Illustrator, Lecturer, Social Worker, New Hampshire Politician: Effie Brown (Earll) Slingerland Yantis (1869-1950)

In 1922, Effie E. Yantis is quoted as saying: “I happen to know two girls who both made failures of their first lemon pies. One said, “I will never make another lemon pie;” the other, “I shall never give up till I learn how to make the best lemon pie anyone ever tasted.”  To carry on no matter what happens is the only road to success.”  Effie was familiar with success.  She had graduated from Cornell in 1893, and had produced lantern slides that were being used all over the world.  She had helped to start the home economics program at Cornell.  In New Hampshire, she was a member of the Legislature from 1922-1926, introducing the first bills by a woman.

She was born in 1868 in Skaneateles, New York, the daughter of John Murray & Julia Sophia (Brown) Earll. Her first husband, Mark Vernon Slingerland, was a professor of economic entomology at Cornell University.  After his death, she married in 1912 to Rev. Arnold S. Yantis, Universalist clergyman, a graduate of Western Maryland College and George Washington University. Rev Yantis practiced law for a time in Washington, but has been in the ministry the last twenty-five years, holding pastorates in Brooklyn, Fort Plain and Auburn NY.  Rev. Yantis accepted a new position, and that is what brought the couple to New Hampshire.

Rev. Yantis and his wife Effie, arrived in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1915 where he became pastor of the Universalist Church. The new church had been built one year before (1914) at 669 Union Street.  They moved into a lovely home at 266 Harrison Street (see photograph).

Effie Yantis settled in quickly, and began organizing.  She helped create the Homemaker’s Club of Manchester and became president.

During World War I she worked on the Woman’s Committee, Council of National Defense, organizing food committees and lecturing throughout the state. She lectured under the War Work Council of Y.W.C.A. and served on the State Speakers’ Bureau and Food Conservation Committee, and put on the War Pageant “Awakening of America.” She was a member of the N.H. Sunday School Association, Elliot Hospital Associates, and the N.H. Federation of Women’s Clubs (on /Legislative/Economics/Civics Committees). She became vice president of the State League of Women’s Voters.

In politics, Mrs. Effie E. Yantis was a Republican. She ran for public office in the New Hampshire legislature in 1922, representing Manchester, New Hampshire’s Ward 2 and she was elected again two years later, becoming the first woman re-elected to the New Hampshire Legislature.

In her second session, she was a member of the Labor and Agricultural College Committees. She was in favor of the ratification of the Federal Child Labor Amendment. She also promoted the Sheppard-Towner Maternity and Infancy Law.

She introduced a bill to eliminate several of the causes which then served as grounds for divorce. From Journals of the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives, New Hampshire General Court, 1925, page 109. “By Mrs. Yantis of Manchester, House Bill No. 118, An act in amendment of Section 5, Chapter 175 of the Public Statues relating to causes for divorce. To the Committee on Judiciary.”

==A BRIEF GENEALOGY OF EFFIE B. (EARLL) SLINGERLAND YANTIS==

Effie Brown Earll, daughter of John Murray & Julia Sophia (Brown) Earll, was born 8 June 1868 in Onondaga Co. NY, and died 17 May 1950 in St. Lawrence Co. NY. She attended NY schools, and the Clinton Liberal Institute prior to Cornell. She married 2nd) abt 1915 to Arnold S. Yantis, son of Solomon V. & Josephine (Jones) Yantis, as his 2nd wife. She had married 1st) Mark Vernon Slingerland, son of Jacob Albert & Mary (Ballard) Slingerland. Prof Slingerland was b. 3 Oct 1864 in Cattaraugus Co NY and died 11 March 1909 in Tompkins Co. NY.   Rev. Yantis d. 18 January 1932 in Rutland Hospital, Rutland Vermont. Effie is buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Canton, St. Lawrence Co. NY. Rev. Yantis is buried in Harpers Cemetery, Harper’s Ferry WV. Rev. Yantis had married 1st) abt 1890 to Matilda Frances Dean. She b. 1858 and d. 1911.
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1900 US Census > NY > Tompkins > Ithaca > 109 Summit Ave
Slingerland, Mark Head M W Oct 1864 35 married 9 yrs Professor
Slingerland, Effie E. wife W F June 1868 31 married 9 yrs 1 ch 1 living
Slingerland, Kathryn L. dau W F June 1895 4 yrs NY NY NY
Burger, Nellie B. servant W F Apr 1878 22 married 5 yrs 1 ch 1 living NY NY NY
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1915 US Census > NY > Cagyuga > Auburn
Arnold S. Yantis Head M 54 Pastor, Universalist
Effie wife F 44 Housework
Katherine Slingerhand 20 college
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1920 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 266 Harrison Street.
Arnold S. Yantis Head M 58 Virginia VA MD Minister, Universalist
Effie E. Yantis Wife F 50 New York
Katherine Slingerland/Slingerhand dau F 22 single New York NY NY
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1930 US Census > Vermont > Rutland > Rutland
Arnold S. Yantis 60
Effie Yantis 55
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1940 US Census > NY > St. Lawrence > Canton
Buys, John Head M W 42 wid NY Instructor University
Buys, Marily dau F W 16 single NY
Buys Norman son M W 14 single NY
Buys Janice dau F W 4 single NY
Yantis, Effie mother-in-law F W 70 widow 2 yrs college, NY former lived Rutland VT
Van Brocklin, Lidia housekeeper F W 52 widow
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Some of the info above from Wardenaar Family Tree on Ancestry dot com.
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Syracuse Herald Journal (Syracuse NY) page 16
YANTIS WILL IS PROBATED AT CANTON
Canton–One will was probated and three other cases were heard at the Canton term of Surrogates Court conducted yesterday by Surrogate Ceylong G. Chaney. The will of Mrs. Effie E. Yantis of Canton was probated. John L. Buys of Canton is the petitioner. Albert Jakobson of Canton is the attorney.
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Child of Mark V. & Effie B. (Earll) Slingerland:
1. Kathryn Lillie Slingerland, b. 2 June 1895 Onondaga Co NY; d. 18 Sep 1935 in Jefferson Co. NY. She m. John Levenus Buys, son of William Henry & Lillian Mary (Dutcher) Buys. They had 3 children, 2 daughters and a son.

Some Sources:

[1] Granite State Monthly, Vol 54-55, by Otis Grant Hammond, 1922, “What Qualities Make For Success?”
[2] Cornell Magazine [Cornell Alumni News, May 15, 1950, Vol 52, Number 16) Necrology
[3] FamilySearch vital records and census records.