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Linn Odelon Yeamans was born at the family's Cash's Creek Ranch just
north of the town of Palacios, TX on 13 NOV 1885. Linn's father,
Horace Moore Yeamans, Jr. was a cattleman and Chisholm Trail Driver.
He was also a descendant of an early Texas family. His father,
Horace, Sr. was born in central New York state and arrived with the
Elias R. Wightman party in January, 1829. This group of about 70
souls was recruited by Elias Robert Wightman, one of Stephen F
Austin's surveyors and Matagorda town proprietor, to settle the town
of Matagorda at the mouth of the Colorado River. A letter written
and signed by Stephen F Austin on 18 FEB 1829 listed a number of
Yeamans and Wightman ancestors arriving on the "Little Zoe" out of
New Orleans to secure Spanish land grants and make homes in Austin's
2nd colony.
Linn's mother, Eliza "Elise" Marie LaBauve Yeamans, was descended
from an Acadian family that came to Jackson County, Texas from West
Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the decade before 1870. Elise was an
energetic and enterprising woman, who at various times, ran a
general store, opened a restaurant in a tent on what is now the
Matagorda Courthouse grounds, bought and sold land and taught
school.
The Yeamans & Wightman ancestors were devoutly Baptist. Horace Sr.
was the long-time clerk of the Trespalacios Baptist Church. Wightman
ancestors left England for religious freedom and were instrumental
in the founding of the Baptist church in New England. This family
produced many generations of Baptist ministers in and around
Connecticut and Rhode Island. Elise came from a Roman Catholic
family.
Linn grew up on the Cash's Creek ranch in a family that included
three younger brothers: Eugene Neuma, born 03 SEP 1893; Charles
Valcoure, born 11 DEC 1894; and Victor Horace, born 10 Mar 1897.
Siblings that died in childhood and who are interred in the Yeamans
Cemetery on the Cash's Creek ranch included Elmer Daniel
(1881-1884), Ellina Lucille (1883-1886), and Alvin Horace Yeamans
(1888-1890).
Linn and his brothers were "musical" and played for their Palacios
neighbors as teenaged members of the Palacios band. A newspaper
article at the time informed its readers that Olive Yeamans and
brothers, Linn and Victor provided music for the 1923 wedding, held
in Bay City, TX of brother Charles Valcoure Yeamans to Jeanette A.
Lewis.
Circa 1900, Oliver Perry Rauch, purchased a lot on Haber Avenue in
the town of Palacios, Texas and brought his wife, Minnie Bader Rauch
and his daughter, Olive Gertrude Rauch from Ohio to live in a new
home he constructed on the lot. Olive had been born some twelve
years earlier on 11 Oct 1888 in Liberty, Fairfield, Ohio. On 21 MAR
1909, Olive and Linn were married in Palacios. Two children were
born to this union. A son, Donald Oliver Yeamans was born 29 Nov
1909. A daughter, Lucille Elinor Yeamans was born 25 Jul 1913.
Linn grew up with his father running the cattle business and his
mother running the Yeamans & Sons general store in Citrusgrove, TX.
This store was located directly East across the Trespalacios Bay
from the present town of Palacios. Having learned the store business
from his mother, Linn secured his livelyhood as the owner/operator
of retail businesses. In Citrusgrove, he was among other
enterprises, the local dealer for Metz automobiles. In December,
1910, Linn was appointed postmaster for Citrusgrove.
Before 1930, Linn and Olive had relocated their
family to what is now the East End of Houston, Texas. Linn built and
operated a grocery store at 7748 Harrisburg Blvd. As this bio is
being written in 2015, this store is still in use as a independent
grocery.
Yeamans store in September 2015
Linn and Olive built a three story wood frame
home next door and resided there until after their retirement. In
the 1940s, Linn was a director of the Independent Grocer's
Association.
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Linn Yeamans as a
director of the
Independent Grocer's Association |
Olive Rauch Yeamans
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He also served as a member of the local Draft
Board during and immediately subsequent to WW-II.
In retirement, Linn and Olive maintained "fishing camps" on
Matagorda Bay--first in Palacios and later in the town of Matagorda.
Linn was a craftsman, both in metal and wood. He built the inboard
cruiser that he docked at his fishing camp and used for frequent
fishing, shrimping or oystering trips from his Houston home. Among
many other projects, he also built and played a violin.
Linn Odelon Yeamans passed away on 04 Feb 1969 at the age of 84. His
last years were spent at the Austin State Hospital; hence his death
is recorded in Travis County, Texas. He was interred in Forest Park
Lawndale Cemetery, where Olive was also buried upon her death 08 Jan
1978.
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Joseph Yeamans, Sr. married Margaret Schmidt of Oldenberg, Germany,
in 1833. As a soldier, Joseph served at the Battle of Velasco in
Captain Thomas Stewart’s Company, which was organized at Matagorda,
Texas, in February, 1836. Along with his uncle Elias Wightman and
five other men, they helped hold the port open at the Fort of
Velasco while the Battle of San Jacinto was raging. Joseph served as
a member of the original list of jurors drawn for the April term for
1837 at the District Court. He was also the first County Surveyor of
Matagorda County under the Republic of Texas. Joseph, Sr. and
Margaret had thirteen children:
