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Biography For Alice Yawkey

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Author:
Gary Gisselman

Background:

Alice Maud Richardson was born in East Saginaw, Michigan to Noah and Susanna Turner Richardson on October 26, 1863.  After Noah died, in 1869, in Saginaw, Susanna married Edwin Spence and the family relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Through acquaintances and events, Alice Yawkey came to meet Cyrus Yawkey of Saginaw, Michigan.

Alice and Cyrus married on October 13, 1887 in Ann Arbor and soon moved to Saginaw, the home of Cyrus Yawkey where their only child, Leigh, was born August 23, 1888. 

Cyrus Yawkey’s family had very large investments in the lumber industry of northern Michigan. In the mid 1880’s, they began to see the timber potential of the white pine forests of northern Wisconsin. Cyrus, Alice, and daughter Leigh and business partners W. C. Yawkey and George Lee, moved to Oneida County, Wisconsin in 1889 to start the Yawkey and Lee lumber business, an enterprise that included a sawmill, a planning mill, and a box factory.

In 1899, the Yawkeys moved to the bustling city of Wausau to gain the benefits of living in a larger city and for Cyrus to be closer to more business opportunities and fellow entrepreneurs.  

In Wausau, Alice came to play an important role within the social and cultural life of the city.  One of the many organizations she was active in was the Ladies’ Literary Club. The Ladies Literary Club, established in 1877, was the premier women’s group in the city. It was formed to promote and develop the educational, intellectual and social culture in the city.  Mrs. Yawkey was an active and life-long participant in the club.  One of the main activities of the club was the presentation of topics given by members of the club.

There are many instances of her reading papers at meetings of the club. One such talk was on suns of the universe, this topic reflected Mrs. Yawkey’s great interest in the study of astronomy. She had a magnificent telescope in her house that aided her in her observation of the stars.

Mrs. Yawkey also directed and acted in plays for the Drama Club. She played the lead in the play “The Old Lady Shows Her medals” by J.M. Barrie. She also directed a production of the “Wizard of Oz.”

Both Cyrus and Alice played a large role in the activities of the First Universalist Church. Cyrus and Alice were major contributors to the new sanctuary, fellowship hall, and parish house. The congregation was so thankful for their donation they named the fellowship hall Cyrus Yawkey Hall.

Mrs. Yawkey was also very active with the local Daughters of the American Revolution club in Wausau and the Tuesday Music Club.

Her house at 403 McIndoe Street was often the center of meetings of these organizations. Mrs. Yawkey was a very civic person and her house and her gardens were an integral part of her social and cultural life.

Alice Maud Richardson Yawkey died April 3, 1953.

Gary Gisselman
July 14, 2020

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