Established 2023

Life of "Yeap", Life of George Washington Yeaple

Monday, November 11, 2024
Hannah Kim

[Introduction]

I was in your shoes just a few days ago, my first time encountering anything related to records of the incarcerated. The questions you have were also mine, the little curious voice chiming in every time I spotted something interesting.

In this short excerpt, I hope to guide you through the life of a particular incarcerated person. “Yeap” -his real name George Washington Yeaple- who was someone more than just four tiny prints of character in The Umpire. The listed questions associated with each “eras” are my intuitive thoughts that lead the research. Hopefully my thoughts resemble that of yours, and we are able to resolve our curiosities together.

[Table of Content]

Before Prison Era: 1880 - 1904

B2927 to B6031 Era: 1905 - 1912

Development Era: 1912 - 1913

Discharge Era: 1913

Settling Down Era: 1914 - 1957

[Before Prision Era]

ad image The Umpire 1913_149

Who are these people behind these ads? Who is “Yeap”-what an interesting nickname!-and is that his real name?

On January 27th, 1880, George Washington Yeaple was born in York county, Pennsylvania. Yeaple inherited not only his parent’s blue gray eyes, but also brown hair. His darker complexion settled as he went to both public and private school until he was 15 years old, or as he was working as an apprentice printer.

[B2927 to B6031 Era]

So why was Yeap in prison?

Yeaple had a tendency for larceny. Attempted robbery landed him in Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP) for the first time when he was 23 years old as B2927. He was imprisoned twice more for larceny before returning to ESP as a 31 year old– now as B6031 and “Yeap”.

[Development Era]

the umpire The Umpire 1913_025

What was so special about Yeap? Why did he get a nickname?

Yeap is mentioned in The Umpire, an internally created and distributed magazine in ESP. Fitting to the title, included were weekly updates about baseball games organized within. From a printer who “fanned” in his first game, Yeap grows as a “star baseball pitcher”, who features in an all-star team!

shawl

Another column Yeap often appears in is FOR SALES, where he sells custom order shawls and tidies. Within the time he was incarcerated, he gained a “reputation for making some of the best”.

[Discharge Era]

discharge The Umpire 1913_174

As a star baseball player and talented artist, Yeap builds his name, more widely known as “Yeap” than George, and connection in ESP, “leaving a host of friends who wish him well”. This included William Mitchell, the author and editor of the section wishing Yeap farewell “into the cold world”. Whether that was literal -his discharge was during the winter- or not, Mitchell highlights his friendship with Yeap, and how well Yeap was integrated into the ESP community. He is discharged as a 32 year old.

[Settling Down Era]

What happened to Yeap after he was discharged?

Within the span of 3 years after discharge, Yeaple not only moved out of his parent’s house, but married Margaret M. Wolfred who gave birth to his firstborn Evelyn Romaine Yeaple. Unfortunately, his firstborn passed away 9 months after birth, but his second child George Washington Yeaple Jr. lived healthy. Although Yeaple Jr. was enlisted during World War 2, he was discharged before the burial of his mother Margaret M. Yeaple first, then George Washington Yeaple Sr.

After Yeaple’s incarceration at ESP, he did not commit any more larceny, became financially independent from his parents, and built a loving family with Margaret. His time at ESP marked a turning point in his life, from a frequent convict of larceny to a patriarch of a family.

eel

Yeaple is not mentioned in The Umpire after his release. The only other time Yeaple is featured in printing is in the newspaper The Harrisburg Telegraph, in which he is praised for catching an “immense eel”.

[Citations]

  1. "Elegant in red cape (1890-1900) painting in high resolution by Henry Somm. Original from The Public Institution Paris Musées. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel." by Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
  2. Harrisburg telegraph. (Harrisburg, Pa.), 31 Aug. 1914. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038411/1914-08-31/ed-1/seq-8/
  3. Kane, William, ed. “League Season Opens.” The Umpire 2, no. 4, April 9, 1913.
  4. Kane, William, ed. The Umpire 2, no. 6, April 23, 1913.
  5. Mitchell, William, ed. “The Christmas Trade: Prison Manufacturers Busy Preparing for the Annual Boom in Novelties.” The Umpire 2, no.32, October 22, 1913
  6. Mitchell, William, ed. “For Sale/Wanted” The Umpire 2, no.36, November 19, 1913
  7. Mitchell, William. “Things Talked About” The Umpire 2, no. 42, December 31, 1913.
  8. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Convict Reception Registers; Series: 15.56
  9. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1929-1990; Series Number: Series 3
  10. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, PA, USA; Pennsylvania (State). Death Certificates, 1906-1968; Certificate Number Range: 046121-049250
  11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, PA, USA; Pennsylvania (State). Death Certificates, 1906-1968; Certificate Number Range: 058501-061200