University of Virginia Library

JOHN H. YOST

John H. Yost, the subject of this sketch, was born
near Grantsville, Maryland, on February 13th, 1867.
His parents were Henry and Sarah (Livengood) Yost.
When a boy he had
such educational advantages
as the country
schools of Maryland
afforded. In his young
manhood he attended
Bridgewater College in
the Valley of Virginia.
On leaving college
he followed in the tracks
of some of America's
foremost citizens by becoming
a book agent,
and placing in the valley
homes a high class of
religious literature.
While working in this
capacity he broke any
previous record ever
made by any other
salesman in the employ of his publishing house.
This training, Mr. Yost regards as having fitted him
for a more useful sphere in life. In the year 1890 he
located in Roanoke and for three years was engaged in
the real estate business. He then associated himself
with P. S. Miller & Company, handling vehicles and
farming implements. In 1894 he purchased the entire
business and organized the Yost-Huff Company.
Though still identified with this progressive firm, for
the past five years he has been Vice President and
General Manager of the Virginia Lumber Manufacturing
Company, concerning which a more extended
sketch is to be found in another portion of this work.

On December 26th, 1893, Mr. Yost married Jennie
Irene Broadwater, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Josephus
Broadwater of Grantsville, Maryland, and to them the
following children have been born: John Vernon,
aged seventeen; Jennie Thelma, aged fifteen; Henry
Fay, aged twelve; Rebecca Silva, aged ten years.