|
NAVAGATION
Genesee County Biographies
Names A to B
Names C
Names D to E
Names F to G
Names H
Names I to L
Names M to N
Names O to R
Names S
Names T to Z
Companies in 1890
===========
QUICKLINKS
Online Biographies
Genesee County History
New York History
Erie County Biographies
Linkpendium Genesee County
|
Yates, Rev. John H., was born in Batavia, N. Y., November 31, 1837, a son of John Yates, who was a native of
England, and with his wife, Elizabeth Taylor Yates, came to Batavia in 1832. He was a manufacturer of shoes-, and
was, during the later years of his life, a traveling temperance lecturer; he died December 5, 1866. John H. Yates.
the subject of this sketch, was educated at the Batavia Union School, but at the age of eighteen was forced to
engage in business as a clerk to help maintain his aged parents.- For several years he was with his brother, Thomas
Yates, in the shoe business; afterwards, for seven years, salesman in G. B. Worthington's hardware store. In 1871
he took charge of the fancy goods department in E. L. & G. D. Kenyon's double store and remained there fifteen
years. In 1886 he was called to be local editor of the Progressive Batavian, and filled the position nearly ten
years. When twenty-one years of age Mr. Yates was licensed to preach in the Methodist church, but was not ordained
until 1897. For nearly seven years now he has been pastor of the Free Will Baptist church at West Bethany. In 1864
Mr. Yates was married to Miss Maria Everson of Port Hope, Out. By her he had four sons, Fred E., Arthur C.. Walter
S. and Albert R. Three of them are now dead. Mrs. Yates, Walter and Albert all died in one week of diphtheria.
Arthur Cleveland Yates the only son now living, has been for eight years and is now in the government printing
office at Washington. In 1880 Mr. Yates was married the second time to Mrs. Sarah Cottle, also a native of England.
with whom he is now living. At about the age of twenty, Mr. Yates began writing poetry at the solicitation of his
mother, and very soon his ballads and hymns were printed and sung all over the land. In 1891, Ira D. Sankey, the
famous singer, engaged Mr. Yates to write gospel hymns for him, solely; he was led to do this because of the wonderful
success of Mr. Yates's old man ballad, the "Model Church," which has been sung all over the world. After
the contract with Mr. Sankey. the following hymns soon appeared from the pen of Mr. Yates: Harbor Bell," "Faith
is the Victory," "Beautiful Hills," "Our Name's in Heaven," and about twenty others. In
December, 1897, Mr. Yates issued a volume of ballads and poems, a book of 117 poems and 226 pages, which are now
nearly all sold. A second edition will be printed before the supply is gone. On the occasion of the dedication
of the old land office in 1894, Mr. Yates wrote the dedicatory poem, "Our Ancient Landmark," a production
of unusual merit.
Source:
Our Countty and it's people
a descriptive work on Genesee County, New York
Edited by: F. W. Beers
J.W. Vose & Co., Publishers, Syracuse, N. Y. 1890
|
|