Abraham Yates Jr. (August 23, 1724 – June 30, 1796) was an American lawyer, civil servant, and pamphleteer from
Albany, New York
Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York City ...
.
Early life
Yates was born on August 23, 1724, in
Albany, New York
Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York City ...
. He was the ninth child born to Christoffel Yates, a prosperous farmer and blacksmith, and Catelyntje Winne.
His siblings included Joseph Yates, a merchant, and John G. Yates, a blacksmith.
His paternal grandparents were Joseph Yates and Albany native Huybertie (
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Marselis) Yates.
His nephew,
Robert Yates, who represented New York at the
Philadelphia Convention
The Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787. Although the convention was intended to revise the league of states and first system of government under the Articles of Confederation, the intention fr ...
.
Another nephew was
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...
man
Peter Waldron Yates.
Career
After completing preparatory school, Yates was apprenticed to a shoemaker, which later led his political foes to call him a "crude cobbler"
and
Philip Schuyler
Philip John Schuyler (; November 18, 1804) was an American general in the Revolutionary War and a United States Senator from New York. He is usually known as Philip Schuyler, while his son is usually known as Philip J. Schuyler.
Born in Alba ...
to deride him as the "late cobbler of laws and old shoes".
An ambitious man, he went on to become a surveyor, investing in land, and then studied law with
Peter Silvester, setting up a successful law practice. Eventually, Yates was appointed the
Sheriff of Albany, serving from 1754 until 1759 under the agency of
Robert Livingston Jr.
From 1754 until 1773, he was elected and served on the Albany City Council where he was closely associated with the populist
George Clinton (who eventually became the
Vice President of the United States
The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice ...
).
Yates' election was notable as the council was generally made up of wealthy merchants and he was the sole lawyer among the group, and was known for his attacks against the patrician landowners of the era and support for small farmers.
He was also known to be a forceful opponent of British oppression.
From 1774 to 1776, he was the chairman of the Albany
Committee of Correspondence
The committees of correspondence were, prior to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, a collection of American political organizations that sought to coordinate opposition to British Parliament and, later, support for American independe ...
. Yates was also a member of the
New York Provincial Congress
The New York Provincial Congress (1775–1777) was a revolutionary provisional government formed by colonists in 1775, during the American Revolution, as a pro-American alternative to the more conservative New York General Assembly, and as a repla ...
from 1775 to 1777, serving as
president pro tempore
A president pro tempore or speaker pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer. The phrase ''pro tempore'' is Latin "for the time being". ...
on November 2, 1775, August 10, 1776,
and was its chairman in 1776 and 1777.
Yates was a delegate for
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
to the
Congress of the Confederation
The Congress of the Confederation, or the Confederation Congress, formally referred to as the United States in Congress Assembled, was the governing body of the United States of America during the Confederation period, March 1, 1781 – Mar ...
in 1787 and 1788,
and won a reputation as a "churlish delegate who often cast the only 'nay'" vote.
Yates was the solitary vote against the Northwest Ordinance for its gross violation of Native American rights. He argued against "the seizing on countries already peopled, and driving out or massacring the innocent and defenceless natives, merely because they differed from their invaders in language, religion, in customs, in government or in colour." He was also a member of the
Council of Appointment The Council of Appointment (sometimes also Council of Appointments) was a body of the Government of New York that existed from 1777 to 1822.
History
Under the New York Constitution of 1777, the Council of Appointment consisted of the Governor of Ne ...
in 1777–78 and again in 1784.
New York State Senate
Commencing on September 9, 1777, Yates was a member of the
1st New York State Legislature
The 1st New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from September 9, 1777, to June 30, 1778, during the first year of George Clinton's governorship, first at Kingston and later at P ...
, having been elected to represent one of six seats for the Western District, which consisted of
Albany and
Tryon counties.
He was re-elected several times and served thirteen consecutive sessions in the Senate until he declined re-election following his refusal to sign an oath to the
U.S. Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the natio ...
.
He was succeeded by
Stephen Van Rensselaer
Stephen Van Rensselaer III (; November 1, 1764January 26, 1839) was an American landowner, businessman, militia officer, and politician. A graduate of Harvard College, at age 21, Van Rensselaer took control of Rensselaerswyck, his family's mano ...
.
By the end of his time in the Senate, the Western District consisted of Albany,
Columbia[The ''Civil List'' of 1858 places Columbia Co. in the Eastern D. but this is contradicted by Schechter (p. 181). Columbia was partitioned from Albany, and no senatorial re-apportionment being made must have remained in the Western D., it was transferred to the Eastern D. only in 1791.] and
Montgomery counties.
Yates, along with his fellow
Anti-Federalist
Anti-Federalism was a late-18th century political movement that opposed the creation of a stronger U.S. federal government and which later opposed History of the United States Constitution#1788 ratification, the ratification of the 1787 United St ...
nephew
Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
, with whom he shared the pen-name the "Rough Hewer", was a prolific
pamphleteer
Pamphleteer is a historical term for someone who creates or distributes pamphlets, unbound (and therefore inexpensive) booklets intended for wide circulation.
Context
Pamphlets were used to broadcast the writer's opinions: to articulate a polit ...
. He was known for his strong Anti-Federalist writings around the encroachment of Federal powers over New York state affairs and his opposition to the
ratification of the Constitution.
Both Yates were prominent opponents of the nationalist
Federalist
The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''.
History Europe federation
In Europe, proponents of de ...
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795.
Born out of wedlock in Charlest ...
.
Mayor of Albany
Following his retirement from the State Senate, Yates old friend and the then New York Governor
George Clinton appointed him as the mayor of Albany in 1790, a role he served in until his death in 1796.
As mayor, Yates opposed and was a vocal critic of the Federalist
John Jay
John Jay (December 12, 1745 – May 17, 1829) was an American statesman, patriot, diplomat, abolitionist, signatory of the Treaty of Paris, and a Founding Father of the United States. He served as the second governor of New York and the first ...
(who succeeded Clinton as Governor and appointed Stephen Van Rensselaer as his Lt. Governor) following the
Jay Treaty
The Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, Between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, commonly known as the Jay Treaty, and also as Jay's Treaty, was a 1794 treaty between the United States and Great Britain that averted ...
, which was a 1795 treaty between the U.S. and Great Britain which purportedly averted war between the countries and resolved issues remaining since the
Treaty of Paris of 1783
A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal perso ...
(which ended the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
). The opposition led to the formation of the anti-Treaty Democratic Republican party in New York.
During his term, oil street lamps were installed in Albany.
Yates was a
presidential elector
The United States Electoral College is the group of presidential electors required by the Constitution to form every four years for the sole purpose of appointing the president and vice president. Each state and the District of Columbia appo ...
in
1792
Events
January–March
* January 9 – The Treaty of Jassy ends the Russian Empire's war with the Ottoman Empire over Crimea.
* February 18 – Thomas Holcroft produces the comedy '' The Road to Ruin'' in London.
* February ...
, and cast his votes for
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
and
George Clinton. In 1795, Yates was also a founding trustee of
Union College
Union College is a private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the state of New York, after Columbia Co ...
.
Personal life
In 1746, Yates was married to Antje De Ridder (1726–1795), the daughter of Cornelis De Ridder and Susanna (née Vandenbergh) De Ridder. Together, they were the parents of five children, Christoffel, another Christoffel, Tanneke, Cornelis, only one of whom survived to adulthood:
* Susanna Yates (1762–1840), who married
New York State Treasurer The New York State Treasurer was a state cabinet officer in the State of New York between 1776 and 1926. During the re-organization of the state government under Governor Al Smith, the office was abolished and its responsibilities transferred to the ...
Abraham G. Lansing
Abraham Gerritse Lansing (December 12, 1756 Albany, New York – May 15, 1834 Albany, New York) was an American politician.
Early life
Lansing was born on December 12, 1756, in Albany, New York. He was the son of Gerrit Jacobse Lansing (b. 171 ...
, the brother of Chancellor
John Lansing Jr.
John Ten Eyck Lansing Jr. (January 30, 1754 – vanished December 12, 1829), a Founding Father of the United States, was an Attorney at law, attorney, Judge, jurist, and politician.
Born and raised in Albany, New York, Lansing was trained as a ...
They lived in a house built by his Yates at what became 358 North Market Street in Albany.
Yates died in Albany on June 30, 1796,
and was buried at
Albany Rural Cemetery
The Albany Rural Cemetery was established October 7, 1844, in Colonie, New York, United States, just outside the city of Albany, New York. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful, pastoral cemeteries in the U.S., at over . Many historical Am ...
.
Descendants
Through his only surviving child Susanna, he was the grandfather of fourteen, including:
Jannetje, who died unmarried;
Abraham, who died young;
Gerrit Yates, a member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
who married Helen Ten Eyck (daughter of
Abraham Ten Eyck);
Cornelius De Ridder;
John, who died unmarried;
Antje, who died young;
Sanders Jr., who married Angelica Schuyler;
Christopher Yates, who married Caroline Mary Thomas;
Anna, who married Rev. Walter Monteath;
Sarah B., who died unmarried;
Susan, who married
Peter Gansevoort
Peter Gansevoort (July 17, 1749 – July 2, 1812) was a Colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He is best known for leading the resistance to Barry St. Leger's Siege of Fort Stanwix in 1777. Gansevoort was also ...
;
Barent Bleecker, who married Philanda Orcutt;
George, married Harriet Schermerhorn (daughter of
John F. Schermerhorn).
and Abraham Yates, who married Eliza Van Alstyne.
References
External links
*
Abraham Yates, Jr. Papersat the
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...
*
Wondery
Wondery is an American podcast network and publisher of numerous award-winning podcasts, including Dirty John, Dr. Death, and The Shrink Next Door. Wondery was founded in 2016 by entrepreneur and media executive Hernan Lopez. The company was lau ...
's podcas
episode "The Populist"cover's Yates in detail. From
American History Tellers
''American History Tellers'' is a podcast by Wondery, hosted by Lindsay Graham. The show premiered at #1 on the Apple Podcast charts.
Format
The show is known to use POV narration, telling stories through perspectives of average and notable ...
, series Revolution.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yates, Abraham
1724 births
1796 deaths
Members of the New York Provincial Congress
Continental Congressmen from New York (state)
18th-century American politicians
New York (state) state senators
1792 United States presidential electors
New York (state) lawyers