Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 10.djvu/495

 YATES

YATES

He sailed from Charleston, S.C, in March, 1861, and tlie mission proving fruitless, he returned to Alabama in February, 1862. Prior to his re- turn he was elected by the legislature, with Cle- ment C. Clay, Jr., to the first Confederate States senate, receiving all of the votes of both houses except one, under the constitution which was to go into operation Feb. 22, 1862, and he took his seat on that day at the Confederate States capitol, Richmond, Va. He was a conspicuous member of that body. Hon. Robert Jemison, a member of the Alabama state senate, at the time of his death, was chosen as his successor, and in his parting address to that body refers to him " as the lamented Yancey, whose eloquence and per- severance in the cause of Southern rights con- tributed more largely than the efforts of any other man to bring about our separation from the old Federal Union." He is buried in the ceme- tery at Montgomery, Ala., and a tall shaft marks the spot. All of his literary remains, consisting of correspondence, scrap books, newspaper files, and relics are in the possession of the Alabama Department of Archives and History, Mont- gomery. He died at his plantation home near Montgomery, Ala., July 28, 1863.

YATES, Abraham, delegate, was born in Albany, N.Y., Aug. 23, 1724; son of Abraham Yates, and a descendant of Joseph Yates, who came to Albany soon after 1664, and married Hubertje Marselis Bommel. He was a delegate to the lst-4th provincial congresses, 1775-77, serving as president, 1775-76 ; was appointed a member of the committee of safety, protection and correspondence, 1775 ; a state senator, 1777 and 1779-90 ; receiver of Albany, 1778-79 ; mayor of the city, 1790-96, and a delegate from New York to the Continental congress, 1788-89 ; mayor of Albany, 1795. He is the author under "Sid- ney " and other pen-names of a series of articles espousing the cause of the Revolution. He died in Albany, N.Y.. June 30. 1796.

YATES, Joseph Christopher, governor of New York, was born in Schenectady, N.Y., Nov. 9, 1768 ; son of Col. Christopher (1737-1785) and Jane (Bradt) Yates, and grandnephew of Abra- ham Yates (q.v.). His father, a land surveyor, served as captain in the French and Indian war ; as in the Revolutionaiy war ; subsequently be- came colonel of New York troops and quar- ter-master-general under Gen. Philip Schuyler. Joseph C. Yates was educated by a private tu- tor, in a private academy and at Sclienectady ; studied law under his cousin, Peter Y. Yates : was admitted to the bar, and began practice in Al- bany, N.Y. He was the first mayor of Schenec- tady, 1798-1808 ; a state senator. 1806-07 ; judge of the supreme court, 1808-22, and governor of New York, 1828-25. He was married, first, to

Ann Ellice, widow, of Schenectady ; secondly, to Maria Kane of Albany, and thirdly, to Ann Eliz- abeth DeLancy. Governor Yates was a founder of Union college, serving as a trustee of the cor- poration, 1795-1887, and was made a regent of the University of the State of New York in 1812. He died in Schenectady, N.Y., March 19, 1837.

YATES, Richard, governor of Illinois, was born in Warsaw, Ky., Jan. 18, 1818 ; son of Henry and Millicent Yates ; grandson of Abner Yates, and a descendant of Dr. Michael Yates of Caro- lina county. Va., who emigrated from Yorkshire, England. He removed with his parents to Spring- field, 111., 1831 ; attended Miami university, 1828- 30; was graduated from Illinois college, A.B., 1835 ; studied law ; was admitted to the bar in 1838, and began practice in Jacksonville, III. He was married in 1838, to Catharine, daughter of William and Mary Geers, of Jacksonville, 111. He was a representative in the state legislature, 1842-49 ; a Whig representative from Illinois in the 32d-33d congresses, 1851-55, being defeated as the Republican candidate for re-election to the 34th congress, and was governor of Illinois, 1861- 65. He was elected U.S. senator as a Union Republican, serving, 1865-71, and officiating as chairman of the committees on Revolutionary claims and territories ; was a delegate to the Loyalists' convention at Philadelphia, Pa., 1866, and was subsequentl}' appointed U.S. commis- sioner to examine railroads in Arkansas. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by Beloit college in 1865. He died in St. Louis, Mo., Nov. 27, 1873.

YATES, Richard, Jr., governor of Illinois, was born in Jacksonville, 111.. Dec. 12, 1860; son of Richard (q.v.) and Catharine (Geers) Yates. He was graduated from Illinois college, A.B., 1880, A.M., 1883, and from the University of Michigan, LL.B., 1884, commencing practice in Jacksonville, 111., and serving as city attorney, 1885-91. He was married, Oct. 28, 1888, to Helen, daughter of A. C. and Delia Wadsworth of Jacksonville, 111. He was the Republican nomi- nee for congressman-at-large, 1S92 ; co-judge of Morgan county. 111., 1894-97; U.S. collector of internal revenue, Springfield, 111., 1897-1900, and in 1901 became governor of Illinois, his guber- natorial term to expire in 1905. The honorary de- gree of LL.D. was conferred upon him in 1902 by the National Swedish college at Rock Island, 111.

YATES, Robert, jurist, was born in Schenec- tady, N.Y., March 17, 1738 ; son of Joseph and Maria (Dunbar) Yates ; grandson of Robert and Margriet (De Graaf) Yates and of John Dunbar, and a descendant of Joseph Yates, who came to Albany soon after 1664 and married Hubertje Jlarselis Bommel. He received a liberal educa- tion ; studied law in New York city under Will-