William Tunstill Yoakum

     William Tunstill Yoakum was born on 28 July 1840 at Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama.¹ He was the son of Washington Campbell Yoakum and Mary Elizabeth Tunstill. William Tunstill Yoakum married, at age 23, Caroline P. McBride on Sunday, 23 August 1863. William Tunstill Yoakum died in November 1918 at age 78 years and 3 months.¹
     From 'Leavenworth County, Kansas,' by Jesse A. Hall and Leroy T. Hand, (Topeka, KS: Historical Publishing Company, 1921), pp. 443 - 444.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY KANSAS

Robert B. and Walter C. Yoakum, leading contractors of Leavenworth, came from a pioneer family. They are grandsons of Washington C. Yoakum, who was born in Tazewell, Tennessee, near Cumberland Gap, and was reared in eastern Tennessee. When a young man he went to Alabama and learned the contracting business. He was married in Alabama to Elizabeth (Tunstall). From that state he went to Atlanta, Georgia, where he spent several years. In 1857 he located in Leavenworth, Kansas, at Broadway and Ottawa streets. He died in this county about 1870 and is buried near Fairmont, Kansas, of this county.

William T. Yoakum, a son of Washington Yoakum and the father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Huntsville, Alabama, in 1840 and came with his father to Leavenworth in 1857. He followed contracting and building until his death in November, 1918. He was a member of the Kansas State Militia.

Robert B. Yoakum was born in Leavenworth June 19, 1869 and Walter C. Yoakum was born October 10, 1875. Both were educated at Leavenworth, and Robert Yoakum was graduated from the Michigan Military Academy, near Detroit. The two comprise the firm known as 'R.B. Yoakum, Contractor.' This firm has been under this name since 1894. They are experts in their line of work and do a large business in the city, but the majority of their work is confined to Fort Leavenworth. They own their building at 515 Delaware street. Among the buildings they have erected are: New Leavenworth High School building; Presbyterian Church adjoining the high school; St. John's Hospital. Lutheran Church; the main building of the Great Western Stove Company, also their building at Oklahoma City; the library building at Fort Leavenworth, and many of the fine residences of the city, including those of E. D. Lyle, Hiram R. Wilson and Samuel Wilson. The Yoakum Brothers are live business men and have an extensive acquaintance throughout the county.

R. B. Yoakum was married October 28, 1909 to Alice M. Forrester of Leavenworth, a daughter of P. E. and Mary Forrester, both deceased. They had a daughter Florence, who died at the age of six years. They reside at 220 Second avenue.

Walter C. Yoakum was married June 26, 1911, to Wilma P. McCreary of Leavenworth, a daughter of M. B. and Clara McCreary. They have three children: Ruth Vickery, Wilma Caroline and Clara Elizabeth. The family reside at 932 South Broadway. Mr. Yoakum is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

The Yoakum family have been identified with the Presbyterian Church for a number of years, Washington C. Yoakum building the first Presbyterian here in 1858, which was a frame building on Seneca street. William Yoakum built the second church in 1870 on Delaware street, between Sixth and Seventh streets, and the two sons now in business built the third Presbyterian Church on Fourth and Walnut Streets in 1907.