Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Biographical History of Cherokee County, Iowa W. S. Dunbar & Co., Chigago - 1889 [page 443-444] FLOYD DENISON YAW is the proprietor of the largest livery barn in Cherokee, Iowa, and is also a prominent horse dealer. To acquaint the reader with his earlier life it will be necessary to review his career in the regular order of a biographical sketch, beginn- ing with his birth, which occurred June 17, 1836, at Brookfield, Madison County, New York. His father, SAMUEL YAW, was a native of the same State, born in 1808, of French and Irish extraction. LEURA DENISON, his mother, was born in the State of New York, and was a daughter of NATHAN DENISON. Mr. YAW is the third son and fourth child in a family of five. His educational advantages were limited, being confined to the common schools which were not then up to the grade of to-day, and he early began to rustle for him- self! Impelled by that desire to "go west," which has seized so many of our bravest and most courageous youth, he drifted into the tide, and took hold of anything his hands could manage. He drove cattle and handled horses whenever he could get an opportunity. Coming to Iowa, he located in Delaware County, buying and selling stock. In 1863 he bought horses for the United States Government. Coming to Iowa, he located in Delaware County, buying and selling stock. In 1863 he bought horses for the United States Government, furnishing 600 at one time. He continued in this business of buy- ing and selling horses until 1875, his principal points being Chi- cago, Omaha and New York; at that time the "bottom seemed to be completely knocked out" of the market, and to use Mr. YAW'S own language, he "was financially busted." But such men can not be down long. He came to Cherokee and formed a partnership with C. A. DOW, and engaged in the manufacture of brick. A year's experience in this business proved to be unprofitable, and not suited to his tastes, so he sold out, and in 1876, the great Centennial year, he embarked in the livery business in a modest way. His stable was on the corner opposite the railroad station; he was reasonably pros- perous in this undertaking, and continued in the business until 1882, when he removed to Huron, Dakota, at which place he ran livery busi- ness two years; at the end of this time he sold out and returned to Cherokee, purchasing the livery stock then owned by G. W. HODGINS. He remained at the old stand, but made many improvements, and now has one of the best arranged barns in the State; he has a side-hill basement, and uses that together with the first floor proper; the most of the teams are kept below, the carriages above. Mr. YAW be- ing a first-class judge of horses, keeps the best animals for his livery. In connection with this branch, he also conducts another extensive business, that of buying and selling horses; he goes as far west as Montana, and ships to the Atlantic Coast; he also oper- ates a breeding barn, raising trotting and running animals. Mr. YAW was married September 16, 1859, to Miss ELLA HAMLIN, a native of Massachusetts; she is the daughter of PARIS and SUSAN (GOTT) HAMLIN, and her father was for many years a practicing physician, but in later years retired to his farm. The HAMLINS trace their family history back to three brothers who came over from England, each settling in a different State. Mrs. YAW is a distant connection of the Hon. HANNIBAL HAMLIN. SUSAN GOTT, her mother, lived to the advanced age of ninety-five years, and seemed active in both mind and body. Mr. and Mrs. YAW are the parents of ten children, only three of whom are living: IDA W., wife of Dr. A. H. BAILEY, veter- inary surgeon at Spokane, Washington Territory; WENDELL and GERTRUDE. ===========================================================================