Youker Family History

Youker. Pronounced like the Midwestern card game, Euchre: Yuu-ker. My earliest known Youker ancestor is 6th great-grandfather, Rudolph Jucker/Youker, born about 1730 in what some think was western Germany but perhaps (and research is proving very likely) German speaking Switzerland where the Juker/Jucker surname is extremely common. We know that he was living in the Mohawk Valley, New York where many German speaking people had settled: western Germans, Alsatians, Austrians, and Swiss. All germanic peoples with dialects of the same language, and most of these people belonged to the Reformed Church founded by Protestant Reformer, John Calvin in 16th century Switzerland, later spreading to Germany, The Netherlands, France and England. More info. on these people and the importance of their religion can be found by clicking here: Reformed Church in Mohawk Valley and Faiths of Our Fathers. Some of these people (a minority) were members of the Lutheran Church, but this did not include the Youkers.

Rudolph and Anna (Windler) Youker lived in Canajoharie, NY and had many children. Three of their sons were Revolutionary War Patriots: John, Johann "George" (my 5th great-grandfather), and Jacob (who was a prisoner of war, taken into Canada, and later escaped). Almost all Michigan Youkers are descendats of Johann George and his wife, Elizabeth Schall. Schall family of German Palatine origin. These early Youkers were baptized, married, buried, and worshipping in Stone Arabia Reformed Church, which happens to still be standing. Pictures below. History of Church: Stone Arabia Reformed Church

Johann George, had a son, Johann "George" Jr. or "Second George" (my 4th great grandfather) who married the lovely, Catherine Burkdorf. Catherine was the daughter of Henry (Hendrick) Burkdorf, a Hessian soldier. I have the following information on him:

Hessian Soldier

Henry Burkdorff by Nancy Cioch found at website: http://nancyscorner.net/nancorhessian.htm

Henry Burkdorff was another Hessian who came to America with Gen Burgoyne. Hendrick Burkdorf, Sr. was born in Germany 1736 and died July 12, 1824 in the Town of Oppenheim, NY. He was 87 years 6 months old and was buried on the Burkdorf farm cemetery. He married Nancy ---- b Feb. 14, 1747/48 in Germany (?). She died Oct 6, 1814 in the Town of Oppenheim and buried on the Burkdorf farm cemetery. She was 66 years, 7 months, 27 days old. He was captured at Saratoga and spent time in prison camps before being released. 

Johann George Youker II buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Interlochen, MI

Stone has fallen and since cracked, but at time of photo was still legible.

"George" and Catherine Youker left the Mohawk Valley and were living for a time in Harrison, Potter Co., Pennsylvania before relocating to Jackson County, Michigan (where Catherine passed away and is buried) and then later, further north into Grand Traverse County, MI.

Jonas Youker, son of George Youker (above) my 3rd great-grandfather, stayed behind in Harrison, PA while the rest of his family relocated to Michigan. He had a young wife, Sally and children at home. Sally became ill with small pox, and after her death, Jonas and children relocated to Michigan. He did remarry to my 3rd great-grandmother, Eliza Carr (although not sure if they married in PA and then came to MI or if they met and married in MI at this point!). It's within this time that the family line is no longer strictly Germanic, Carr is a Scottish surname! Jonas and Eliza have two more children: John Henry (My 2nd great-grandfather) and Clarence (who dies in infancy). Eliza took in and nursed her stepdaughter, Sarah Youker Hessem who had come down with Tuberculosis. Eliza and infant son, Clarence catch the disease and all pass away shortly after each other. Very little is known about poor Eliza, and I very much would like to be able to trace her family someday. I saw one picture of Jonas in which he was an old man with a long white beard. Jonas and family are buried in Downes Cemtery, in southern Grand Traverse County. 

You're probably getting sick of seeing gravestones, aren't you? We're now getting to the point where I can fix that. John Henry Youker, son of Jonas, was my second great-grandfather. He married Generie Genevieve Felt (of British ancestry) and the couple lived and raised their family on a farm on Silver Lake, Traverse City, Michigan. They were members of the Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUBC) in Travers City. 11 children total, 7 of which survived into adulthood, including my great-grandfather, Elmer Youker. 

John and Generie Youker

Family Picture Below

Seated L to R: David, Generie, Charlie, John H., Frank

Standing L to R: Frank, John, Edna, and Elmer.

Youker farm on Silver Lake, Traverse City.

My Great-Grandfather, Elmer was born in December of 1890 at the farm pictured above and married my great grandmother, Frances Williams on Christmas Eve 1917 at the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Traverse City. He made a living primarily out of farming, Frances being a school teacher. The family did relocate to Manton, Michigan for about ten years during the Great Depression where Elmer did take a Government job. Elmer died tragically of a tractor accident while helping my grandfather, Jim bail hay in May of 1950. He had a very nice singing voice and was quite often called upon to sing at social gatherings. 

Elmer and Frances.

...and now we get into current day. My Grandfather, James Youker was born on June 21, 1921 which was, according to his mother, "the longest and hottest" day of the year. Grandpa had two sisters, Zelma and Mavis.My Grandfather, married Rita Louise Kreiser at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Hannah, Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, 1947. He became a Catholic just prior to marrying my Grandmother. Grandpa passed away in 2007 and Grandma more recently in 2017. That pretty much covers, in a nutshell, about 300 years of Youker family history in the USA! Thanks for reading. 

Grandpa and Grandma Youker

Wedding Day 1947

St. Mary's Church, Hannah, MI

(Hannah is where my Grandmother was born and raised).

For anyone looking for some great information and wants to get a picture of what life was like for the early Youkers and other German speaking pioneers of the Mohawk Valley, I would highly recommend the novel, Drums Along the Mohawk by Walter D. Edmonds. This was later created into a movie in 1939, which is also worth watching! 

My lineage from Rudolph:

Rudolph and Anna (Windler) Jucker/Youker 

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Johann "George" and Elizabeth (Schall) Youker

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Johann "George" Jr. and Catherine (Burkdorf) Youker

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Jonas and Eliza (Carr) Youker

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John H. and Generie (Felt) Youker

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Elmer and Frances (Williams) Youker

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James and Rita (Kreiser) Youker

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Bradley and Julie (Pearson) Youker

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Adam Youker