For over a century and a half the Yanney family have been connected with the history and development of the Mohawk Valley, first appearing in Montgomery county about the year 1755-60. The American ancestor of Isaiah Yanney of Fulton county, New York, is Christian Yanney, born in the province of Alsace, now a part of the German Empire. He grew to manhood in his native country, then emigrated to the American colonies and settled on a farm in Monmouth county, New Jersey, where he lived the remainder of his days. He married Margaret, who bore him a son Christian.
(II) Christian (2), son of Christian (1) and Margaret Yanney, died in Monmouth county, New Jersey, in 1754. He married Susanna Boshart, who died the same year as her husband.
(III) Henry, son of Christian (2) and Susanna (Boshart) Yanney, was born in Monmouth county, New Jersey, September 18, 1749. When he was six years old his parents died, and he was left to the care of his uncle, Joseph Boshart, who soon after removed to Montgomery county, New York, bringing the lad Henry with him. He received such education as the times afforded, grew up a farmer, and remained an inmate of his uncle's house until 1775. In 1776 he married and resided with his wife's parents until 1784, when he bought land and established his own home thereon. His first home was built of logs, and there he lived for twelve years. In 1795 he built a frame barn, and in 1796 the old log home was superceded [sic] by a frame dwelling, which he first occupied December 1, 1796. These buildings are still standing on the old homestead farm. He married, January 30, 1776, Elizabeth Margaret, born in Johnstown, June 10, 1756, youngest daughter of Philip Henry Kline, who came from the Rhine country near Wassingger, Germany. Children:
- Margaret, born November 13, 1777, died May 1, 1839; married, March 18, 1802, John Edwards. She was a woman of education and strong character. Her husband was educated through her efforts, and became a man of distinction in the county. He was sheriff, and later a member of congress. During his term as sheriff, his wife obtained the confession from a murderer confined in the jail, who had refused all others. They had seven children:
- Henry, born December 24, 1802;
- Daniel, December 1, 1804;
- Mary Ann, December 13, 1806;
- Elizabeth Margaret, February 18, 1809;
- Thomas, March 23, 1812, died 1883;
- James McIntyre, November 22, 1814;
- Susan B., October 16, 1816.
- Henry, born September 11, 1779; he was a soldier of the war of 1812, and attained the rank of major; he fought at the battle of Plattsburgh; after the war closed, while his regiment was on parade at Ephratah, Fulton, county, he was thrown from the stallion which he was riding and received injuries from which he died. He married, September 27, 1801, Elizabeth Allen; children: Henry, George and James.
- Anna, born May 1, 1782; married Ludouic Putman Stevens, December 22, 1807, son of a soldier killed in the revolutionary war; children, Christian, Henry, Eliza, Margaret and Clarissa.
- Elizabeth, October 10, 1784; married, March 25, 1804, John Quilhot, a farmer; children: Joseph, Susan, Catherine.
- Susanna, March 2, 1787; married, November 5, 1806, Isaiah Younglove, a shoemaker and tanner.
- Dorothy, May 21, 1789; married, March 2, 1809, David D. Bedford, a tanner and currier; children: Daniel, Henry, Philip, Eliza, Catherine.
- Catherine, October 14, 1791; married, September 26, 1809, Jacob Boshart, a farmer; children: John, Jacob, Henry.
- Christian, February 27, 1794; was a mason and builder and was killed by an accident in a lime kiln; he married, December 31, 1817, Nellie Niver.
- Philip, see forward.
- James, September 26, 1800; he was a farmer and manufacturer, owning and operating a grist mill and factory for the manufacture of woolen cloth; he was a man of wealth and prominence, and was the first representative from Fulton county to the state legislature. He married Hannah Bedford, October 20, 1822; children: Mary, Daniel, David, John, Levi, James, Persse, Nathan, Abner.
(IV) Philip, ninth child of Henry and Elizabeth Margaret (Kline) Yanney, was born on the homestead farm, August 17, 1796, died July 2, 1876. He was educated in the public schools, and was reared a farmer, an occupation he followed all his life. His farm, which he brought to a good state of cultivation, was located in the town Johnstown, Fulton county. He was a member of the Lutheran church, a man well-known and highly respected. Politically he was a Whig. He married, December 5, 1819, Maria Lasher. Children:
- Henry Philip, born July 15, 1821; perished off the coast of Hatteras, September 12, 1857; he was unmarried; he was highly educated, and was graduated M.D. from the medical department of Columbia University; he spent several years in California, and was returning home on the steamer "Central America" that went down with four hundred persons on board in a hurricane which she encountered off Cape Hatteras.
- Katherine, August 18, 1823, died December 4, 1868.
- Isaiah, see forward.
- Elizabeth, April 3, 1828.
- Jane, January 20, 1832, died December 18, 1862.
(V) Isaiah, third child of Philip and Maria (Lasher) Yanney, was born on the home farm in Fulton county, May 7, 1826. He was educated in private schools and Johnstown Academy. He remained on the farm during his father's lifetime, when it became his property by inheritance. This farm consists of one hundred and sixty acres, and was purchased by his grandfather, Henry Yanney, in 1784, and has never been out of the family name. It is located about one mile from the Johnstown post office, and during his grandfather's time it was a house of entertainment for wayfarers, and was known far and near as the "Black Horse Tavern." The original barn and other buildings are still standing surrounded by shady elms which were planted by the early Yanneys. Little change has been made in the old home except in the way of remodeling and adding spacious piazzas surrounding three sides of the house. In 1890 Mr. Yanney retired from active work, and has since lived a retired life, placing the management of the farm in the hands of a competent farmer. He is a member of the Episcopal church, his connection covering a period of fifty years. For forty years he has been a member of the vestry, ten years a warden and for twenty years sang in the church choir. For eight years he was secretary of the Fulton County Agricultural Society, and two years its president. For two years he was road commissioner. He is a member of St. Patrick's Lodge, No. 4, Free and Accepted Masons, Sons of the Revolution and the Fulton County Historical Society. Politically he is a Republican. He married, August 21, 1870, Mary Elizabeth Clark, born June 28, 1846, daughter of Thomas Adams Clark, and granddaughter of Thomas and Ruth (Morse) Clark. Thomas Adams Clark married Hannah Smith. They resided in Manlius, Onondaga county, New York, and were the parents of six children:
- Amelia Ruth, died aged seventeen years.
- Helen Aurelia, died aged seventeen years.
- Irene Augusta, married John Edwin Sweet.
- Mary Elizabeth, married Isaiah Yanney.
- Alice, unmarried.
- Henry Thomas, died aged twenty-three years.
Children of Isaiah and Mary Elizabeth (Clark) Yanney:
- Kate Clark, born May 9, 1872; graduate of the Friends boarding school at Philadelphia, and is a graduate nurse of the Homeopathic Hospital, Syracuse, New York.
- Irene Morse, born August 22, 1873; graduate of the State Normal school, Albany, New York.
- Henry Philip, born November 9, 1877; educated at the Highland Military Academy, and is now with the United Gas and Electric Company of Fulton county. He married, October 10, 1905, Nettie Scott, of Pulaski, New York.
- Margaret, June 10, 1884, graduate of Potter College, Bowling Green, Kentucky.
- Guy W., born October 1, 1885; graduate of Johnstown high school and business college, and is now with the United Gas and Electric Company. He married, August 25, 1907, Maud Kilbourn.