Bartholomew C. Yates. The residence of this gentleman in the beautiful town of Geneva distinguishes the place as the home, in his life of retirement, of one who may now be called the father of the secret service and detective agencies, as organized and practiced in this country. At all events there are few, if any, who can date the commencement of their services farther back than can Mr. Yates, which extends over a period of fifty years. He was born in Oneida County, N. Y., August 2, 1811. His ancestors were of Holland. His grandfather, Yates, was the first of the family who came to America; first stopping in New Jersey, and then going to the State of New York. His parents were Thomas and Olive (Rawson) Yates, natives of New York. The father was a highly respected gentleman, and did the country good service in the War of 1812-1815.
Mr. Yates grew to manhood amid the scenes of pioneer life, and experienced many severe deprivations. His boyhood was spent on the borders of the white settlements, his parents having removed to Western New York when he was but six years old. When Mr. Yates had reached the age of seventeen years he commenced to learn the carpenter's trade, and connected with it that of chair maker. With the small wages he could thus earn he was enabled to contribute considerably to the maintenance of his parents and family, during which time there was a failure of crops, and provisions reached such high figures as $50 a barrel for flour. He was hardly past his twenty-first year, when circumstances turned his attention to the detection and discovery of criminals, and bringing them to the bar of justice. He moved from the natural bent of his own genius, and at first was a volunteer in the smallest beginnings of a business that has now grown to be one of the great institutions of the country. When once started upon his course his rise to the very head was easy and rapid. He has seen and been a part of the craft from the volunteer pursuer of the fugitive from justice to the head and director of some of the most important agencies of the country. He was chief of police in Chicago under Mayor John Wentworth. There is scarcely one of the celebrated detectives of the past forty years but who has been his pupil, or has acted as subordinate under him; Allan Pinkerton was one of the many he trained. He hired this man and paid him monthly wages, when he took service under the General Government. During the first year of this service he captured and "sent over the road" no less than thirty-six counterfeiters. Mr. Yates came to Illinois and located on a farm in Blackberry Township in 1846. In the fall of 1848 he was elected sheriff of Kane County, and, serving his term, he was re-elected his own successor. During this time he captured fourteen horse thieves, and in all the time he never lost a thief's trail when once reported. He destroyed for a time the business of horse stealing in this part of the country.
Mr. Yates has been twice married: First to Nancy Tobias, in 1842. She was a native of New York, born in 1826. The children by this union now living are Mary Elizabeth, wife of Col. O. J. Downing, of Dixon, Ill.; Martha A., residing in Aurora, and Charles C., engaged in business in Rushville, Ill. Mrs. Yates departed this life in 1857; she died as she had lived, a pious member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The following season Mr. Yates married Susan Miller, born in Ohio, in 1838. Her father was a clergyman Evangelical Church. Of this marriage there were two children: Jessie B., now Mrs. Edward Brown, of Geneva Ill., and Richard (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Yates are exemplary members of the Methodist Episcopal Church: he is a Republican. In addition to that of sheriff he has held many minor offices. Now, at the green old age of seventy-six years, he is strong and active, physically and mentally.

Commemorative biographical and historical record of Kane County, Illinois 1888, page 684-687