The Map Room
Maps & Sites
The maproom contains a collection of maps, links to maps, and pictures or graphics which may be of interest to those doing Yoder research. Hopefully, this will be a growing collection. Suggestions are welcome.
If you have maps that can be scanned and presented here please contact Chris Yoder, editor, “Yoder Newsletter”. If you know of World Wide Web sites that have maps which fit our general criteria; “of interest to those doing Yoder research”, please tell us the URL of those locations, so links can be established to those sites.
Maps
Original Yoder Settlements Map
No. 1 marks where the first Yoders to America settled between Lobach and Manatowny in Berks County east of Reading in Oley Township. They were Reformed and Lutheran.
No. 2 in upper Bucks County marks the area where the second group settled. This was in Milford Township. Some of these soon crossed over in Lower Milford Township into Lehigh County. This group was Mennonite.
No. 3 in upper Berks County marks the area settled by the first Amish-Mennonite Yoders. The Amish seceded from the Mennonites during 1693 in Switzerland. This area is in Upper Bern Township, southwest Of Hamburg at the foot of the Blue Mountains.
See also YNL Volume 1, Number 1
Canton Bern Map
Map of Barry Township, Schuylkill County, PA in 1875
James Huratiak provided this map. He says, "It shows who owned land and where. If you look at the name MABEL P.O., between Mabel and the P.O. you will see A. Yoder. I believe this is Andrew Yoder (OH1331b1), Reuben Yoder's oldest son. If you follow the road to the sharp right hand turn you will see two dots. At one dot is says saw mill and the next dot is R. Yoder. I believe that to be Reuben Yoder (OH1331b), my Great Grandfather. Some of the other names on the map are people who married Reuben's children."
Map detail of area described above:
Yoder Land Holdings near Blue Mountain, Berks County, Pennsylvania
A map (drawn March 1982) showing land parcels held by John, Jacob, Stephen (Strong), Isaac, Christian and Barbara Yoder and their neighbors in the area between Shartlesville and Hamburg, at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Each parcel is keyed to a YR reference number.
Yoder Family Crests
Family Crest of Jost Joder - 1428
From YNL - Issue 9 - page5
also - YNL - Issue 6 - page 5
Family crest of JOST JODER - Steffisburg - 1428
The colors are blue and gold.
This crest is present in the Swiss Reformed Church in Steffisburg.
Family Crest of Hans Joder - 1636
From YNL - Issue 10 - page 7
Family crest of HANS JODER - Steffisburg - 1636, Mayor and Chairman of the Council. On red, a silver pelican on the left accompanied by a silver ear of grain. On top is a red/silver raised helmet with red/silver covering. Above this all is a red backing with a golden bar at the slant, upon which is a black roaring bear.
Symbolism: The pelican is an ancient religious symbol. The ear of grain denotes the calling (an ancient farm family). Silver and red are the colors of Switzerland, and the bear is the symbol for the province of Bern. (translated by Greg Yoder of Grand Rapids.)
Family Crest of Hans Joder - 1774
From YNL - Issue 13 - page 7
A copy of crest of Hans Yoder of Steffisburg, Switzerland, as registered in the statearchives in Bern. 1774
Sites & Landmarks
The St. Joder Chapel south of Lucerne in Switzerland
Described in YNL - Issue 6, October 1985
(On the back of the postcard someone has typed, "Die Yoder-Kirche im Switzerland, erbaut 1478".)
Postcard View of Steffisburg, Switzerland
(0n back of card) - Steffisburg mit Stockhornkette
"Hans Yoder Homestead" - Pleasantville, Penna.
A pen-and-ink sketch - shown here greatly reduced