Although there may be several origins of Yohe, there is some doubt whether familes with this name are directly related to the Joho line. In the ship's manifest of the Snow Two Sisters arriving Philadelphia in 1738, Johannes Joho's name is also spelled Johe. However, this was obviously a mistake.
I have found various records throughout the years where the same person is spelled Yoho, Yohe, and Yoh. I have also received several letters from families in the Western US who indicated their parents or grandparents changed their name of Yoho to Yohe, because apparently there are more families living in that part of the US with the Yohe spelling. One such letter came from William Yohe in Des Moines Iowa who had traced his line back to Peter Yoho.
There is strong evidence that the perhaps the majority of those with the name Yohe derived it from the Joh spelling. There are several sources that relate the names Yohe and Joh and some that relate Yohe to Yoha. Some accounts of the origin of Yohe follow:.
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Sources of Johe/Yohe Genealogy |
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In 1998 I received a copy of a recent family history entitled "The Old Eberbacher Families. The origin of the Swiss Immigrant Conrad Joho to Schinznach in Aargau" by Hermann Eiermann dated 1997. I have partially translated this book (from German) that accounts for the history of Conrad Joho dating from 1395 in Baden Switzerland.
This book contains a few references to the Name Johe and Joh. Some of my translation is as follows:
The investigations of Joho must expand to include similarly written surnames, but it is not clear from where these other names take their origin. The surname Johe is very common in South Hessen. This name however is not found in the documents of the Erbacher's files around 1450. When and from where this name originated is also not recogonized from the oldest church books. The original (church? book?) burned and was recreated again in a way of a so-called inspection by the minister, by citing and indicating the living citizens to approximately 1650.
Three citations of the name Johe and Joh were found in Eiermann's book:
In 1998, I received a letter from Richard Yohe that included historical information from Scott Yohe of Washington D.C.
Our records start in 1668, when members of the Huguenot family named Joe (Joseph) fled religious persecution in France and settled in a Lutheran area (specifically, near Beerfelden, Erbach. The spelling was soon changed to Joh but pronounced Yo-uh. Sometime in the mid-1700s the "e" was put back on the end of the name to make it more like the original. Our ancestor, Michael, Sr., was a young boy when brought to Easton, PA in 1754 by his mother and step-father. It seems that she and his late father were cousins, and her brother, Adam Yohe (the "J" was quickly changed to "Y" and the "e" made long), also settled in Easton. After the revolution, Michael moved west and settled in Monogahela City, south of Pittsburgh. His son, Michael, Jr., got a land grant in Ohio (one of my cousins still has the document) and settled near Canton. Our grandfather, an uncle, and his sons operated (and still do) a hardware business. Our great grandfather, George Washington Yohe was an enterprising character, who, among other things, taught political science at Mt. Union College, named many of the streets in Canton, and owned a lot of real estate, including Hotel Yohe.
With regard to Yohe/Yoho... I have never heard anyone even suggest there was a connection between these two names (Yoho and Yohe). At one time ( 20 years) a grandfather was doing all sorts of research into the family name, tracing it back to wherever... and there wasn't a word about that spelling. "Yoh" was the root name and when it hit the US they added the "e" for so folks could pronounce it...at least that's what I was told.
Chris Stern from British Columbia Canada sent the following e-mail about the name Yoh and Yohe:
We are interested in the 3 names Johann Jacob Joh, Johan Adam Joh, and Johann Michel Joh who were aboard the ship Albany in 1749 listed on your website. All three go back to Jacob Joh ea. 1630 Germany.I am also corresponding with others doing research on the Yohe line. They all have similar information as to the Yohe name going back to Germany in 1630. From all their correspondence, it seems that Joh was changed to Yohe when the 3 came over. Johann Adam and Johann Jacob were brothers Johan Michael was their cousin.
I can find no Issac Yohe, but the information I have doesn't include any children for Johann Jacob. I have descendants for their sister Anna Maria Barbara which is also the mother of Johan Michael Joh(Yohe) that came on the Albany. They are also related to the Shouse. My genealogy site contains a small page on Yohe, although this page is still under construction.
Chris also included an early partial Family Lineage from Beerfelden Parish Church in Odenwald Germany:
Hans Peter Joh(1691-?) Married Anna Elizabeth Ulrich (1689-1722);
Hans Georg Joh (1693-?) Married Anna Margareta Ulrich (?-1767)
George Conrad Joh Married Anna Maria Barbara Joh (This is the daughter of the above Hans Peter Joh and Anna Ulrich)
I saw your family page on the Internet. I've been doing research on the YOH, YOHE, JOH family who settled in Schuylkill Co. These Yohs don't seem to fit in with your family but since you mentioned Jacob and William Yoh of Schuylkill Co. I thought I would fill you in on some details.This Jacob Yoh was born about 1755 and died in Schuylkill Co. in 1829. According to his will his children were Henry, Adam, William, Benjamin, Ester, Peggy, Catherine and Jacob.
William Yoh was born in 1787 and died in 1827. He is buried at Flowery Field Cemetery, near Pottsville, Pa. He married Maria Boyer, the daughter of another early settler in Schuylkill Co. They had a son, James, who died in Jefferson Co. Pa. in 1899 at age 82. Adam Yoh, another son of Jacob, also moved to Jefferson Co. Pa.
Jacob was apparently the son of George (b. abt 1720 and died 1782) and Elizabeth Yoh of Windsor Twp. Berks Co.
There are a lot of Yohs buried in the Mifflinville Cemetery, Mifflin Twp, Columbia Co. Pa. Supposedly they are descendants of Peter Yoh of Berks Co. who may have been a son of George-- and thus a brother of Jacob.
I have some more information about this family, if you are interested. Let me know.
Bea Leemhuis 2631 W. 6th St. Erie, Pa. 16505; Bea69@Juno.com
The following account was found in Joseph H. Zerbey History, Pottsville and Schuylkill County PA. The original article quoted in the account is from the Pottsville Republican Morning Paper, September 1934:
New Castle Township, so named after the famous coal centre of England was formed from Norwegian in 1847. Prior to its organization as a separate township it was a part of Norweigian Township, one of the nine original townships of Schuylkill.
The first settlers in what is now New Castle Township were Jacob Joh, John boyer, and Necho Allen. The Necho Allen Hotel in Pottsville perpetuates the memory of this early Schuylkill County Pioneer. Yoh settled on the turnpike leading west from Wadesville near the present residence of Owen Loftus and which at an earlier date was the home of Evan Evans, early coal operator and the father of Wm. J. Evans, present Prothonotary of Sch. County.
Boyer located about a mile north of Yoh, on the road leading to Mt. Laffee. This dwelling was later occupied by Tobey hire, and was but recently removed due to mining operations.
Necho Allen settled at the Big Spring about one-half mile above the later site of the village of New Castle on the summit of Broad Mountain. His residence was called the "black Cabin".
In one of his hunting expiditions in 1790, Allen camped on Broad Mountain for the night and kindled a fire among some rocks. During the night he wakened to find a mass of glowing fire, having accidently set fire to an outcrop of an anthracite coal-bed.
Later a tavern was erected on the spot along the Centre Turnpike and called the "Second Tavern" to distinguish it from another tavern located in the village of New Castle, and known as the "First Tavern". This latter building was recently removed, its last occupant being Peter McCloskey. These three early settlers took up residence in the township about the year 1800.
William Yoh (Yohe), son of Jacob Yoh and son-in-law of John Boyer, built the first tavern along what became the Centre Turnpike, about 1810. This tavern was burned in 1830. B. Gallagher's tavern near Yoh's remained until 1924 as one of the landmarks of the township and is often referred to as the McCloskey Hotel. These hostelries were stopping places for travlers and teams, an it was no uncommon sight to see lines of wagons two to three miles in length in the early part of the day moving toward Philadelphia or Sundbury.
This turnpike became the most prosperous highway in the State. In 1829 three state (sic) coach lines were traversing the road daily. The arrival of the state coach with the mail and its eight or ten passengers was awaited with anticipation and interest and presented a most picturesque scene. The Centre Turnpike was the Main Street of the early settlements of New Castle Township. It remained as such until the advent of railroad transportation.
The history of anthracite may truly be called the history of Porter Township. Upon its development and progress depends almost entirely the development and progress of progress of the population.
A number of people including some from the Federal Government investigated the mineral resources of this part of Pennsylvania. Coal in enormous quantities was found in Williams Valley. Charlemagne Tower, a young lawyer of Pottstville set his mind upon this region. It was said that in order to buy the land as cheaply as possible, he asked William Yohe of Valley View who was regarded as being very shrewd. He (William) usually made his trips to this valley on horse back at about the time people were having their evening meal. People invited him to have supper and feed his horse. Their conversation naturally drifted to the land question. the people invariably told him their taxes were high, times were hard, money very scare, and then wished they could sell the mountain lands.
Mr Yohe asked their price and said that perhaps he could get a buyer. They set a price, some as low as four dollars an acre, in order to get a little money and get rid of the taxes on the land that didn't bring them any returns.
Tower opened and operated two collieries, East Brookside known as the Tower Colliery, and one farther west as Brookside. Later Savage, Evans, and Althouse operated the sites until 1873.
Willam Yoh (Yohe) Married Maria Boyer daughter of John Boyer. They had two sons:
Various ships manifests list arriving passengers with the spelling Joh:
I stumbled upon your website and am curious as to your research regarding the Yohe family. I am of the understanding the surname Yoha is also a related name. My maternal grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Yoha (born in Mansfield, Ohio, on 10/14/13), is related to Mary Augusta Yohe (aka Lady May Yohe) one of the former owners of the Hope diamond.
As the story goes, the military/government misspelled the name *Yohe* of one of the Yoha's killed in the civil war. His widow was unable to collect his death benefits unless she changed the spelling to Yoha. My great-grandfather was Herbert T. Yoha and I believe his brother was Jacob Yoha; both from Ohio.
I have in my possession a book published by the Smithsonian Institution entitled Blue Mystery, The Story of the Hope Diamond, written by Susanne Steinem Patch. There is some information in this book regarding Mary Augusta Yohe. If you'd like me to forward you pertinent sections of the book, please don't hesitate to ask. Likewise, I am trying to find more information on her life and would appreciate any advice.
Best wishes for continued success in your research,
Kimberly Jimenez kym@pe.net
The following information comes from the history of Batchelder, Batcheller Family by Frederick Clifton Pierce; Conkey Company Press Chicago Ill 1898:
DANIEL BACHELDER was born in Belfast Me., about 1795. He married Mary Spencer born in 1800. He emigrated to Ohio; worked at his trade as a mason. They had ten children, five sons and five daughters. Grandmother Bachelder, at her death was the oldest person in Mifflin township. The last sixteen years she was totally blind. Mrs Bachelder was the grandmother of 52 and great grandmother of 96 children, many of whom she never saw because of her blindness. The Children of Daniel and Mary were:
Lovina married Eli YOHA (1814-1871). Lovina died in 1889.
Bridgham Batcheller was born in Sutton Mass. in 1813. No record of his mother or father was given. Bridgham a farmer married Mary B. Hewitt who died in 1847 and he married again but second wifes name not given. Mary was the daughter of Eli and Betsey (Pierce) Hewitt of Sutton and granddaughter of Jesse Pierce who was an orderly in the Revolutionary War for Gen. Geo. Washington. Bridgham died in 1884 at his residence in New Salem Mass. Three of their children were:
Lizzie married William W. Yoho in Bethlehem PA in Dec. 1864. At the time of their marriage William was serving as a commissioned officer in a Penn. Reg't in the Civil War. His father was proprietor of the Eagle Hotel in Bethlehem, then famous for its excellence in all the country far and wide. Lizzie's mother died when she was so young she can scarcely remember her, and the relations between herself and stepmother were such that she was placed with her aunt Augusta Robbins, by whom she was reared and to whom she was devotedly attached until she was 12 years old, when she started out to earn her own living.
Except for a brief period subsequent to her marriage she continued in business, most of the time in the marble front, 1016 Chestnut St. Philadelphia, working for some of the wealthiest people in the state. William Yohe was very dark complexioned, talented, musical, fascinating, artistic, and excellent "putty" (sic) maker.
Lizzie, besides being mistress of her business, was a good singer, frequently having engagements with prominent churches in Philadelphia for their choirs.
The only fruit of the marriage was MARY AUGUSTA YOHE widely known as May Yohe, the opera singer. She was born at Bethlehem PA. april 6, 1866. It was about that time her mother commenced business in Philadelphia, and there May continued to reside until about 12 years of age, when her mother sent her to Europe to be politely educated. After an absence of nearly three years she returned home, her father meanwhile having died in Montana.
She began to manifest a talent for music and a desire for the stage. Her first appearance was as a chorus girl, but it was from her success in rendering Prince Prettywitz in the Crystal Slipper at the Chicago Opera House in the summer of 1887, that her career may be said to have dated. She toured extensively, having visited Britain at least twice and also Australia, before fhe final trip to England, which terminated in her making that country her home. She married Sir Francis Pelham-Clinton Beresford Hope in 1894. Sir Francis was the younger brother of the Duke of Manchester, whose life slowly ebbed away, and to whose titles and estates, the present Duke, being childless, Sir Francis succeeded. Lord and Lady Hope's marriage was reported to be a genuine love match.
May continued to perform in Europe. Among her hits were Martina in "The Magic Opal" at the Lyric Theatre, London Jan. 19, 1893; Nitouche in the comic opera of the name, May 6, 1893; the title role of "The Lady Slavery," Oct. 1894, at the Avenue Theatre; and in "Dandy Dick Whittington," at the same theatre, in March of the same year.
EDITORS FOOTNOTE: One very interesting and historical event in May Hope's life was to be the owner and wearer of the Hope Diamond which her husband had purchased. Kimberly Jimenez recently sent me some information from a book written about the Hope Diamond. In the book is a reference to a duplicate of the Hope Diamond which May Yohe may have been wearing on stage after the real diamond was sold. If true, a duplicate necklace and diamond may still exist.
NOTE: It is not know if these sources are still at given addresses.
| Richard R. Yoho: 3235 Gulf of Mexico Dr. 305-A; Longboat Key, FL 34228 |
| Ralph Yohe, Editor The Wisconsin Agriculturist: 2976 Triverton Pike; Madison, Wis 53711 |
| Ruth Kirchner: 4680 Webster St.; Wheat Ridge, Colo. 80033 |
| Kimberly Jimenez |
EDITORS FOOTNOTE: JOHO, JOHE, and JOH have been found in families presently living in Europe. What has not been established is whether these spellings had separate origins or a common origin in Europe. Some of the present European names appears in another page (See Main Menu)
