Person:George Yocum (6)

Biography of George Yocum

"As you will see from the following there are different opinions on the formations of YOAKUM's FORT, first in Va and latter in the Powell Valley section of what is now Claiborne Co., Tn.

Written by FRANKLIN YOAKUM (born 1819), son of GEORGE YOAKUM and Mary Ann Maddy, and given to him by his father GEORGE YOAKUM I - now the property of CHARLES H. YOAKUM, of Los Angeles, Calif.

"The YOAKUMs emigrated to America with the first Dutch settlers on the Island of Manhattan, the present site of New York City. They were of Welsh extraction. In the Welsh language the original name was so uncouth and knotty that our fathers of three or four hundred years ago agreed to have it changed into "IUGUM", or "JAGUM", which is the Latin term for "YOKE". A short time under the influence of their English neighbors, it was again changed into "YOCUM" and finally "YOAKUM." The given names of the YOAKUMs in the City of New York are not known, but Valentine, a son of one of them, moved to South Potomac on Potomac on Peach Creek. After he married, VALENTINE YOAKUM (1721), youngest of seven sons, moved to Muddy Creek, Greenbrier County, Va., and settled YOAKUM's STATION (1771), now Powell Valley, Claiborne Co. Tennessee. He was there tomahawked by a Shawnee Indian. With him were his wife and children - all killed but young George, who was swift of foot and of great strength, killing three Indians with a frying pan handle, which he jerked from one as he passed through. He was afterwards in the Battle of Point Pleasant. At 25 years of age he married the daughter of ISAAC VAN BIBBER, who fell in that battle. GEORGE YOAKUM I. continued to live at Muddy Creek, Va., until he became father of three sons, the youngest of whom was George II, when they moved to Powell's Valley."

1.   GEORGE YOAKUM & ISAAC VANBEBBER, Early Settlers of Claiborne County, Tennessee.

   https://joepayne.org/yoakvan.htm