Yeates Family from Dublin

[kenneth cooke]

Maureen
Many researchers, apparently, would like to place all the prominent members of the Yeates family as offspring of the youngest son,  Andrew Yeates of Whitestown, Balscadden, and therefore as close relatives of his grand-daughter Martha Spence,  who is well known in Mormon  circles in the U.S.A. as one of the earliest pioneers in Utah.
Up to eleven children are ascribed to Andrew and Mary, born between 1760 and 1780:
John 1760, Samuel 1762, Elinor 1764, William 1768, Jonathan 1770, Richard   1772, Anne 1774, Joshua 1775, Kendrick 1776, Marie 1779, Thomas 1780.
In fact, there are no birth or baptism records linking any of these to Andrew and Mary. If an exact baptism date is given, as well as the parish church, it should be reliable, and the certificate could be obtained, but the entries in the IGI (Mormon) index usually give approximate dates only, and no parish. This means that the family connection has not been verified. Only William’s date of birth is given, but not his baptism. This suggests that it may have come from a family bible entry.
The common factor linking all the ‘technical’ Yeates seems to be the various technical occupations and the recurrence of certain Christian names.
Marie’s daughter, Martha Spence, names only six children of Andrew and Mary:  Samuel, Ellen, William, Kendrick, Joshua and her mother Marie or Maria, but perhaps there were others, unknown to her, who had died in infancy or had moved away. She writes in her journal:
My mother was one of six children whose father Andrew Yeates owned a freehold property, named Whitestown about 20 miles north of Dublin.

Directory Entries-
In Wilson’s Dublin Trade Directory of 1801 we find:
Jonathan Yeates,  Cutler  21 Old Church St.
Samuel,  Optician  29 Capel St. 
In Pigot’s Commercial Directory of 1820:
Kendrick Yeates, Mathematical Instrument Maker, 26 Stafford St. Dublin
In Dublin 1823 there were:
Kendrick Yeates, Optician & General Brass Mfr.  26 Stafford St.
Richard Yeates, Knife & Sword Cutler to His Majesty  9 Parliament St.
Samuel Yeates, Optician   89 Dame St.
Andrew Yeates, Brass Founder
In 1842 the entries were:
Andrew Yeates & Co. Imported Foreign Goods  5 Crow St.
Yeates & Son, Opticians  2 Grafton St.
Kendrick Yeates,  General Brass Mfr. 33 Stafford St.
Sarah Yeates,  Cutler  165 Capel St.
In 1850 we find:  George Yeates, Optician 2 Grafton St. & 10 Wellington St.
In the 1913 Telephone Directory, Yeates & Son, Opticians, 2 Grafton St., Tel No. 2079, and G. W. Yeates, Dentist, 25 Lower Baggott St. Tel No. 3213

In a list of Irish instrument makers, mention is also made of Thomas,  of 119 Abbey St
in about 1848,  and William, of 18 Capel St  in 1827-1828.

‘Yeates & Son’ were Samuel, and George Mitchell Yeates, born 1796.
Andrew, 1800, was another son of Samuel Yeates.
G. W. Yeates was George Wycliffe, son of Rev. George Andrew and nephew of Stephen.
Continued....






 

[kenneth cooke]

We can look at each of the eleven “children” in turn:
John, born 1760: No definite birth or baptism date, no parish church. No subsequent record.He could have been a son of Andrew’s who died in infancy.
Samuel, 1762-1834 was the most prominent member of the Yeates family. His line carried on the business of instrument making and maintenance for at least four generations, in Ireland, England, and in four Australian states.
Samuel was apprenticed to Secombe Mason, a renowned instrument maker, who was his cousin by marriage. Later he established his business in about 1790 in Capel St.,  eventually becoming “Yeates and Son” and  moving to 2 Grafton St., corner of Nassau St. They were “by appointment optical and mathematical instrument makers” to Trinity College (university), and the Dublin Port & Docks Board.
Today Yeates and Son remains an ophthalmic business at another address, but it has had no connection with the Yeates family since the 1940s.
The ‘son’ in Yeates & Son, was George Mitchell Yeates, 1796-1882, who designed improved surveying instruments.
Samuel’s next son, Andrew,1800-1876 moved to London and from 1833 repaired instruments at the Greenwich observatory. He also ran an instrument business in London from 1837 to 1873.
Elinor (or Ellen), 1764-1834,  married Christopher Crooks, bookseller, in 1787.
William was also associated with Secombe Mason, professionally and by marriage. Secombe had married Ann Yeates, William’s cousin, in 1778, and their daughter Martha became William’s wife in 1797.
William’s son Mason Yeates, 1807-1889, is shown only as a resident of Grangemount, Balscadden, in 1862. His wife, Sarah Wilkinson, is probably the same as the Sarah Yeates, listed as a cutler at 165 Capel Street in 1842.
Jonathan Yeates, of 21 Old Church St. appears as a cutler in 1801. There are three birth entries in the IGI Index for Jonathan, all with different parents. One was born in 1751, the son of Jonathan (1719-1778).  He must be the one who married Mary Dalton in 1776, the other one(s) being too young. He gave his occupation then as ‘cutler’. He was still a cutler in 1801. His brother-in-law was the instrument maker, Secombe Mason.
It is most likely that the other two, born in 1770,  are one and the same person, ascribed by different researchers to different parents. Only one shows any reliable details. He was baptised on 25.7.1770 at St. Nicholas Within, Dublin, the son of William Yeates and Mary.
In other words, the cutler was Jonathan’s son, born 1751, and the one born in 1770 was William’s, about whom there is no further record. There is no evidence that Andrew had a son named Jonathan.
Richard, 1772, of 9 Parliament St., was listed in the Dublin Trade Directory of 1823 as “knife and sword cutler to His Majesty”. He probably supplied Dublin Castle, the residence of the Lord Lieutenant. His parentage is not  certain, but there is an entry for Richard Yeats baptised 13.9.1772 at  St. Catherine’s Dublin, son of John Yeats and Ann.
Anne, 1774. There is no birth or reliable baptism record for her. She may have died young.
Joshua 1775-1852 married Ann Locksmith on 9.2.1800, and four children are recorded. Some sources give him as Andrew’s youngest son, born about 1782, or at least after Kendrick.
Kendrick, from whom we are descended, was born in 1776 and died on 2 July 1850. He was an “optician and spectacle maker” at different premises in Stafford Street, now called  Wolfe Tone Street, in the parish of St. Mary’s, Dublin. 
He married Margaret Faulkner on 20 April 1802, and one present day family member claims that they had 17 children. I have found seven, but only six baptisms. UPDATE- 11 found, see Post 38
The youngest daughter of Andrew and Mary was Marie, 1779-1837. She married Neal Spence in 1806, and their daughter Martha, 1812-1873, had a very eventful life. She went  to the US in the 1840s, & joined the Mormons.
Thomas, born about 1780:  Apart from the entry as an instrument maker above, there is no real evidence to link him to Andrew and Mary. However there is a baptism entry for Thomas Yeats on 21.4.1771 at St. Catherine’s Dublin, son of John and Ann.
It would appear that at least four of the Yeates “brothers” were actually Andrew’s nephews, not his sons:
Jonathan, son of William (1728);  Jonathan, son of Jonathan (1719);
Richard and Thomas, sons of John (1727).
As for the children of Andrew Yeates and Mary Holmes, we seem to be left with:
Samuel 1762,  Elinor or Ellen 1764,  William 1768,  Joshua 1775 (? 1782), Kendrick 1776,  and Marie 1779. This agrees more or less with Martha Spence’s version.
As further evidence that these were Andrew’s children, we find that all except Elinor passed his name on to the next generation. The other five each had a son named Andrew, evidently named after his grandfather.
But we still lack positive proof of a family connection. We can only conclude that all the ‘technical’ Yeates’ of Dublin were somehow related.
Ken
 
 

[kenneth cooke]

Might as well complete the (early) picture.
William Yeates was born about 1690. He seems to have had four sons.
1.JONATHAN 1719-1778 mar abt 1745 Sarah Bagnall. Their children were:
John 1747, Jonathan 51, Eliz.53, Ann 1754 (mar 1778 Secombe Mason, their dau. Martha 1778, mar.1797 her mother's cousin Wm Yeates) Susannah 59, Mary 62, Robert '64-99.
2. JOHN 1727 mar Anne, sons Thomas 1771, Richard '72
3.WILLIAM 1728-1785 mar Mary,Issue: Jonathan 1770, Elinor 71, Susannah 73
4. ANDREW 1735-96 mar Mary Holmes (see previous post for family details).
Ken

[kenneth cooke]

Almost a week without a post ! Here's one:

The youngest daughter of Andrew and Mary Yeates was Marie, 1779-1837. She married Neal Spence in 1806, and their daughter Martha, 1812-1873, had a very eventful life. She went  to New York State in the 1840s, perhaps with her sister Mary, or her brother Robert and his wife. There Martha travelled round and preached the gospel, before joining a new religious sect called the Mormons.
The Mormons left New York and began their long trek south, then west, looking for a place where they would be accepted. Finally they reached Utah, where there were Indians, but few other whites to bother them. They seem to have had little trouble with the Indians.  When visiting Federal officials asked their leader why they gave the Indians food and blankets, he replied, “It’s cheaper than going to war with them.”  I am not sure whether Martha was with them on the trek, or came later.
One of the reasons it was difficult for other whites to accept them, was that they practised polygamy. In fact Martha married Joseph Leland Heywood, a Mormon elder, in Salt Lake City in 1851, and became a “plural wife”, the third of his four spouses. That is why the Yeates family have so many entries in the various Latter Day Saints’ records, in libraries and on the internet.
Heywood had a good system for managing the arrangement without friction. He kept one wife with him, and set the others up in different towns where he would visit each one from time to time.
Martha taught school and made bonnets. Heywood had 21 children by three of his wives (inc. Martha) and today his descendants are numerous. There are many references to him and his wives in Mormon records. There is a short biography of Martha based on her journal:

"Martha Spence Heywood was born in Ireland in 1812. She left with a sister for America in 1834 against their parents’ wishes, arriving penniless in New York City. She sewed and “toiled & toiled late & early”, and also traveled extensively in upstate New York and Canada, part of the time as an “Advent
preacher... enduring the scoffs and privations that attend such a course”.
In July 1848 she  joined the Mormon Church and in 1850 traveled to Utah. In 1851, she became a plural wife  of Joseph L. Heywood, a merchant and the first U.S. marshall in Utah Territory. She had two children, one of whom died at the age of 18 months.
A pioneer settler of Nephi, she lived for a time in a wagon box. Her husband visited the settlement several times a year,and she occasionally traveled to Salt Lake City. She supported herself by making hats and caps, and she trained other family members in hatmaking while her husband took orders, collected materials, and marketed the finished items. She also taught school in Nephi.
In 1861 she settled in Washington, Utah, north of St. George. There she became well known as a schoolteacher. She held classes in her home, charging three dollars a month, a fee that could be paid in produce or in chores. She died there in her 61st  year.
Historians consider her diary of the years 1850 to 1856 as one of the best personal accounts of that period in Utah. It documents, among other things, the new territory’s intellectual life, the settlement of Nephi, and polygamous family life. Unflinching in her honesty, Martha Heywood records ambivalent feelings about her marriage and the dissatisfaction of some Nephi settlers with her husband’s leadership. Her own self-examination was rigorous; and her diary remains a testament to her integrity."
Ken

[kenneth cooke]

Maureen & others,
You can find a picture of Martha Spence  (1st cousin of Matilda Yeates)
who went to Utah USA. Google in "martha spence heywood media.utah"
When it comes up, you have to click on the pic to enlarge it.
Ken

[kateebair]

Howdie
Andrew Yeates  of Whitestown c1735-1796  & Mary Holmes of Skryne c1738-1821. I have 11 children for them on a tree by James Dixon of 10 Sallymount Avenue, Ranelagh, DUBLIN from the 1930s I've been told.
It lists them as
1 John Yeates
2 Samuel Yeates Dublin optician1762 -1834 buried at Julianstown, married  23 June 1794 Mary Ellen Yeates 1768-1840, buried at Julianstown, daughter of Francis and Ann Yeates
3 Elinor Yeates married Chris Crooks
4 William Yeates of Whitestown 1768-1846 Reynoldstown Married 1797 Martha Mason 1778-1849 daughter of Seacome Mason Optician. Issue 4 sons, 7 daughters.
5 Jonathan Yeates died young
6 Richard Yeates
7 Anne Yeates
8 Kendrick Yeates married Margaret Faulkner issue 17 children
9 Maria Yeates married Neal Spence
10 Thomas Yeates
11 Joshua Yeates married Anne Smith 7 children

This tree gives Andrew Yeates 1735-1796 one the siblings of
Thomas of what looks like Sealstown wp 1796
William Yeates (something illegable) Dublin w?? 1785
John Yeates
Elizabeth Married John Wharton, weaver.
Jonathan Yeates of what looks like Broughoun & Sauveristown p. will 1778 17.97 1777. Jonathan Yeates married Susannah BAGWELL.
Ken I think you've got Sarah Bagwell.
Parents of these and of course Andrew Yeates is PARENTS NAMES WANTED.
******
Deceased Mary Kathleen "Kath" Yeates notes from the 1970s say Andrew of 1735-1796 father was also Andrew lived at Buckhurst Hill and his sister married Henry Walkes\? 7 sons and daughters.
Kath gives Andrew of 1735 siblings as
Thomas, Sandown 1796
William 1785
John
Elizabeth married John Whanton (weaver)
Johnathon B1719-1777 of Birmingham Married 1743 Susan Bagwell c1725-1781
issue 5 sons 4 daughters.
********
A letter 26 November 1939 to my Great Grandfather George Frederick Yeates from James Dixon mentions "cousins in this country (Ireland) have become reduced in numbers".  Emma Yeates of Sandycove after her very long illness of 10 years passed away in October, the last of her family.
Prisca Yeates getting on in years, her brother George Wyclif died in the last March. George is survived by three sons
1.Geo Andrew, a dentist in Dublin, married has 2 sons, Geo Brian and 20 and alex John aged 13.
2. Richard married, living in England, after many years in Egypt.
3. Robin, married, living in England, now with Army in...

We have lost since your visit 6 years ago my dear sister Jane in July 1935
Brother Andrew Francis Janurary 1936
My dearest Maud Oct 1936
There are now 4 Dixons out of the family of 9. My sister Mary has been living with me for the past 3 years.

[kenneth cooke]

Katie,
Just a quick reply before I study your details a bit more.
Is this right ? Geo Fredk was a son of Horatio 1834-1907. He was a brother of Geo Andrew 1830 & Stephen Mitchell 1832.
They were sons of George Mitchell, 1796 son of Samuel 1762. These last two were 'Yeates & Son'.
Horatio's sister Rebecca 1836, mar George Dixon, and I thought they only had three sons, who all became professors in different subjects.
Where does James fit in ? You don't mean Henry Horatio Dixon, who was alive until 1953 ?
Re Geo Wycliffe Yeates, I had him as 1860-1889, but found him in the 1913
Dublin tel. directory, so I knew he had lived longer. So he and his son Geo Andrew were both dentists.
Regards,
Ken

[bray]

Date: August 1765
Faulkner's Dublin Journal
Dublin, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Sat., 31 Aug 1765-Tues., 3 Sep 1765
The same Day, at Raheny, after a tedious Illness, Michael SWEENEY, Esq., one
of the Aldermen of this City
Faulkner's Dublin Journal
Dublin, co. Dublin, Ireland

Sat. 28 Sept 1765-Tues., 1 Oct 1765.
In Britain-street, Mrs. Sarah FALKINER, Widow of the late Alderman FALKINER,
aged 77.

[kenneth cooke]

To Bray,
You can read more about Alderman Michael Sweeny on the Sweny of Dublin
rootschat forum.
The notice abt Mrs Sarah Faulkiner, widow of Alderman F is another tantalising reference to the Faulkiners, but we still can't find out who Margaret Faulkiner was, only that she married Kendrick Yeates in 1802.
Ken