David L. Yancey

As printed in 1910

DAVID L. YANCEY.

No farmer can predict much of his success in a single year's farming before his crops are harvested. Even with the very best of cultivation, our weather is such that crops for one year may be a total failure. There are methods of cultivation which will enable crops to pass through ordinary irregularities in weather, but none which will insure certainty. Good farmers have found that the average of the weather for a term of years is nearly the same as that of a similar term at any time and therefore that if he plants approximately the same acreage in the same crops each year he will come out ahead in the end, the good seasons counterbalancing the bad, but that if he varies his operations much from year to year that he can count with certainty on no particular success.

David L. Yancey was born in Washington county, Virginia, on August 12, 1 86 1, the son of Stephen L. and Katherine Yancey. His father was born in South Carolina, went to Virginia a young man, served through the Civil war,' then came to this county of Missouri in 1866, and settled in Washington township near Mount Hope, buying one hundred and twenty acres of land. This farm he improved and dwelt upon until his death in 1894. His widow, who lives with his brother, is now eighty-eight years old. She was born and brought up in Virginia. They were the parents of nine children, five daughters and four sons, seven of whom grew up, and two brothers and three sisters of whom are still living.

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David Yancey received his education in the common schools and joined with his brother in farming until 1889, when he went back to the old place, which he has cultivated since, and has added to until now it consists of two hundred and sixty acres, and by his good farming has improved its fertility, taking from it excellent crops.

On March 1, 1893, Mr. Yancey married Sadie E. McFarland, the daughter of Jasper McFarland, a farmer of Johnson county. They are the parents of five children: Beulah, Speed. Lloyd, Lee and Gordon, all living at home, healthy, active and interesting young folks. The family are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Yancey is a member of the Mutual Benefit Association and is a Democrat in politics. In most respects his life has been as pleasant as it is prosperous, and though there have been incidents and times which have been unfavorable, his friends can testify to the value of his character, and his family and surroundings speak well enough as to the pleasantness and prosperity which he enjoys.

As printed in Young's history of Lafayette County, Missouri (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.