Henderson King Yoakum

Henderson King Yoakum

Henderson King Yoakum, 1810-1856

• Henderson King Yoakum was born on 6 September 1810 in Claiborne County, Tennessee.
• He married Eveline Cannon circa 1834.
• Henderson King Yoakum and Eveline Cannon appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1850 in Huntsville, Walker County, Texas. Other members of the household included Eliza Yoakum, Martha Yoakum, Mary Yoakum, George Yoakum, Robert Yoakum and Anna Yoakum.
• He was a lawyer, according to the 1850 census.
• On Tuesday, 14 October 1856, Green Wood recorded in his plantation daily account book: "Mrs. Wood, Mr. Powell, and Ella and Wood started on a visit to Mr. Fisher, C. Abercrombie's, and Mr. McGar and Colonel Yoakum."
• Henderson King Yoakum died on 30 November 1856 at age 46 in Houston, Harris County, Texas, at the home of his friend Judge Peter W. Gray.
• His wife Eveline Cannon became a widow at his death.
• He was interred at Oakwood Cemetery, Huntsville, Walker County, Texas.
• Yoakum County, Texas, established in 1876, was named in his honor. He was the author of the two-volume History of Texas from Its First Settlement in 1685 to Its Annexation to the United States in 1846.
• The following appeared on 19 September 1888 in The Galveston Daily News: (Huntsville, Sept. 18) . . . The corner stone of the new Methodist church was laid on the 12th with Masonic ceremonies. . . The present Methodist church was built in the year 1857. . . .
       William M. Barrett was the contractor. Messers. Chiles and Eichler worked under him; Sam Reed, Sam Jones and Peter Royal did the brick work; G. W. Rather and J. A. Flether did the painting.
       The present seats were paid for by subscription, raised by Dr. T. W. Markham; and the house ceiled overhead by subscription, raised by Dr. G. M. Baker.
       The first person buried from the church was Colonel Henderson Yoakum, a public spirited man, and most active in having the church erected, and who paid in final subscription on the day of dedication $250, on proposition of Erasmus Wynne to be one of five to pay the debt. Robert Wynne was one of the five, and paid his subscription in cotton.
• For additional biographical information, see The Texas Handbook Online.

• Last Edited: 8 Apr 2013