YOST HUFFMAN 1842

by William Urban

    A superficial inquiry into this mayor's life and term of office reveals these facts:

    According to the Census of 1850 Yost Huffman was born in Virginia in 1805. He was a farmer, with land valued at only $500. His wife Melissa (1810) was born in Kentucky. Son Thomas was born in Kentucky in 1833, but George was born in Illinois in 1837, as were Margaret (1838), Charles (1841) and Douglas (1843), Mary (1845), and John (1849). However, we know that he was in Warren County as early as 1831, because The Past and Present of Warren County reported:

The proceedings to incorporate Monmouth as a town, as recorded, were commenced at this date. These proceedings were under the general law of the State in force at that time, being the act approved February 12, 1831, entitled "an act to incorporate the inhabitants of such towns as may wish to be incorporated." Ten days prior to November 29th, a notice had been publicly posted up in compliance to law, and in pursuance of this call "the male citizens of the town of Monmouth" met at the school house at this date, and having organized by calling Elijah Davidson to be chair, and Harry Jennings as clerk, "the object of the meeting was fully set forth" and voting for and against the incorporation of the town commenced. Twenty-three votes were cast in favor of the incorporation and none against.

The voters were: Wm. F. Smith, Daniel McNeil, Jr., R. W. McMillen, Mordecai McBride, B. F. Berry, Yost Huffman, J. J.Caldwell, G. W. Vaugan, J. P. Hogue, Samuel Brazelton, Geo. H. Wright, Alex. Hogue, F. Vandyke, James McCallon, S. T. McBride, Thos. Butler, Andrew Robinson, Frank Kendell, Peter I. Dodge, Thos. G. Hogue, Elijah Davidson, Harry Jennings and Alex.Ritchie.

According to the Monmouth Police Department website: On December 24, 1836, the council appointed, Yost Huffman, as the first village constable.  Yost must have been a carpenter, also, for he was given a contract by the council on April 18, 1839, to build hooks and ladders for use in case of a fire.

He was elected mayor in 1842.

In 1840, according to the US Census, Yost and Melissa had two boys and two girls.

On July 31, 1841, he bought a lot that he sold May 5, 1846; October 13, 1842, he bought a lot on the 100 block of North 1st Street that he sold in March of 1851.

His son John, aged 1 and 1/2, died February 23, 1851, at Coldbrook (Atlas, March 28, 1851).

Before 1859 he moved to Douglas County, Kansas, where he appeared in the census of 1859 and 1860.