Amish ancestors – the Yoder family

In this page, I will list some of my Amish Mennonite ancestors who share a common surname. They may or may not be related to one another. That surname is Yoder. According to the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO)'s Yoder article:

The Mennonite family name Yoder is originally of Swiss origin. The Swiss encyclopedia (Historisch-biographisches Lexikon der Schweiz) locates this "ancient family" in the village of Steffisberg on the edge of the Oberland in the canton of Bern, while another authority on Swiss families traces them to the village of Muri, nearer Bern. A history of the Emmental lists Joders among the early residents. The name Yoder evidently is derived from the Christian name "Theodore." For example, Saint Theodore, a missionary in the Swiss Alps in the Middle Ages, was abbreviated to "St. Joder." August 16 has still recently been listed as "St. Joder's Day" in the Swiss Reformed church almanacs. Joder first appears as a family name in the canton of Bern in the 14th century. At Steffisberg the Joders began to appear in the records as early as 1529 and at Muri slightly later...

Yoders of the Reformed Church came to Pennsylvania as early as 1710, settling in Berks County. In 1742 Christian Jother, Christian Jotter, Jr., and Jacob Yoder, all apparently Amish Mennonites, arrived in Pennsylvania...

Some Yoders in my own background include:

• David D. Yoder (YRB185)¹ (1830-1922), was the second husband of my great-grandmother, Elizabeth (Wilhelm) Plank. He was born in Huntingdon county, PA, and was one of many Yoders and other Amish Mennonites who migrated to Logan county, OH, around 1845. He acquired a farm there and lived in the West Liberty area the rest of his life. His biography and obituary appear on Elizabeth's page.
• Barbara Yoder (YRB3?), my 3g-grandmother, was born in Pennsylvania 20 Jun 1766, and died in Belleville, Mifflin county, PA, 13 Apr 1850. She married Christian Plank (PK42) (1771-1851) in 1792. She and Christian moved to Mifflin county in 1816 and lived there the rest of their lives, although several of their children moved to Ohio. There appears to be some doubt as to just how she is connected to a Yoder line. AAMG has a question mark by her number in her listing as Christian's wife. In the family of her possible father, Yost Yoder (YRB), there is a question mark by her name. There is no information in AAMG on Yost's birthplace, birthdate or wife's name.
• Barbara Yoder (YR21) (1725-?), was possibly my 5g-grandmother, the wife of Stephen Kauffman (KF4). She was born in Europe and came to Berks county, PA, as a child.
• Veronica Yoder (YR19) (ca. 1736-1806), may have been another 5g-grandmother. She married John Hertzler (HZ1) about 1755 in Berks county.

There is additional information on Yoders in America in the Yoder Newsletter's online archives.