Bucks County PA Archives Biographies.....Yerkes/Yerkhas, Anthony
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joe Patterson, Patricia Bastik & Susan Walters Dec 2009

Source: History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania; edited by J.H. Battle; A. Warner & Co.; 1887
Warminster Township


   ANTHONY YERKES or YERKHAS the progenitor of the Yerkes 
family in America, was one of the first settlers of 
Germantown. He came from Germany between the years 1683 and 
1700. December 28, 1703, he became one of the three 
burgesses of Germantown, but it was not until 1729 that he 
and Herman (a son) were declared by the assembly entitled to 
the rights and privileges of subjects of the king, although 
the act recites they then held land. Herman, the son of 
Anthony, was married in Christ church, Philadelphia, 
February 8, 1711, to Elizabeth Watts, and soon after moved 
to the region of the Pennypack creek, in Moreland township, 
Montgomery county. From this marriage eight sons were born, 
of whom the fourth, Herman, born January 18, 1721, was the 
progenitor of the Bucks county or Warminster branch. He 
married Mary Stroud, a Quaker lady from Chester county, and 
himself joined the Society of Friends. Their children 
became entitled by birth to the full right of membership in 
the Friends' meeting. He purchased a large tract of land 
situated in Warminster township, Bucks county, principally 
from the Noble family, and settled there. These lands are 
nearly all now occupied by his descendants. The issue of 
their marriage was nine children born between 1750 and 1769, 
as follows:  William (1st), Elizabeth, Catherine 
(intermarried with Reading Howell), Edward, Sarah 
(intermarried with John Huplit), Stephen, Harman and William 
(2nd). Their descendants are quite numerous, but none of 
them excepting those coming through Harman the younger are 
now residents of Bucks county. This Harman, born July 25, 
1769, married Margaret, the daughter of Andrew Long, Esq., 
and in time became the purchaser of the real estate of his 
father, together with other lands in Warminster township. 
His children born in Warminster township were: Mary, 
William, Andrew, Edward, Elizabeth, Clarissa, Edwin, Harman 
and Stephen, nine in number. Of these, Mary and Edward were 
unmarried. All are deceased except Harman, aged 80. He has 
a large family, all of whom reside in Montgomery county. 
Elizabeth married John C. Beans, a prominent citizen of 
Warminster township. Clarissa married Samuel Montanye, a 
son of Rev. Thomas B. Montanye. They left surviving them 
large and influential families, who still reside in the 
county, and upon the lands acquired by their grandfather. 
Andrew became the father of a large family, all of whom, 
excepting Doctor H. P. Yerkes, of Doylestown, have moved to 
Chester county and Philadelphia. Edwin left o children 
surviving him, and Stephen, the youngest, left six children, 
three of whom, Stephen, Harman and Alfred, reside in Bucks 
county. Of the children of John C. Beans and Elizabeth 
Beans, Anna Beans, Catherine Beans, Margaret Carrell, J. 
Johnson Beans, Esq., and Stacy B. Beans live in Bucks 
county. And of the children of Samuel Montanye and Clarissa 
(Yerkes), Thomas B. and Harman Y. Montanye, and Mary Kirk 
and Henry Y. Carrell reside in the county, all in Warminster 
township.