REV. F. WILMAN YANTIS, pastor of the United Brethren church at McClure, Ohio, was born on the 23d of August, 1872, in Hancock county, Ohio, and is the son of George W. and Isabel (DeBolt) Yantis, the former born in Franklin county, Ohio, April 6, 1832, and the latter in Knox county, Ohio, February 26, 1836, the daughter of Jeremiah and Margaret (McClain) DeBolt. George W. Yantis was the son of William and Hannah (Chisler) Yantis and he remained on the parental farmstead until 1859, in which year he married and removed to Union county, Ohio. In 1868 he removed to Hancock county, Ohio, where he resided until his death, May 18, 1896. There were six children in this family, Orlanda W., Mary L., Allie R., John W., Charles W. and the subject of this sketch. The latter was reared on the home farm and attended the public schools, graduating at the McComb high school, after which for three years he was engaged in teaching school in Hancock and Henry counties. He was enabled, at the hands of the Central Ohio conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, to secure a good college education. At the age of twenty-two years he commenced preaching the gospel as a minister of the United Brethren church, his first charge being at Bethlehem, Williams county, Ohio, where he remained one year. He was then for two years at New Bethel, Ohio, and then two years at Decatur, Indiana. Two and a half years were then spent at McClure, Ohio, following which he was one year at Newark, Ohio, and two years at Pioneer, Ohio, coming then to McClure, where he still remains. He has been uniformly successful in all his pastorates and has been well liked by all classes with whom he has come in contact. A strong preacher and attentive pastor, he has done much to solidify and strengthen the church in this community and is untiring in his zeal for the Master.
Rev. Yantis married Miss Emma Clark, who was born February 11, 1873, the daughter of Charles and Rosa (Hart) Clark, who now live in Findlay, Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Yantis have been born three children, Mabel May, Helen Fae and Audrey Gae. In politics the subject generally votes the Prohibitionist ticket and takes a deep interest in the highest welfare of the people with whom he mingles.