Haston  Yates,  a  farmer  of
     Sassafras Ridge, Mississippi County, was born in Marshall County, Ky.,
     February 23, 1840. His parents, John and Laura T. (Butler) Yates, were
     natives of North Carolina. The former moved to Kentucky, when a  small
     boy, with his  father,  Joel  Yates.  The  Butler  family  removed  to
     Kentucky several years later, about 1828. Joel Yates and four children
     died in Marshall County, Ky. John died when the subject of this sketch
     was about six years old, leaving besides him a daughter, Harriet (Mrs.
     James Scillian). Both she and husband are now deceased. After Mr.Yates
     death, his widow married James Brien, who was  a  soldier  under  Gen.
     Jackson at New Orleans, and one  of  the  oldest  and  most  prominent
     settlers of the "Jackson Purchase" Kentucky. He entered a large  tract
     of land in Calloway County and served several terms in both houses  of
     the General Assembly, of  Kentucky.  While  at  Frankfort  he  divided
     Calloway County, and formed Marshall County, which latter was his home
     until his death. He was an honorable, high-minded man, and  after  his
     second marriage, it is said, never a cross word passed between himself
     and wife. Mr. Yates remembers with  sincere  gratitude,  the  kindness
     shown him by his step-father, whose wisdom,  advice  and  apt  council
     have followed him during life. He died in 1875 or  1876,  leaving  two
     children: Catherine (Mrs. Robert Dew, of Trigg County, Ky.) And Volney
     P. (of Marshall County, Ky.) The mother died  in  1866.  Haston  lived
     with his mother until he was twenty years of age, and when  twenty-one
     years old was married to Rhoda Downing, who was born in 1842, and is a
     daughter of Joseph and Adaline Downing, both of  whom  were  born  and
     reared in Marshall County, Ky.  Mr.  Downing  afterward  married  P.J.
     Heath, by whom she had ten children: William H. (deceased), Sarah  J.,
     James B., Telitha C., John H., Thomas M., Richard,  Reuben,  Celia  A.
     and Robert N. The parents are still residing in Marshall  County,  Ky.
     After his marriage, Mr. Yates located on his part of the  home  place,
     where he resided about eight years, when  he  sold  out  and  came  to
     Southeast Missouri, but after one  year  he  returned  to  his  native
     State. Remaining there six years more, he again came to  Missouri  and
     located on his present farm. To  him  and  wife  have  been  born  six
     children: Temperance Adaline, Mary  J.  (Mrs.  Oliver  Roach),  Rufus,
     Julia Florence, John Albert (deceased) and  an  infant  (deceased  and
     unnamed).    Mr.    Yates    is    a    member    of    the    Baptist
     Church.