A History of the Yarnalls of Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania

(page 472)
The Yarnall family, to which Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Hinkel belongs, at one time owned most of the land in the vicinity of what is now Mount Carmel. The family is an old one in Pennsylvania, of English Quaker stock, Francis and Peter Yarnall having come from their native land with the Hugheses, Boones, Penroses, Kirbys and Lightfoots, and settled in Oley township, Berks Co., Pa. They were of the fifty of more families left out when the township was erected, and the people to the "south part of Oley" therefore petitioned the court of Philadelphia, in 1741, to erect that part into a township, which petition was granted. Among the sixteen signers to this petition were Francis and Peter Yarnall.

In Northumberland county a member of this same family, Richard Yarnall, was the second settler at Mount Carmel. His father, Jesse Yarnall, kept a hotel on the old Minersville road, at the crossing of Mahanoy creek, near Otto's forge, Schuylkill county, about four miles south of Mount Carmel. An Indian path which led from the vicinity of Roaring Creek township, Columbia County, to his hotel is referred to in the early official records of Northumberland county as "Yarnall's path." He married Hannah Penrose, of Roaring Creek township, whose people, like his, came from Maiden-creek township, Berks county, and were Friends.

Richard Yarnall was born April 10, 1791, and died Oct. 14, 1847. He learned the trade of carpenter and millwright. About the time he reached manhood the Centre turnpike was constructed, resulting in a large increase in the travel between Danville and Sunbury on the north and Reading and Pottsville on the south. A favourable opportunity was presented for the erection of a hotel on this important thoroughfare at the present site of Mount Carmel, which is about equidistant from Danville and Pottsville, and , prompted by these considerations, Mr. Yarnall erected the "Mount Carmel Inn", a two-story log structure situated on the southeast side of the turnpike immediately (page 473) northeast of the "Commercial Hotel". He opened a hotel there and conducted the business with fair success for several years, when, having become surety for a friend who failed to meet his obligations, the property was sold and he removed to the vicinity of Bear Gap, where he was variously employed for several years. He then located on a small cleared tract near the old Minersville road, and also resided at the Tomlinson farm, after which he engaged in hotel keeping at the Riffert tavern, where he died. The Riffert-tavern was a log structure standing on the east side of the turnpike, north of the Lehigh Valley depot. It is not known who erected it, and under the management of its early owners it bore a bad reputation, but with Mr. Yarnall as proprietor it received the confidence and patronage of the travelling public. He married Mary King, daughter of John King, of Ralpho township, and we have record of two of their sons, Jesse and John, both of whom lived at Mount Carmel. The former was born July 7, 1815, near Bear Gap.

John Yarnall, son of Richard, was born Feb 15, 1828, at the Tomlinson farm, in Coal township, Northumberland county, and learned the carpenter's trade with his father, working at that occupation for some years. He was a well-to-do contractor and builder at Mount Carmel. In 1859 he married Henrietta Mussina, daughter of Henry B. and Elizabeth (Winters) Mussina, of Center county, Pa., and they became the parents of eight children: Mrs William H Hinkel, Henry M., Newton L., Richard K., Jerusha M. (deceased), John W., William and Mary Elizabeth.

Page 666 EPHRAIM YARNALL owns and occupies a beautiful farm property in Barry township which has been developed entirely by the Yarnalls. The family is one of old standing in this section of Schuylkill county and was established here by Isaac Yarnall, grandfather of Ephraim, who came from New Jersey and settled in the Mahanoy valley. He took up government land and followed farming. His family consisted of eight children, viz.: Anna, John, Jonathan, Francis, Asa, Elijah, Annie, and one that died young. John Yarnall, father of Ephraim, was born in Mahanoy township, this county, and lived to the age of eighty-three years. He settled on the farm in Barry township where his son Ephraim now lives, cleared the land, and made great progress in the work of improvement, which he carried on for many years. He is buried in the cemetery near the farm. Mr. Yarnall married Mary Rodenbeier, who was born near Ashland, this county, daughter of an old settler in this part of the State, Jacob Rodenbeier. He kept the hotel known as the Red Tavern, near Centralia. Mr Rodenbeier had ten children, namely: Jacob, Solomon, Peter, Philip, David, Rebecca, Mary, Lydia, Susan and Sarah. Mrs. Yarnall died near Ashland. Of her six Children, Mary, Martha, John, Ephraim, Reuben and Ezra, Ephraim is the only survivor. Ephraim Yarnall was born in 1837 in Barry township and grew up on the farm, attending school in an old log building nearby. During his school years he gave his spare hours to assisting with the farm duties at home, and subsequently devoted all his time to the operation of the home place, working in partnership with his father until the latter retired because of advancing age. Under his competent management the home tract has undergone steady improvement, Mr. Yarnall sparing neither thought nor labour in the advancement of his work. Modern methods, the intelligent application of various up-to-date ideas, have resulted in increased production along different lines, and Mr. Yarnall has also taken much pleasure in beautifying his surroundings, as the attractive arrangements and comfortable home conditions testify. His opinions on public questions, as in his chosen calling, are considered practical and worthy of attention, and his neighbours have shown their faith in his views and character by electing him to represent them in various capacities. In the office of township supervisor and member of the school board he has done good work for the locality.

In 1860 Mr. Yarnall married Lucy Sigenfuse, who was born in the some part of Barry township as himself, her parents, Charles and Susan (Bixler) Sigenfuse, having settled there many years ago. Mrs. Sigenfuse was born in Mahantongo. She and her husband died when comparatively young. Their family consisted of six children: Betsy, now the wife of Elias Slopick, of Mount Carmel; Lydia, wife of Jacob Umlauf, of Mount Carmel; Susan, Mrs Peter Bradbury, of Tamaqua, this county; Charles, a resident of Allentown, Pa.; Elias; and Lucy, Mrs. Yarnall.

Of the thirteen children born to Mr. and Mrs. Yarnall several are deceased; William and Franz live at home; Charles and Irvin are also located in Barry township; Sallie is the wife of Sam Kessler, a farmer of Barry township; Cora is married to Thomas Hoch, of Barry township; Katie is the wife of Albert Moser, of Pottsville. Mr. and Mrs. Yarnall are members of the United Brethren Church.