Was a Tailor.
From Doroty Bonar and also on SL film 870017, Johnson Co, Mo cemetery records.
From Doroty Bonar and also on SL film 870017, Johnson Co, Mo cemetery records.
He served in WW 1. He was a member the the RLDS Church in Knob Noster, Mo.
Ancestor of Betty Pond Snyder, 1675 Beach Park Blvd., Foster City, CA 94404. She & Fay C. corres. in 1988. Also ancestor of Roberta Hammer 9612 W. 56th Terr., Merriam, KS 66203-2415- Aug 2002.
Source: Yates, William A. Genealogy of James Yates, The Immigrant to
Pennsylvania, 1684. Ozark, MO: 1984.The birthdates of all the above children were recorded in a family Bible,
published in 1885. Photocopies are in the possession of the present writer.William Solomon Yates and his family were listed on the 1880 census of West
Washington Township, Mercer Co., Mo. (#114) His father, William Yates, lived
nearby. He purchased 80 acres in Mercer County, which he farmed for a time
before selling out and moving to Southern Missouri.Charles Yates described his father as a big, husky man, with a rudy complexion
and light brown hair. He was about 5' 8" tall and weighed over 200 pounds.
He had hazel colored eyes. William Solomon "Sod" Yates and his wife were of
the Methodist faith. They took their family to church at the country school
in Watonga, Okla.Mrs. Anona Simpson remembered when her Uncle "Sod" lived on a farm near
LaHarpe, Kans., when she was a child. "Charlie (your grandfather) and his
brother Walter were young men. Cora and George Sparks lived at LaHarpe also.
I know, I was in the grades. . .Uncle Sod was a carpenter, and he remodeled a
four room dwelling into a small church for L. D. when he lived at LaHarpe. .
.I always thought a lot of Uncle Sod".William Applegate Yates, a nephew, remembered visiting William Solomon Yates
in Oklahoma, at Watonga, in 1906. "Uncle Solomon moved from near Princeton,
Mo. to South Mo. in the fall, about 1890 or 1891 with 3 covered wagons. Girls
drove 1 wagon. Wm. Billie one, Uncle and Aunt the third wagon. Moved in the
fall. They stayed at our house all night".A granddaughter, Mrs. Nellie Davis, remembered that W. S. Yates moved to New
Mexico, where he owned a farm and raised beans. After a crop failed, he went
to Calif. and stayed for awhile with his son, Charles Yates.William Solomon Yates was living at Pottersville, Howell Co., Mo. when his
wife died. Later he went to Oklahoma and stayed at the 101 Ranch near Ponca
City, with his son, Cliff Yates. After his death there, his body was taken
back to Howell County, to be buried with his wife. Cliff Yates purchased a
marker for the graves of William Solomon and Arabella (Swan) Yates.From the Oklahoma death certificate of William Solomon Yates, we find that he
died of "Pulmonary Tuberculosis". The death certificate states that he was
buried at West Plains, Mo., but a son, Charles Yates, stated that he was
buried at Pottersville.
Ref: Yates, William A. Genealogies of Forty American Families: Ancestors
of William A. Yates. Ozark, MO: 1989.Jesse Swan was buried beside his wife at the Otterbein Cemetery. Names of his
children were obtained from the 1860, 1870, and 1880 census of Mercer Co.,
Mo.; William B. Rogers and N. G. Rogers, History of Mercer County, Missouri,
(1911); and cemetery inscriptions."The oldest and one of the most highly respected residents of Ravanna
township, Jesse Swan, makes his home in the town of Ravanna and is the owner
of 393 1/2 acres of fine lands lying to the southward. . .When he was
seventeen years old our subject moved to Iowa, thence to southern Illinois,
and thence, at the age of twenty years, to Missouri. He located in Mercercounty about 1856. . .Mr. Swan has devoted his life to farming and has amassed
a comfortable fortune for his declining years. He is devoted to the
principles of the Democratic party, is a Mason and a member of the M. P.
church at Ottervein. Throughout the Civil War he was a member of the State
militia [44th Regiment, Jan. 28, 1862 to Oct. 31, 1864], and rendered faithful
service." [Rogers and Rogers, p. 639]"Over Half a Century. Jesse Swan, buried Thursday at Otterbein Cemetery, had
been a resident of Ravanna Township 55 years."Jesse Swan, eighty one years of age and a pioneer resident of Mercer Co. died
at his home in Ravanna Tuesday, Sept. 12th following an illness of many
months. Funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at the Otterbein church
conducted by Rev. Arthur S. Olson, pastor of the Mercer U.B. Church, assisted
by Rev. D. F. Loutzenhiser of Ravanna. Both ministers paid a high tribute to
the noble life of the deceased and at the conclusion of the services the
remains were tenderly laid to rest in the near by cemetery in the presence of
a large oncourse of friends whose sympathy was manifest ot the bereft wife and
children."Jesse Swan was born at Bedford, Lawrence County, Indiana, Feb. 28, 1830. He
was the son of John and Catherine Bouton Swan, natives of Tennessee. When 17
years old he emigrated to Iowa, thence to Southern Ill. and at the age of 21
located in Mercer Co. being the purchaser of one of the first lots sold in
Ravanna."In 1851 he was married to Miss Mary McCleary and to this union were born 10
children, of whom 8 with the grief stricken wife survive. These are Mrs.
Ellen Spencer, Mrs. Arbell Yates, John D., William P., George, James, Benjamin
and Henry Swan. Jesse and Catherine died in infancy."Mr. Swan was one of the oldest and most highly respected residents of Ravanna
Township. His life was chiefly devoted to farming with marked success, he
owning at his death one of the finest farms in that section of the country."He was a member of the U.B. church at Otterbein for many years, the land
where the church stands being donated by him for the purpose. As a Christian
man he was humble, zealous, consistentent and unmovable in his stand for God
and right. His influence went out far and wide and his noble deeds and life
example will not soon be forgotten. The deceased was a kind husband, an
affectionate father, a sympathetic friend and neighbor always willing to
assist those in need and comfort the distressed. Toward the end of his life
he suffered untold pain and agony but bore it all with Christian fortitude.
Death had no fears for him and he was so resigned to his Master's will that
when the final summons came he could say, 'It is well'." [Typed copy of an
obituary found in the Yates family bible; sent by Nellie Davis]."Jesse Swan, of Ravanna, eighty-three years old and a pioneer resident of this
county, died at his home Tuesday. He was a member of the U.B. Church and for
many years preached the gospel in this county. He owned a farm in that
vicinity which he entered from the government. Mrs. Swan was well known and
highly respected by all. By his thrift and good management he accumulated
considerable property. He was the owner of six hundred acres of good land and
was one of the wealthy residents of that vicinity. Besides his faithful wife,
he leaves five sons and one daughter. They are George, James, Benjamin and W.
P. Swan of this county. Henry Swan and Mrs. Ellen Spencer of Washington. One
son, John Swan, died a few years ago". [The Princeton Post, 14 Sept 1911,
page 1].
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