John Putman Yates was born on 12. Feb. 1825 at New York City, New York County, New York. He was the son of
Christoper E. Yates and
Catherine Couwenhoven Van Horn. John Putman Yates married
Cloe Ann Josephine Henry, daughter of
Milo Henry and
Chloe Ann B. Osborn, in 1853 at Madison, Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma. John Putman Yates died on 30. May. 1894 at Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, at age 69. He died on 30. May. 1895 at Ceresco, Saunders County, Nebraska, at age 70. John's middle name has been seen as Putnam and Pulman, but most of the references just show JP Yates. In the 1874 Historical Atlas of Hancock Co, it is listed that John P Yates came to Appanoose Township, Hancock County in 1834 making him one of the very first settlers (with his parents).
John's plat is shown on the plat map from 1859 in Appanooce (?) Hancock Co, IL. It is next door to C.E. Yates, his father Christopher E. Yates.
John's middle name is seen as Putnam or Putnaman in other family trees such as the Broderbund WFT Vol 5, Ed 1, Tree#3981.
John had a farm hand at his farm at the time of the 1870 census named Frederick Hager from Switzerland (he was 22). In 1874 he owned land on the northwest corner of section 33 in Appanoose Township.
John was an early settler of Ceresco, NE. In the Centennial issue of the Ceresco newspaper the following was written regarding some of his influential opinions:
"On June 10, 1886 the Townsite Company bought the original 160 acres of land where part of the present community is located for a total of $3000. Another difference of opinion developed when the location of the main street was discussed. J. P. Yates wanted it to run east and west past his farm home, the only home on the new town site. His position prevailed, and the post office was moved.
Yates also attempted to convince railroad officials that the depot should be built on Main Street. Those responsible for its construction believed otherwise and built it three blocks south of Main Street. That decision once again caused the railroad to be a major factor in the development of Ceresco because it influenced the location of the business section of the town. The core of the business section is three blocks south of Main Street and the main street of Ceresco runs north and south and is not Main Street."
In 1887 JP Yates owned the feed stable in Ceresco as seen in the 1887 Business Directory:
Business Directory, 1887
Attorney-at-Law Freeman Knowles
Contractor Gilbert Rouse
Ceresco Hotel A. Andrus
Livery & Feed Stable J. P. Yates.