Perspective of Walter Yost: Northeast Kansas Artist

By Karen McDow

This biography provides a glimpse into the life and career of Northeast Kansas artist/muralist/craftsman Walter Yost (1911-1995). The reader can follow his extensive endeavors with the visual arts as he becomes an educator, farmer, businessman and community leader. Along the way his ever engaging manner and humorous take on life in general can most likely provide some relaxing diversion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gatekeeper Press
• Release date: Jul 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9781642372106

Book preview

white

˜ ˜ Introduction ˜ ˜

Why a Book?

Ever since Mr. Chris Taylor, Executive Director of the Atchison Depot Museum, described plans for the ‘True to His Roots’ exhibit about the life and career of artist Walter Yost, an accompanying book for that topic seemed a timely and appropriate idea. It had been about two decades since the passing of Walter, and many folks still seemed to have special memories and interest about his work and life. Many good adjectives come to mind when recalling the inspired and inspiring fellow that was Walter. To name only a few of those that come to mind would be engaging, helpful, brave, witty, entertaining, high energy, certainly creative and skilled, generous, knowledgeable and ever so wonderfully upbeat and positive about life. Yes, I was the blessed one chosen to be his daughter and have a front row seat to share some daily activities and various experiences of his ever evolving career. It was an incredible and rare gift.

Walter would be the first to agree that his early life was anything but glamorous, with any ‘luxuries’ being quite few and far between. Growing up in rural Northeast Kansas there was no electricity, no indoor plumbing and only ‘Jewell’, the ever knowledgeable and trustworthy horse, to provide most transportation needs. That is not to say there was not some fun and rousing times to be had. With six older and one younger sibling, native German speaking parents, maternal grandmother and usually a couple of hired hands thrown in the mix, the environment promised little dullness for the young lad. There was daily fresh baked bread with recently hand churned butter to enjoy. Mother Anna’s quite popular burnt sugar cake with burnt sugar frosting was a frequent treat. And, on more extra-ordinary occasions the unique and quite decorative ‘Springerle’ cookies to admire as well as to savor. Of course, there were always their parent’s ever amazing stories describing their native Switzerland to intrigue and fascinate young minds and imaginations. Regular farm chores and demanding physical work was a given. On the plus side, such factors have been known to enable youngsters with the positive development of body, mind and spirit.

Following 8th grade graduation from a one room school, Walter continued his education at Farmington High School. Round trip on the several mile daily journey each day was compliments of (you guessed it), the family horse. In his late adolescence, Walter was the victim of a severe accident while working on a tree cutting assignment at a local farm. The large tree by a creek fell on his mid section area crushing his pelvis. Following surgeries extensive infection (termed peritonitis) developed, which was extremely life threatening. The doctors told his fiancé Mary to hold little hope for him. It was the early 1930’s, the season was summer, week after week Walter was laying in the non-air-conditioned hospital. Eternal thanks to our good Lord, the skilled and devoted medical personnel, support from family and friends, and wonderful daily visits from Mary, Walter miraculously was granted a long awaited recovery. Fortunately, the world did not get cheated out of an upcoming artist.

With the glorious gift of the return of his health, Walter’s goals with education became quite focused and determined. He proceeded to graduate from Atchison High School in 1935, and then went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kansas in 1939. In 1958, Walter was awarded a Masters Degree in fine arts from the University of Kansas. And, in 1985, he was presented with an Honorary Doctor’s Degree from the Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. However, the folks who enjoy one or more of Walter’s paintings in their home or elsewhere probably don’t give a lot of thought to Walter’s academic accomplishments, but rather to the pleasant thoughts for them that his paintings can create. It seems when visiting with people about his work, the conversation usually progresses to my friend (neighbor, or relative etc.) has a painting of your Dad’s about ‘a certain scene’.

So, maybe this book endeavor can become somewhat a ‘sharing event’ for folks to view many of Walter’s mostly Northeast Kansas inspired paintings. Northeast Kansas was certainly where his blessed heart and soul most often found grand inspiration, creativity and joy. As you may cruise through this book, you are wished a pleasant journey. Hopefully the experience will be enjoyable, rewarding and also inspiring. May these pages be a fitting memorial as their purpose was intended.

— Karen McDow

Grandma Baking Bread - The illustration is taken from the book When I Was a Boy Book 1, by Jim Craig

˜ ˜ In The Beginning ˜ ˜

The Yost Family Comes to America

Walter’s paternal grandfather, Nicholas Yost, immigrated to America from Seewis, Switzerland in the early 1860s and settled at Sauk City, Wisconsin, then an Indian Territory. He married Agnes Weili, and to this union was born four children: George Richard, Lena Yost Bourne, and twin boys, Nicholas and Paul. The mother died when the twins were three days old. His second marriage was to Mary Schweitzer or (Schweitcher) in Sauk City. To this union eleven children were born: Anna Yost Toothman, Andrew, Mary Yost Robinson, Elizabeth Lizzie Yost Diecker, Erma Yost Gray and three sets of twins, Menna and Minnie, Henry and Agnes, Barbara and Lawrence. Menna died at age of 13 following an accident. The other twins all died in infancy, and are buried in Rose Valley Cemetery, Downs, as well as their mother, who died of pneumonia in 1900 at the age of 51. Anna Toothman reached the age of 103 and Lizzie Diecker age 95.

In 1878 the Nicholas Yost family moved from Sauk City, Wisconsin, to Smith County, Kansas, and a few years later to Osborne County, Downs, Kansas.

In 1886, George R. Yost, age 17, left Downs for the Camp Creek area, Atchison County, where he hired out as a farm hand for six years. By 1892 he had saved enough money for a down payment on a farm, the future Walter Yost home, 1-1/2 miles due west of Parnell, Kansas.

In 1887 Sr. Nicholas’ brother George, his wife and eight children and their elderly father, Bartholomew, left Seewis, Switzerland for Downs. Their two sisters remained in Switzerland. Nicholas, George and Bartholomew lived the remainder of their lives in Downs.

* * * * *

Jacob Frei left Glattfelden, Switzerland, October 1880, for America. He came to the Camp Creek Community where he worked as a farm hand for three years. October 1883, he returned to Switzerland to bring his wife, Barbara, and their three daughters: Mary14, Anna 12, and Emilie 8 to America. The return trip began January 24, 1884, the voyage requiring three weeks. The family resided one year in Camp Creek area, where the three girls attended White Clay School, then moved to Washington, Kansas, where the parents lived until Jacob died February 22, 1909.

Mary married Herman Banninger and lived at Tescott, Kansas. Seven children were born to them: Fred, Bertha, Amelia, Walter, John, Robert, and Harold.

Through a friend, Suzanna Holtz Wohlgemuth, Anna was encouraged to come to the Camp Creek Community to seek employment, and to meet a prosperous, ambitious young Swiss farmer. The girls had been friends in Washington, Kansas, and both had immigrated from Switzerland. George and Anna were married at Camp Creek Evangelical Church on October 12, 1896. On the same day they set up housekeeping on the farm previously purchased by the groom (the future Walter Yost home). Fifty years and eight children later, they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in October 1946. Anna died four months later.

Emilie died at age of 17, from typhoid fever and is buried at Washington, Kansas.

* * * * *

By an act of Congress 1855 and signed by President Buchanan, the Land Office of the United States gave as bounty 160 acres of land to certain military personnel, who had served in the Mexican War. Thomas Bartlett, a seaman, was recipient of 160 acres (S 24, T 6, R 19) (the present Yost farm) in Kansas (then a territory). Bartlett sold the land at public auction at Kickapoo, Kansas, in 1860 to Alexander McPherson. The farm remained in the McPherson family until 1892 when it was purchased by George R. Yost for $4,000.

Following their marriage in 1896, George and Anna Yost moved to this farm, and lived in the three-room frame house, where their six eldest children were born, until the brick house was built in 1909. The frame house was moved across the road. In the 1940s George built a blacksmith shop joining the frame house.

Oct. 1912. Walter is one year of age, and is standing by his mother Anna, who is seated.

Walter was baptised September 24, 1911. His beautiful baptism certificate, which measures 15x20, was signed November 16, 1911.

Walter (far left) with his brothers and neighborhood fraternity chums. There were no video game addiction issues for these guys! Their various adventures were all real life rather than virtual on a glass screen. Some of their encounters became challenging. One of Walter’s college students once asked him if he had ever seen a rattlesnake. Walter then proceeded to tell the young guy ... YES. Walter then described to him that during one summer of work at various farms, he and his brother actually had