Yerkes has also been spelled Gerkes, Gerckes, Jerghes, Jerghjes, Jurckes,Yercas, Yercks, Yerkhas, Yerkas, Yerkiss, Yerks, and Yerkus
Byberry is a township in the northeast corner of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The Walton brothers were early settlers. Moreland Township was just west of Byberry. When Montgomery County broke off in 1784, Moreland was divided into two townships, both called Moreland. In 1917 the Montgomery County Moreland split into Upper Moreland Township and Lower Moreland Township.
He married Alice McVaugh about 1714. Alice was born on April 5, 1717 and was the daughter of John McVaugh (McVey or McVeigh).
John and Alice's children were all born in the Manor of Moreland:
Rachel Yerkes (1742),
John Yerkes (1743, married Ann Coffing, daugher of Abraham Coffing),
Catherine Yerkes (1746),
Elizabeth Yerkes (1748),
Harman Yerkes (1750, married Margaret Scott),
Silas Yerkes (1752, married Hannah Craft),
Sarah Yerkes Watson (1755, married John Watson),
Benjamin Yerkes (1758), and
Alice Yerkes Worrell (1763, Demas Worrell).
The Manor of Moreland was composed of a tract of ten thousand acres, and was created, in 1682, by a grant from William Penn to Dr. Nicholas More. Most of the Manor was in Philadelphia County, but is now
Moreland Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Early European settlers in the American colonies were mostly farmers and craftsmen. They had to work hard to provide daily neccesities for themselves.
