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This is most likely the only picture in existence of Edna Yearout.  It depicts her sitting proudly with two of her grandsons.  The one on the right is Andrew Rutledge, son of her daughter Harriett. On the left is Charles Willix, son of her daughter Mary Alice. This picture dates about 1910.
Welcome to these pages as they were designed to clear up many misconceptions  concerning a branch of the Yearout family.  I have been into genealogy for quite some time now and had considered myself as accomplished until I began to tackle my maternal lines. 
My Grandfather was Robert Franklin Stinnett, and I had never even heard of the name Yearout until I located a copy of his burial record.  Digging deeper, many cousins were contacted, both close and distant, all with pieces of this family quilt.  With their help we were able to uncover many hidden facts of the past, never really until now understanding "why" our Great Grandmothers name was never spoken, yet determined to find out the truth.
Personally I feel that she was often misunderstood, a child raised during the Civil War, raised by much older grandparents and a victim of rape at an early age.  Whatever the may be, she didin't deserve to be hidden and covered up by her next generations. 
Edna was buried in a paupers grave, directly across from Eastern State Hospital where she died.  Her grave was unmarked since her death in 1924,  no one claimed her body and according to her medical records it appears that she didn't even have benefit of a funeral.
To me this was all somewhat like opening "Pandora's Box", as it was information covered up and hidden for several generations. 
I am indeed thankful that we had enough sympathy, knowledge and information to be able to locate the real story behind our Great Grandmother, and if she were living today, we would be proud to claim her as our own.  Likewise, i hope she would have been proud of us as well.  

Children of Edna Yearout
   1.
Lemuel Yearout 1865 - father - Edna was raped post civil war by a man with the last name of Anderson.  He was killed in an ambush by family     members. Uncle Lem was raised by Lewis Elbert & MJ Yearout Williams, MJ being the aunt of Edney.  This Williams family established the Williams/Henson Boys Home. Lemuel is established with family records as well as his death record which lists mother as Edna.
       +Maggie Norris
2.
James Calvin Stinnett 1868 - Father unknown, established with family records and obituary listing siblings.
       +Mary Pendergrass
3.
William Stinnett/Yearout - 1876 - Father: Napoleon B. Ellis, established with family records.  Changed surname from Stinnett to Yearout after 1910.
        +Minnie Lane
4.
Mary Alice Yearout/Stinnett 1880 - Established with family records, as well as we all knew her, death record lists mother as Edna Yearout.  Father was CW Lawson, established with bastardy bond dated 1880.  Established with census 1900
        +John Willocks/Willix
5.
Harriett Emmiline Stinnett 1884 - we have reason to believe the Aunt Harriett and remaining children possibly were fathered by Lewis E. Williams.  Harriett is established with burial, death and obit records as well as we all remember her.         +Charles Cannon Ratledge/Rutledge
6.
Lillie Stinnett 1887 - established with obit which listed siblings as well as we all remember her.
        +John Arthur Romines
7.
Robert Franklin Stinnett 1890 - my grandfather and I remember him well.  Also estblished with death and burial records.
        +
Ethel Bolden
Edna was my Great Grandmother
Death Record:
Name: Edna Yearout Stinnett
Place of death: Civil District 8
Village: Bearden
Register: 59
City:
Eastern State Hospital
Full Name: Edna Stinnett
Sex: F
Race: White - Widowed
Date of Death: 1-14-1924
Cause of death: Chronic Nephritus
Length of Residence: 5 months, 25 days
Former Residence: Sevierville, TN
Burial Site: State Cemetery
Date of Burial: 1-15-1924
Signed: RE Smith Supt

The following records are easy to obtain, often for free.  I am using them to dispel the myths arisen that my Great grandmother did not exist.  False information began when Mr. Glenn Alvin Yearout wrote a highly accepted genealogy book on the Yearout Family in America.  Due to the circumstances of the births of Edney's children, misinformation was turned in.  Back then, folks hid things which were not acceptable, and though it is hard to accept on my part, what happened was not uncommon.  However, in the day of the WWW, free census records,  lookup volunteers and public domain, myself and a band of direct cousins feel anger, humiliation and a sense of not belonging when people continue to post sites all over the WWW listing the family under false surnames, even with the correct spouses but never do much as lift a finger to find out if this info is true or not.  It is as though we do not exist, and we all take it extremely personal.  Truth in this case is much stranger then fiction.  The children listed above did NOT belong to William Rankin and Myra McCully Yearout, nor did most of them  use the surname Yearout.

Residences of Edney Yearout:
1860 - Blount County, TN Census - Brick Mill TN - 6th district
        1.
John Yearout - 65 - MW - farmer - born VA
        2.
Martha Yearout - 62 - FW - born VA
        3. Edney Yearout - 12 - FW - born TN

1870 - Blount County, TN - have been told this was the jailhouse census, have not verified.  Possibly imprisoned for bearing JC out of wedlock
        WF - born Maryville, TN - farm labor - age 22

1900 Blount County, TN census, District 11, pg 6.
        1. Edna Stinnett - head - W - born March 1848 - single - 7 births - 7 living children
        2.
Emma H. Stinnett - daughter - W - October 1884 - age 15 - cotton mill spinner
        3. Lillie E. Stinnett - daughter - W - July 1887 - age - 12 - cotton mill spinner
        4.
Robert F. Stinnett - son - W - October 1890 - age 9
        5.
Mary A. Willocks - daughter - W - August 1880 - age 19

1920 Census, Knox County, TN
        1.
Robert Stinnett - head - WM - 22 - cotton mill worker - born TN
        2.
Ethel Stinnett - WF - born TN
        3.
Raymond Stinnett - son - 3.5 - born TN
        4. Edna Stinnett - mother - 70 - born TN
        5. Pearl Greene - neice - WF - 22

1919 Knoxville TN City Directory
        Edna Stinnett - widow of William - Dale Avenue living with son Robert.


1920 Knoxville, TN City Directory
        Edna Stinnett - widow of James - Sutherland Avenue living with son Robert

Edna Yearout's last residence
Family legend says that Edna once danced with General Grant.  Her dance card is still in existence, but I have not located it yet.
zandalee48@yahoo.com
Some of the links may not work
UPDATE IN PROGRESS
I have recently written a book based very loosely on the research found on this site. The name of my appalachian FICTION is Edney, written under the pen name of Clara Olmstead.
ISBN# 1-60610-593-0
Please request it at your nearest bookstore and/or library