthe United States, and learning that he was then in Albany, went to him for advice in the belief that his wisdom would find a way out of the difficulty. Mr. Van Buren had already heard of the trouble, and he gave Philip such discreet advice that in the end the lot was purchased by him of the State for the exact amount agreed upon in the original instrument. The final deed was received from Matthias B. Hildreth, Attorney General, and bears the date of April 20th, 1812. Philip prospered greatly and kept adding to his original lot until he possessed nearly a thousand acres of land. His sons, Henry and Daniel, remained at home, but the other nine children were married placed on good farms, which were wholly or nearly free from incumbrance. Part of these original farms still remain in possession of descendants of this family, who have held many public offices of honor and trust and have otherwise sustained the high reputation which their ancestors enjoyed. Such is a brief sketch of the founders of the New York branch of the Yawger family. In a separate chapter will be found a few notes on the discovery and development of the Cayuga Lake plaster business with which they were prominently connected. The late branches of the family have multiplied greatly and are so numerous that it is impossible to record their histories in the limited space which can here be afforded. Later something like a complete genealogical record may be presented. It is to be hoped that each member of the family may become sufficiently interested to do his part toward collecting and preserving, as well as making the history of the family, so that in time,more, and not less, shall be known of the connecting links which bind together the German Jager, the southern Yerger, and the northern Yawger in the bond of relationship. Gen. 1. Came to America from Coblentz, Germany, 1750-1760, and settled in New Jersey. John 1. Founder of the southern branch now known as Yergers. Peter 1. ( Founders of the William 1.[a] ( New Jersey and Henry 1. ( Pennsylvania stock. Philip 1. Founder of the New York branch. Born June 22d, 1753. Died Sept. 3d, 1830. At the family homestead in Cayuga Co. Buried at Crane's Cemetery. Married Katherine Kuhl in New Jersey. Katherine Kuhl, Born March 25th, 1755. Died July 20th, 1832. END From "THE INDIAN AND THE PIONEER" Chapter XII by Rose N. Yawger published 1893 by W. Bardeen, Syracuse, N. Y. BEGIN In the fall of 1809, Philip Yawger 1, while plowing uncovered a soft grey stone on the lower part of the farm near the lake. That same season, a gentlemen by the name of Hill from Philadelphia passed through this part of the country, and was guest of Philip Yawger at the "Black House," which in the absence of a tavern frequently opened its hospitable doors to the stranger and wayfarer. Mr. Hill was a land buyer and general speculator. He was also something of a scientist, and became greatly interested in the soft grey stone which Philip described as recently found. The morning following Mr. Hill's arrival, the two gentlemen searched and found more of the stone,which Mr. Hill pronounced to be either plaster of Paris or gypsum, and advised his host to try making a powder of it and using as a fertilizer on clover, wheat, etc. Philip Yawger and his sons broke up the stone with acommon hammer and used it as a fertilizer with excellent results. The neighbors also came and got stone which they pulverized, and had like success. Afterward it was sent to flour mills to be ground. In the meantime, Mr. Hill had taken some of the stone back to Philadelphia, and there had a chemical analysis made which proved the stone to be a very fine quality of gypsum. Plaster was used as a fertilizer in Europe at a very early date. When Benjamin Franklin returned from Europe in 1772, he brought a quantity of plaster which he used in the vicinity of Philadelphia. He also sowed a piece of clover in the city of Washington, and in the clover traced in plaster the sentence, "This has been plastered." In due time the clover came up and the sentence could be clearly read by all, because that which had been plastered grew more rank and vigorous. At this period, 1722, much attention was given plaster, and afterward the gypsum was found in Nova Scotia, reduced to a powder and extensively used throughout the United States. Philip and his neighbors continued to use the plaster through1810-11, and at last it became so well known that many of the farmers in the Cayuga Lake region came to Philip for the stone. During the war of 1812, it will be remembered that Congress laid an embargo restricting English commerce, and this indirectly aided greatly in the development of the Cayuga Lake Plaster, for which there immediately sprang up a great demand, as this was the only quarry then known in the United States. The stone was shipped entire by water to Ithaca, thence in wagons 30 miles to Owego, where it was again put on boats and taken down the Susquehanna. The flouring mills throughout the country at this time did the pulverizing. Plaster was sold at the low price of $6.00 a ton, unground, delivered on Cayuga Lake; yet Philip's contracts brought in thousands of dollars, which frequently came as lumber, whiskey, flour, cattle and all kinds of produce. At this time Philip owned a large number of plaster boats which ran between Union Springs and Ithaca, and this caused a misfortune which nearly ruined him at a time ofgreat prosperity. Generals Dearborn and Van Renssalear were sent to make an attack on Canada. They came to Union Springs, seized Philip's plaster boats, carried them to the foot of the lake, thence through the Seneca and Oswego rivers to Lake Ontario to Sackett's Harbor. There they were fitted out for the transportation of troops to Canada, but the scheme was abandoned and the boats burned on the shore. There were between fifty and sixty of these boats, and the only two which remained with Philip were thirty-ton schooners which had been sunk with only the tips of the masts projecting above the surface of the water, when the news of the levy and the coming officers had reached the lake. The seizure of these boats made it impossible for Philipto fulfill his plaster contracts. He was sued for damages and nearly ruined. It was thought at one time he would have to fail and be sold out. After many anxious family consultations among the sons, all but Henry and Daniel withdrew from the trouble, and these two sons determined to exhaust everymeans to save the estate. One or both went to New Jersey on horseback, in midwinter to secure certain loans from the relatives there. By these and other equally energetic means the estate was saved. Philip built new boats,made new contracts, continued his plaster business, and prospered, repaying the loans. In a sense of gratitude toward Henry and Daniel he made a will bywhich they were to receive at his death, the entire lot 86, both land and plaster. The other nine children, as has been previously stated, had already been provided with large farms wholly or nearly free from incumbrance, and Henry and Daniel were the only children remaining at home. This will, however, was subsequently changed. Peter Yawger II, afterward went to Sackett's Harbor, and secured a recompense for the value of the boats which were destroyed, but could not obtain any redress for the heavy damages sustained by the failure to keep the plaster contracts. Years after a second unsuccessful attempt to secure recompense was made. Plaster was soon discovered and quarries opened on lot 92, south of 86, then owned by E.Dougherty; later on lot 85, owned by Barnett Crise, and afterwards on the Richardson farm. Thompson's quarry was also used. Peace was declared with Great Britain Feb. 18th, 1815, and the embargo being removed the Nova Scotia plaster came in as before, and this cause operating with Philip's diminished capital injured the sale of the Cayuga Lake plaster, so that from about1820-1830 it sold at a very low figure. Philip Yawger I, died in 1830, and the family had a great deal of trouble settling the property. Finally the brothers, [b] Peter II., William II., Henry II., and Daniel I. formed a partnership to carry on the business. This was afterward enlarged upon and acompany formed, and then the plaster business attained the highest prosperity The above-mentioned brothers were all of the sons who survived Philip Yawger. Yawger Brother Born Died Spouse Peter 1787 May 5 1869 Cornelia Mersereau William 1790 Nov 13 1868 Sally Ann Crise Henry 1793 May 4 1865 Polly Oliver Daniel 1799 Jan 2 1869 Hannah Lowery A July 5, 1851 advertisement in the Union Springs Ledger read: GROUND PLASTER The subscriber has a few bushels of Ground Plaster at his mill, one and a half miles north east from Union Springs which he must sell to give him room for grinding more. Farmers, please call and take it away Wm. Yawger Springport Jan. 1851. Book on Cayuga Plaster, found among Patterson papers, was dated 1887/8; so who was carrying on the Plaster business. END