Hon.  William  A.  Yarling


           Among the young men elected in 1908 to the Legislature was a representative of an old family, long identified with the agricultural interests of Shelby county. As a legislator and lawyer he can be relied upon to look after the interests of the farmers. as his ancestors for several generations have followed that occupation.  The family is of German origin, the great-grandparents being  John Yarling  and wife, who came to the United States many years ago, and died in Shelby county, both being buried in the Union township cemetery.  Among the children they left a son, Peter Yarling, who was born in Germany in 1810 and came to the United States in early manhood.  His first stopping place was in Cincinnati, where he obtained employment and soon became ec(sic)quainted with  Mary Miller, an attache of a doctor's household where he was employed and whom he subsequently made his wife.  Coming to Shelby county, Peter Yarling and wife entered land in Marion township and passed the remainder of their lives in the pursuits of agriculture. They reared a large family.  George Yarling, one of the sons, was born in 1840 and married  Mary A. Pickett, a native of Ireland, brought to the United States by here parents when a child and reared to maturity in Shelbyville.  After marriage the couple settled on a farm, devoted their attention exclusively to agricultural pursuits and eventually became the owners of one hundred and fifty acres of land.  He died in 1879 but his wife survived until 1886.  To this union were born eight children, of whom  Mary E., the oldest is the wife of  Doctor Joseph Bowlby, now deceased;  Burnett H. resides at Kokomo, and  John E. is a physician at Peru, Indiana;  William A., subject of this sketch, was the fourth child;  Maggie, the fifth, died in 1894, at the age of twenty-one.  Zora K., who married  Walter Hungerford, died some years ago at Shelbyville.  Virgil G. died in 1895 when seventeen years old, and  Emma D. is the wife of  Otto Billman.
           William A. Yarling  was born in Liberty township, Shelby county, Indiana, January 17, 1871.  He grew up on the farm, attended the local schools and later took a course in the Normal College at Marion, Indiana.  The four succeeding years after leaving this institution were spent in teaching, the last one being devoted to principalship of the graded school at Blue Ridge.  His ambition all the time was to become a lawyer, and the first step in this direction was taken as a student in the office of  Love & Morrison. Subsequently he entered the law office of  Judge Byron K. Elliott. at Indianapolis, from which he went to the Indiana Law School, where he graduated, obtaining his degree in 1895.  Forming a partnership with David L. Wilson at Shelbyville, the next five years were spent in the practice under the firm name of Wilson & Yarling.  After two years in association with  A. E. Lisher, the partnership was dissolved on account of Mr. Lisher removing from the state.  Mr. Yarling has since prosecuted his profession alone.  His office is equipped with an excellent working law library, anti he devotes his time to the general practice. He has a decided leaning towards fraternities and has risen to the rank of thirty-second degree Mason, the first being taken in 1895.  He is past master of the Shelby Lodge, No. 28. Free and Accepted Masons; past eminent commander of Baldwin Commanders, No. 2. Knights Templar. at Shelbyville, and is connected with the Scottish Rite and a member of the Mystic Shrine, at Indianapolis.  He still owns his father's old homestead of one hundred and fifty acres in Liberty township, besides real estate in Shelbyville.  From earliest boyhood Mr. Yarling has been associated with the Democratic party and an earnest worker for its principles.  In 1908 his party honored him with the nomination for the office of Senator from the district composed of Johnson and Shelby counties, and he was elected by a large majority at the ensuing election in November.
          December 10, 1895, Mr. Yarling married  Elva A., daughter of  Lewis and  Minerva (Rhoads) Bass, who was born in Marion township, June 8, 1872.  Mrs. Yarling owns a farm of one hundred and ten acres in her native township, where her family have long been regarded as among the most substantial people of the community.  Mr. and Mrs. Yarling have two children,  Maurice B., born January 28, 1901, and  William E., born July 8, 1903.
Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana by Edward H. Chadwick, B.S., assisted by well known local talent, B.F. Bowen & Co, Publishers: Indianapolis, IN, 1909, pages 472-474.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming  for Christal Callahan Culp

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