JOHN YEARDLEY.




CHAPTER I.


FROM JOHN YEARDLEY's CONVERSION TO THE COMMENCEMENT
OF HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY.

1803--1815.

John Yeardley was born on the 3rd of the First Month, 1786, at a small
farm-house beside Orgreave Hall, in the valley of the Rother, four miles
south of Rotherham. His parents, Joel and Frances Yeardley, farmed some
land, chiefly pasture, and his mother is said to have been famous for her
cream-cheeses, which she carried herself to Sheffield market. She was a
pious and industrious woman; but, through the misconduct of her husband,
was sometimes reduced to such straits as scarcely to have enough food for
her children.

Before they left Orgreave they were attracted towards the worship of
Friends, and several of the family, including two of Joel Yeardley's
sisters, embraced the truth as held by the Society. In the year 1802 they
removed to a farm at Blacker, three miles south of Barnsley, and attended
the meeting at Monk Bretton, or Burton, near that town, where the
meeting-house then stood. At Blacker it was John's business to ride into
Barnsley daily on a pony, with two barrels of milk to distribute to the