John Henry Yates

Short Name: John Henry Yates
Full Name: Yates, John Henry, 1837-
Birth Year: 1837
Death Year: 1900

Rev. John H. Yates, was born in Batavia, N. Y., November 31, 1837. He was educated at the Batavia Union School, but at the age of eighteen was forced to engage in business as a clerk to help maintain his aged parents. For several years he was with his brother, Thomas Yates, in the shoe business; afterwards, for seven years, salesman in G. B. Worthington's hardware store. In 1871 he took charge of the fancy goods department in E. L. & G. D. Kenyon's double store and remained there fifteen years. In 1886 he was called to be local editor of the Progressive Batavian, and filled the position nearly ten years. When twenty-one years of age Mr. Yates was licensed to preach in the Methodist church, but was not ordained until 1897. For nearly seven years now he has been pastor of the Free Will Baptist church at West Bethany. At about the age of twenty, Mr. Yates began writing poetry at the solicitation of his mother, and very soon his ballads and hymns were printed and sung all over the land. In 1891, Ira D. Sankey, the famous singer, engaged Mr. Yates to write gospel hymns for him, solely; he was led to do this because of the wonderful success of Mr. Yates's old man ballad, the "Model Church," which has been sung all over the world. After the contract with Mr. Sankey. the following hymns soon appeared from the pen of Mr. Yates: "Harbor Bell," "Faith is the Victory," "Beautiful Hills," "Our Name's in Heaven," and about twenty others. In December, 1897, Mr. Yates issued a volume of ballads and poems, a book of 117 poems and 226 pages, which are now nearly all sold. On the occasion of the dedication of the old land office in 1894, Mr. Yates wrote the dedicatory poem, "Our Ancient Landmark," a production of unusual merit.

From Our County and it's people: descriptive work on Genesee County, New York, edited by: F. W. Beers (J.W. Vose & Co., Publishers, Syracuse, N. Y. 1890)


Texts by John Henry Yates (25)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Encamped along the hills of lightJohn H. Yates (Author)English207
E'oestaahevo'ėstanesėstsėJohn Henry Yates (Author)Cheyenne2
Faith is the victoryJohn H. Yates (Author)English1
Fran l jusets hoejder, kristna h'rJohn Henry Yates (Author)2
From the Word of God light is shining brightly outJohn Henry Yates (Author)English4
Hast thou no room within thy heartJohn Henry Yates (Author)English2
Holy Spirit, lead us nowJohn H. Yates (Author)English5
How dear to my heart is the story of oldJohn H. Yates (Author)English31
I do not care to know just whereJohn Henry Yates (Author)2
Long years ago one winter's nightJohn Henry Yates (Author)3
O Christian, speed thee on thy wayJ. H. Yates (Author)English2
O love divine, victorious loveRev. John H. Yates (Author)English3
O refreshing times are comingJohn H. Yates (Author)English4
O the beautiful hills of the by and byJohn H. Yates (Author)English4
O the mansions of light, blissful mansions of lightJohn Henry Yates (Author)English2
O welcome hour of prayerJohn Henry Yates (Author)English2
Our life is like a stormy seaJohn H. Yates (Author)English10
Rejoice, rejoice, O child of lightJohn H. Yates (Author)English3
Soldados del Señor Jesús, Pendones levantadJohn H. Yates (Author)Spanish5
There is a place the world knowsJ. H. Y. (Author)English2
Von lichtumfloss'nen Bergeshöh'nJohn Henry Yates (Author)German4
We are coming, precious Savior, in the fervor of our youthJohn Henry Yates (Author)English4
Well, wife, I've been to church to-dayJohn H. Yates (Author)2
Well wife, I've found the model churchJohn H. Yates (Author)English28
Without thee, my Savior I nothing can doJohn H. Yates (Author)English3
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us