When James Wilson Yates was born on October 28, 1851, in Crawford, Indiana, his father, John, was 25 and his mother, Elizabeth, was 28. He married Mary Ellen Ott on January 1, 1879, in his hometown. They had eight children in 18 years. He died on September 16, 1903, in Crawford, Indiana, at the age of 51, and was buried in Grantsburg, Indiana.

Name: James W Yates Age in 1860: 9 Birth Year: abt 1851 Birthplace: Indiana Home in 1860: Union, Crawford, Indiana Gender: Male Post Office: Grantsburg Household Members: Name Age John Yates 37 Elizabeth Yates 35 Cynthia Yates 11 James W Yates 9 Thomas J Yates 7 Evaline Yates 5 John R Yates 2 Emily E Yates 2

Name: Wilson Yates Age: 29 Birth Year: abt 1851 Birthplace: Indiana Home in 1880: Grantsburg, Crawford, Indiana Race: White Gender: Male Relation to Head of House: Self (Head) Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: Ella Yates Father's Birthplace: Indiana Mother's Birthplace: Indiana Household Members: Name Age Wilson Yates 29 Ella Yates 22

Name: James W Yates Age: 48 Birth Date: Oct 1851 Birthplace: Indiana Home in 1900: Sterling, Crawford, Indiana Race: White Gender: Male Relation to Head of House: Head Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: Mary E Yates Marriage Year: 1879 Years Married: 21 Father's Birthplace: Indiana Mother's Birthplace: Indiana Household Members: Name Age James W Yates 48 Mary E Yates 41 Arthur L Yates 19 Kate E Yates 16 Lillie A Yates 14 Harry E Yates 12 Nellie B Yates 9 Goldie L Yates 6 Edna A Yates 3 Ruby E Yates 9/12

Per Court Documents 28 Oct 1851 is correct date of birth. Certificates filed relative to widow's pension application. In fact, several documents lay out the ages of the children under 16 co-signed by two folks, Emily Roberson and Mahala Yates who swear they were present at each of the births. All very detailed.

James Wilson Yates died with smallpox; he was born in Crawford County, Indiana, the third of seven children of John Yates and Elizabeth (Roberson) Yates. Only 15 days before Wilson (as the family called him) was born, his brother Benjamin who was 21 months old died. The family had to fend for themselves when John left and ultimately from then on for on July 14th, 1864. James Wilson was only 10 when his father, John, left for the war. He was 13 when his father was killed. James Wilson Yates eventually met his life's companion in the person of Mary Ellen Ott and on Jan. 1, 1879 they were married and lived in Grantsburg, Indiana. Her dad, Greenberry S. Ott, was an established blacksmith of some reputation in Leavenworth, IN. Some years later his grandson Harry E. Yates was to become a blacksmith also.

James Wilson and Mary had eight children between the years of 1881 and 1899 and six of them lived to adulthood. James was a farmer but also did other work to make ends meet. According to cousin Ruth Landers he also worked on the railroad. It was this job on the railroad, according to Ruth, where he contracted the dreaded disease of smallpox. Of course when he became sick he naturally went home. Then the whole family was exposed to the disease. Then on September 16th of 1903 he died from the disease. A daughter Nellie also died from the disease and she died first on Jan. 1, 1903.

A story is told of a very brave man who risked his life and the life of his family to help the Yates's during that time. The story goes that when he learned of Grandpa's death he told his wife he was going to the Yates's and help the family prepare him for burial. After he had gone to the house and helped Grandma bathe and dress Grandpa for burial he went back down to the creek, took off his clothes, burned them, took a bath in the creek, and returned to his family. Since the epidemic was so rampant and so many had died no one would come near the family. That included the undertaker. Uncle Arthur and Harry had to bury their own father. Harry said they loaded him into the back of the wagon, took him over to the cemetery west of Grantsburg, and buried him.