SAMUEL HOLGAR YOUMANS

Samuel Holgar Youmans (Sam), March 18, 1927-August 17, 1993. Sam is my father and would have been 90 today. Unfortunately, and sadly, he died much to young in 1993. I once heard that anyone can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a Dad. Sam was a special person.

Sam was the fourth child of Samuel Harvey Youmans and Hazel Victoria (Vautier) Youmans. He was born in Hopewell, VA and had three sisters and two brothers. The family moved to Ohio during the depression in search of work and finally settled in Sebring, OH where I grew up. Sam married June Evelyn (Carlisle) Youmans on April 10, 1951. They settled in Sebring and had three children. They were married for 42 years, until my Dad's death.

Sam left High School to enlist in the Navy during World War II. After his discharge from the Navy after the War, he went back to High School where he graduated in 1947. Dad had been accepted to Tulane In University and was going to go to on the GI Bill. For whatever reason, he never went and stayed in Sebring. Dad, like most people in Sebring, went to work in the pottery. He worked at the Royal China Co. until it went out of business in the 1980's. He was a kiln placer which was one of the better jobs in the pottery. He was active in the union and was a long time president of Local 59 which was part of the potters union which was part of the AFL-CIO. He also organized the Summer Potter's Picnic and the annual Christmas party. Dad was well liked in the community. He was an intelligent man and an easy going person.

Dad always enjoyed music and singing. He was in the Blue Jacket Choir while in the Navy. He had many favorite performers but as I recall from the records he had when I was young, Johnny Mathis was a favorite. He also used to sing around the house and especially liked "Roses Are Red" by Bobby Vinton. There was another part of a song he used to sing but I don't know where he got it. It went "Waterloo, drip, drip, drip."

Dad also enjoyed sports. He especially liked football and the Browns. Dad played football in High School. I remember the first Browns game he took me to. It was against the Cardinals in 1960. Jimmy Brown was still playing which was a treat. The first baseball game I ever saw was the Indians against the Red Sox with Ted Williams in 1959. This was right before Williams retired. The Red Sox won and I seem to recall Williams hit two home runs.

One of Dad's best friends was Theopane Stevie Steve. He owned a tavern in town called the Crystal. Dad would help Stevie by bartending and cleaning up on Sundays. Stevie died in a car accident I believe in 1962 and I recall my Dad being pretty dad about it. In addition to being a potter, my Dad would occasionally bartend. In fact, after the Royal shut down, he would often bartend at the Log Cabin which was owned by another life long friend. Dad also worked as a butcher part time. No question, my Dad was a very hard working man.

I have one favorite thing that I would like to share. Dad would often take me and my sisters fishing at Berlin Lake. We had our own special spot. Anyone who fishes, know that the purpose of a fishing trip is not to catch fish. That is what made this spot so special. We were never bothered by fish trying to be caught. Dad would fill a cooler with beer and pop, we would stop at a bait shop and get some worms, and take our bamboo poles out to the lake and have a ball. Funny what we remember.

I miss my parents very much. At least I had my mother until she was 85. I lost my Dad way to soon. I just wanted to remember him on what would have been his 90th birthday.

1947 Senior Class Picture

Mom and Dad with me

Mom and Dad's Wedding Day-Pictured are Grandma Hazel, my Dad, my Mom, and Grandma Carlisle

Dad at Christmas 1970's.

Dad and his brothers, left to right, Dad, Billy and Harry

Dad in his Navy uniform

Dad, Mom and my daughter Krysta Christmas 1985in Cincinnati

Dad, me and my cousin heather at the Fourth of July parade 1987 in Glen Ellyn, IL

SIR ROBERT YEAMANS-ROYALIST

Sir Robert Yeamans was born in 1597 and died in 1643. He is a historic character in English history both in his town of Bristol and as a result of the English civil war.

Robert married his cousin Anne Yeamans on March 16, 1627 in Bristol, England. They had eight children together the last of which was born after his death. After his death, Ann married Thomas Speed to whom she had one child. Anne was born in 1602 and I do not know when she died. She was the daughter of William Yeamans and Ann Tomlinson.

Robert Yeamans was a well known merchant and counselor in Bristol. He also served as Sheriff of Bristol from 1641-1642. He was also a strong supporter of King Charles I. The Yeamans were very prominent in Bristol and later in the Barbados and Carolinas in America. In 1643, Robert was involved in a plot with other Royalists to aid in the capture of Bristol. The plot was discovered by the Parliamentarian Governor Nathaniel Fiennes. Yeamans was tried as a traitor by court martial, found guilty, and executed outside his home in Bristol.

Yeamans was a Royalist in his sympathies, and he obtained a commission from King Charles I  to raise troops from Bristol, but in December, before he could accomplish the task, the city was occupied by a parliamentary force under the command of Colonel Essex. In February 1643 Nathaniel Fiennes became the parliamentary military governor of the city.

Early in 1643 Yeamans conceived a plan for turning the city over to a Royalist army under the command of Prince Rupert. He communicated with Charles I, who was then at Oxford, and the king sent him a commission to enlist men in his service. Prince Rupert was to bring four thousand horse soldiers and two thousand foot soldiers to Durdham Down, and the Royalists in Bristol, who were estimated at two thousand, were to seize the Frome-gate and admit Rupert's forces. The plot was to take effect on the night of 7 March 1643.

Fiennes heard of the plot, and on 7 March, before they could execute the plan, Yeamans and his principal confederates were arrested in his house on Wine Street. A Brief Relation of the Plot was published by parliament on 13 March, various witnesses were examined in March and April, and on 8 May Yeamans was condemned to death by a court-martial as a traitor.

Charles made great efforts to save him, and Lord Forth threatened to execute a similar number of parliamentary prisoners in his hands. The threat proved useless, as Fiennes also held other notable Royalist prisoners recently captured by Sir William Waller on his raid into Herefordshire, so to forestall a blood bath King Charles ordered that no retaliatory executions should take place.

Yeamans was hanged, drawn and quartered opposite his house along with his co-conspirator and friend George Bouchier.  Yeamans remains were buried in Christ Church, Bristol. When Fiennes was himself on his trial his execution of Yeamans was one of the charges brought against him.



The Battle of Bristol makes for some fascinating reading as does the entire history of the English civil war. Sir Robert can be added to the many colorful characters that appear to make up our family.

Sir Robert Yeamans

Nathaniel Fiennes

THE FAMILY COMPANY-THE ROYAL CHINA CO.

The Royal China Company was a major local employer in the Sebring, Ohio area. Sebring is where our branch of the Youmans family relocated. I worked there, my sisters worked there, my dad Samuel Holgar Youmans worked there for many years and was the union president for Local 59 for many of those years.When this business ceased operations, many good people, including my father, lost their jobs. Jobs that many of them had for their entire adult lifetime. The following is a brief history of this company.

The Royal China Company, for over 50 years, provided stylish, elegant and affordable dinner ware to America. Unfortunately, like many companies and industries in the 1980’s, it succumbed to foreign competition. I worked at the Royal China on and off for about 8 years during the summers and holidays while in high school and college. It helped me to develop a solid work ethic and provided me with money for school. This is a brief history of the special place that provided good jobs and employment to the community of Sebring, OH.

The Royal China started in 1934 in Sebring, OH  and operated until 1986 when it closed its doors. The original owners were Beatrice L. Miller, William Habenstreit, and John Briggs. It occupied the space of the old E. H. Sebring China Co. which was the successor to the Oliver China Co. According to the Sebring Historical Society (www.sebringhistoricalsociety.org/RoyalChina.html) the company was started with just $500, six months free rent, and employees working without pay. If you recall this was the heart of the depression and not the most opportune time to start a business. They offered work to anyone who was willing to work without pay until the pottery got off its feet. After 6 months, they employed 125 people and had produced 7,800,000 pieces of pottery.

During the early years, the Royal China produced mainly inexpensive dishes that were sold in Dime Stores and given away as premiums and souvenirs in grocery stores and gas stations. The colorful patterns and styles caught on quickly and soon they were up and running. Their most popular pattern during this time was “Blue Willow”, a pattern they made throughout their existence. Even though it was depression, the early success allowed them to replace all the old kilns with modern ones within four years. No small accomplishment.

In 1943, the plant was converted to produce china and porcelain. They mad over glazed decal ware. In 1948, Kenneth Doyle a former printer, invented the under glaze stamping machine which revolutionized the industry. This enabled the application of under glaze colors in very intricate patterns and designs directly on to the unglazed ware rather then onto paper transfers. They started using the process on the “Blue Willow” pattern which resulted in the Royal China becoming the largest producer of Willow Ware in the industry.

In 1949 or 1950, The Royal introduced a new line called “Currier & Ives” (C&I). It was to prove to be their most popular pattern. These patterns of Americana were an instant success. The pattern was sold in department stores and given away as premiums at the A & P, The patter was discontinued in 1986 with the closing of the Royal. The pieces featured a scroll work border designed by Gordon Parker who was the Royals Art Director. (http://weeklyview.net/2013/11/21/currier-and-ives-china-americana-for-your-table)

Also around this time the Royal introduced additional patterns that were to prove to be very popular through the years. These patterns included “The Old Curiosity Shop”, “Memory Lane” and Colonial Homestead”. These patterns were also made in various colors including pink, brown and green, as well as blue. The Royal produced over 1000 various patterns through the years managing to stay abreast of the trends and styles of the country at large. But these referenced patterns were clearly the most popular and enduring of all the patterns.

In 1955, the Royal bought the W.S George Pottery in East Palestine, OH. It had gone bankrupt and the Royal purchased it and operated it as The Royal China Incorporated, East Palestine Division. In 1960, the Royal liquidated the holdings and closed the door on the old W.S. George Pottery. They had produced hotel ware, toilet ware, and several patterns of dinnerware.

In 1964 the Royal purchased the French Saxon China Co. which was located adjacent to the Royal in Sebring, OH. It was operated as a stand alone subsidiary operation until 1970 at which time it became the center of operations for the Royal. The French China Co., started in 1898 later becoming the French Saxon.

In 1969, B.L. Miller retired. She had owned the Royal for all those years and was now stepping down. The Royal was sold to Jeanette Glass in Jeanette, PA who bought not only the Royal, but also Harker’s China. This was the beginning of numerous changes in ownership through the remaining years.

The most traumatic event in the history of the Royal was the February 1970 fire which destroyed the entire plant. The cause of the fire was undetermined and litigation between the Royal and their insurer Travelers dragged on for many years. I remember the fire like it was yesterday. Many of the records were destroyed. I remember removing boxes of records from the office during the fire but what was saved clearly were few considering the vast amounts of records generated through the decades. There were no computers and everything was stored in the original hard copy form. At the time of the fire, the Royal employed 700 people and had the most modern equipment in the industry. This was its high point. It was after the fire the center of operation was moved to the French Saxon which then became the Royal China Co. At this time they were the third largest  dinnerware manufacturer in the United States.

In 1976, The coca Cola Bottling Company of New York purchased Jeanette Glass and therefore, also the Royal. They in turn sold the Royal to a group of Boston investors called the J Corporation in 1981 who in turn sold it to Nordic Capital of New York in 1984. In 1986, the company ceased operation and all their equipment and assets sold. (www.kandmantiques.com/article/RoyalChinaCompany.html)

The Royal was a union shop and part of the AFL-CIO. The individual union affiliation changed through the years from the International Brotherhood of Operative Potters to the International Brotherhood of Potters and Allied Workers. There were two locals at the Royal Local 44 was comprised of the clay shop where they mixed the clay, manufactured and poured the molds; and Local 59 which represented the rest of the operation. My father was the President of Local 59 for many years through the 60’s and 70’s. The history of these Locals would make some interesting reading in and of itself. I still have all my father’s old papers and this may be a future project.

The pieces produced by the Royal are now collector’s items and becoming harder to find. I have a set of Currier & Ives which I treasure. There are also clubs dedicated to the Royal and its various patterns such as Old Homestead and C & I. I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it. For me, it was a trip down memory lane and I appreciate you allowing me to do this.   

YOUMANS FAMILY IN THE CIVIL WAR

One of the most pivotal events in the history of this country was the Civil War. The Youmans family was represented in the war and on both sides. This is something I had researched for a couple years and independently had come up with about 31 members names of those who fought in the war. The names were roughly equally divided between the North and the South.

There 112 Youmans' who fought in the Civil War. 68 were on the Confederate side and 44 on the Union side. This according to the Civil Ear service records on Ancestry.com. When you look further at the other known spellings of our name, you get an even clearer record. There were 102 Civil War soldiers with the last name of Yeomans.  Of that number, 60 were with the Union and 42 with the confederacy.

Finally, let's look at the name Yeamans. There were only 9 Yeamans who fought in the war and they all fought on the Union side.

These are interesting facts about the family not normally considered. None of the family members won the Congressional Medal of Honor however, a seaman, Henry Thielberg, part of my wife's family, did win the Congressional medal of Honor. He won it while serving temporarily on board the USS Mount Washington during the Nansemond River action, 14 April 1863.

LeRoy Joseph Rampoldi-A Remembrance

ORIGINS OF THE NAME YOUMANS

ORIGINS OF THE NAME YOUMANS

The origins of our name are both fascinating and somewhat clouded in mystery. According to “The World Book Of Youmanses”, published by Halbert’s Family Heritage published in 1992, the Youmans surname appears to be occupational in origin. It is from the ancient a Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain and means “one who is a freeholder”. Geographically, it appears to derive originally in England and Scotland. This also tends to track with most of my research. The first mention of the name was in Gloucestershire, Bristol, England and may date back to the time of the Norman conquest in 1066 AD. The actual name at that tome was Yeomans or Yeamans. This was the family seat from earliest known times.

There are many variations of the name Youmans. Almost any phonetically possible variation is represented somewhere. In old England, however, it appears that Yeomans and Yeamans were the predominant variations. In fact, Youmans is not found until we get to the new world.

Some interesting statistics from the 2000 census:

The 2000 US Census claims that

77.31% or 3857 total occurrences, of those with this family name identified themselves as being white,

19.46% or 971 total occurrences, as black,

0.3% or 15 total occurrences as Asian and Pacific Islander,

0.32% or 16 occurrences as American Indian and Native Alaskan,

1.38% or 69 occurrences as two or more races' and

1.22% OR 61 OCCURRENCES AS Hispanic ethnic origin.

These statistics are not surprising. Youmans’ were predominant in New York/ Pennsylvania, Virginia, The Carolinas and Georgia as well as the Caribbean. If you read the history of Sir John Yeamans, you will discover he was one of the first Governors of the colonial Carolinas. He originally settled in Barbados.

In a book previously referenced in this blog, “Youmans Yeamans & Yeomans” by Grant Samuel Youmans, he seems to equate everyone with those surnames as being connected. My Aunt Ruth (Youmans) Gottschall also believed that everyone that spells their name the way we do are likely related. The fact is that the variation Youmans does not show up until the New World.

It appears that the family settled in Barbados and upstate New York, Pennsylvania area. New York was a Dutch colony originally and they would have pronounced Yeamans as Youmans. Further, at that time most people were illiterate and names tended to be written phonetically by whoever was doing the recording. Case in point. Walker Yeamans was born in Barbados and migrated north. He was the father of my fourth Great Grandfather, James Youmans. Walker Yeamans is often referenced as both Yeamans and Youmans. James only went by Youmans. That was one example of how the name evolved once in the New World.

Another example is of Christopher Yeamans, Yeomans, Youmans. He arrived in the New World, New York, and eventually settled in Connecticut. In England, he is referred to as Yeamans and Yeomans. I believe his father was Christopher Yeamans born in 1595. Many of his descendants seem to have become known as Yeomans’. He can be found under all three names. When searching for ancestors, the various different forms of the name complicates the research.

To sum up this post, it is rather certain the name Youmans derived from English roots with it meaning a freeholder or free land holder. This would have been the original middle class in England. It is also likely that our lands of origin are England and Scotland. Many of the English were Yeamans and many of the Scottish were Yeomans. I have not yet discovered a connection between the two. The name Youmans became prominent in the New World likely from Dutch influence.

If you have any additional or different information than this, I would love to hear about it. It is a fascinating old name and should be worn proudly.

2016 Briefly

2016 was an interesting year. The Cavaliers won the NBA championship and Cleveland finally has a champion after 52 years. The Indians come up just a little short and well the Browns are the Browns. I have many things to be thankful for in 2016. One, my sister Sandi is doing well after giving us all a scare. She is posting to the blog some great pictures and stories and her memories are important. Sally has transitioned to a new job after enjoying her year and catching up on traveling and vacations. Well deserved.

In 2016 I discovered cousins Joan Coley Faria and Wanda Faulkner Lindbloom. Joan and Wanda have become very special to me. They have helped unravel the mystery of my Grandfather Fred Carlisle (aka William McKinley Coley) and in doing that have shown me another family branch I never knew existed, the Coley family. I hope to continue exploring this line in the new year. There is so much yet to learn. So many stories to hear, and pictures to view. I have connected with one other cousin in the last couple months which is also special. Bernice Youmans Buch.  We connected through Ancestry.com and have been emailing back and forth since then. We have a much larger family than we realize and it is fun and educational to reach out to them and get to know them better.

Not everything in 2016 was positive but I don't want to dwell on the negative here. I want to wish everyone a very happy 2017 and may it be filled with only positive things.