LEWIS CASS YATES.
Another one of Lafayette county's worthy citizens who has lived to good purpose, at the same time maintaining the excellent standard of right living and thinking that his ancestors were noted for through several generations, is Lewis Cass Yates, the efficient superintendent of the Lexington waterworks. He was born July 24, 1844, in Savannah, Andrew county, Missouri, and is the son of Elihu K. and Susan (Porter) Yates. Elihu Yates was born September 13, 1816, in Norfolk, Virginia, and was the son of William and Mary (Wells) Yates. William Yates was born in August, 1780, in Scotland, and he came to America with his parents in early boyhood. He was a ship's carpenter and was in the employ of the United States government in the navy yards at Norfolk, Virginia, for about thirty years. He emigrated to Cynthiana county, Kentucky, in an early day, and from there to Jackson county, Missouri, later to Platte county, and there pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres, which he farmed until his death, in June, 1842. He was a Democrat and a member of the old school Baptist church. He became one of the prominent citizens of Platte county and served as county judge one term. He married Mary Wells, a native of Virginia, and her death occurred in 1840 in Platte county, Missouri. Nine children were born to them, all now deceased.
Elihu Yates went to Kentucky with his parents when young, and he became well educated, having studied at various schools in Virginia and Kentucky and learned civil engineering, at which he worked successfully, also taught school and worked at surveying. Having come to Platte county, Missouri, when twenty-one years old, he was employed in government work for awhile. Pre-empting one hundred and sixty acres of land in Andrew county, he then turned his attention to farming, which he followed with gratifying results until 185 1, when he joined the tide of emigrants for the California gold fields. Returning home in 1852, his death occurred twelve days after his arrival. He was a Democrat and a Mason. He married Susan Porter on April 15, 1840. She was the daughter of William and Ann (Henry) Hammond Porter, and was born on July 19, 1815. Her parents came to Missouri in an early day, settling in Platte county.
Six children, two of whom are living, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Elihu K. Yates: Lewis C, of this review, and Nancy A., wife of F. C. Hampfner, of Platte county,' Missouri. The mother of these children died March 23, 1877.
Lewis C. Yates was educated in the common schools, and when a young man worked on a farm, also did considerable freighting — in fact, he devoted his time almost exclusively to trading for a period of six years. Being a good observer and an excellent judge of values, he met with a large degree of success. He then turned his attention to farming for another period of six years and laid by a comfortable competency. In 1886 he took charge of the Lexington Water Company as superintendent, which responsible position he has continued to hold to the present time, rendering high grade service and entire satisfaction to all concerned, doing much toward establishing one of the best water works systems of any town in the state. He is careful and painstaking in his efforts in this connection, and the community owes him a debt of gratitude.
Politically Mr. Yates is a Democrat, a member of the Christian church, and fraternally he belongs to the Masons, having attained the Royal Arch degree; he also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the encampment.
Mr. Yates was married on November 15, 1868, to Sallie Poteet, of Platte county, Missouri. She is the daughter of Samuel and Nancy Poteet, natives of Kentucky, and she was born December 23, 1853. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Yates, five of whom are living, namely: Lewis C, Jr., is a traveling salesman, with headquarters at Oakland, California; Nancy C. is living at home ; John C. is also a traveling salesman, with headquarters at Baltimore, Maryland; William T. is a tinner at Bartlesville, Oklahoma ; Susan P. is a school teacher.
Source: Young's History of Lafayette County, Missouri, by William Young, 1910, pp. 659-661
Submitted: Monica Schirmer Eshelman