Since the year 1878, when he established himself in business at Pattonsburg, Ben A. YATES has associated his name with every movement which has marked the city's growth and development. Primarily a business man, the needs of his adopted community found in him a liberal contributor of time, ability and energy, and his public-spirited services in office of importance have been such as to hasten his locality's growth, elevate its ideals and add to its prestige.

Mr. YATES was born in Rappahannock County, Virginia, August 21, 1855, and is a son of James A. and Louisa (KIBLER) YATES. The YATES family is of English extraction, its founder in America having emigrated to this country prior to the War of the Revolution, and several families settled in New York and Virginia, Richard YATES, the war governor of Illinois, having come from the latter branch. The KIBLERS originated in Germany, from whence Ben A. YATES' maternal grandfather came to the United States. The parents of Mr. YATES were both natives of Rappahannock County, Virginia, and there his father passed his entire life, teaching school in that and Page County. He died when Ben A. was still a small child, but the mother is still living, and since 1913 has made her home with her son, although previous to that time she lived in her native county.

Ben A. YATES received his education under the instruction of his uncle, Charles W. YATES, who was for fifty-two years a teacher and died in the schoolroom. After completing his studies, Mr. YATES secured employment with the blind millionaire. Charles Broadway ROUSEE, who operated a chain of stores in Virginia, and with whom Mr. YATES remained for three years. In 1876, desiring to see something of the West, and believing that here better opportunities awaited the man of ambition and energy, Mr. YATES came to Gallatin, Daviess County, Missouri, and in partnership with his cousin, R. G. YATES, began a grocery business. This association continued for two years, when Ben A. YATES disposed of his interests at Gallatin and came to Pattonsburg, here purchasing the Isaac McCULLEY hardware stock. Here he was successful in building up a large and representative business, through good management and hard and industrious labor, and continued to operate the enterprise alone until 1898, when he admitted to partnership his brother, W. Byrd YATES, and the firm adopted its present style of YATES Brothers. It is probable that this firm will be soon dissolved, however, as W. B. YATES has recently been appointed postmaster of Pattonsburg and will undoubtedly dispose of his business holdings that he may give his entire attention to his official duties. A large, up-to-date stock is carried by this store, including all kinds of shelf and heavy hardware, stoves and agricultural implements and machinery, and the various other articles which are to be found in a modern hardware establishment. On two occasions Mr. YATES has suffered severe losses by fire, but in spite of these setbacks has prospered satisfactorily, and his standing in business circles is that of a substantial man at the head of a paying business. His many years of honorable and upright dealing have also gained him the name of a man of the utmost integrity, and his signature is an honored one on commercial paper.

Mr. YATES was reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and has been generous in his support of its movements. Fraternally, he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he is the oldest in point of membership at Pattonsburg, and with the Knights of Pythias, in which he has been for years and is at present district deputy. Politically Mr. YATES is a democrat, and at various times has been called upon to fill such important offices as mayor, alderman and member of the school board, and for the past twenty years has held his present position of city treasurer. His public service has been characterized by a display of conscientious fidelity to duty and an interest in his community which has put personal ambitions aside. Personally, Mr. YATES is a polished, courteous gentleman, a credit to the name he bears and to the community in which he has spent so many years.

In 1880 Mr. YATES was united in marriage with Miss Minnie GABEL, of Kansas, who was born in Ohio, and to this union there have come two daughters: Helen G., who is the wife of Gilbert GROMER, of Pattonsburg; and Lee, who is the wife of Charles AGEE, of Mount Ayr, Iowa.

W. Byrd YATES, recently appointed postmaster at Pattonsburg, and a brother of Ben A. YATES, was born in Rappanhannock County, Virginia, January 19, 1852, and like his brother received his education under the instruction of his uncle, Charles W. YATES. When he was ready to enter upon a career of his own, he chose railroading as his sphere of activity, and until 1885 was employed on a run between Wilmington and Philadelphia. In the year mentioned Mr. YATES was appointed to the United States Mail Service, under the administration of President CLEVELAND, and in this connection came to Missouri, continuing to act in the same capacity until 1898, in which year he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits. With his brother, Ben A. YATES, he founded the firm of YATES Brothers, hardware dealers, a venture that succeeded and prospered, and which will only terminate because of Mr. YATES' appointment to the post-mastership by President WILSON. Mr. YATES is a stalwart and uncompromising democrat and has long been an active and influential worker in the interests of his party. He is a Mason fraternally, and a member of the Christian Church.

In 1893, while a resident of Clinton County, Missouri, Mr. YATES was united in marriage with Miss Anna WRIGHT, and four children have been born to this union: Mary, who is attending school at Lexington, Missouri; and Dorothy, Virginia and Elizabeth, all residing at home.

SOURCE: WILLIAMS, Walter A History of Northwest Missouri Pp. 1441-42. Lewis Publ. Co. Chicago. 1887.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009