The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware  19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Yates, Thomas, 1811-1876    

Title:               Papers

Dates:             1844-1887, bulk dates 1844-1854.

Call No.:         Col. 535         

Acc. No.:        84x135

Quantity:        19 items (1 folder)

Location:        3 B 5

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Thomas Yates was a carriage maker, blacksmith, justice of the peace, and postmaster from Factoryville, Barton township, Tioga County, New York, during the middle of the 19th century.  For some time he was in business with Charles H. Payson.  He was born in 1811, married Emily Margaret Knapp, and died in 1876. 

 

Thomas and Emily had several children, including a son Thomas P. Yates (1847-1933), who also became a carriage and wagon maker.  In the 1892 state census, he was listed as a mechanic, but as a civil engineer in the 1900 federal census.  In 1876, he was a vestryman for Grace Episcopal Church in Waverly, N.Y., and also served as postmaster of Factoryville.  He patented a new, improved sash fastener in 1878, patent number 212,083.

 

One family tree lists Thomas, Arthur (1807-1880) and Trevor Yates (1816-1877) as brothers, the sons of Hannah M. Palmer and William Yates.  (Another family tree lists Arthur and Trevor as brothers, but omits Thomas.)  Trevor Yates was listed as a blacksmith in the 1850 census.  In the 1855 state and the 1860 federal censuses, Arthur was listed as a lumberman.

 

Charles H. Payson was born in Pennsylvania around 1818.  He was listed as a carriage or wagon maker in 1855 New York state census and 1860 federal census.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Collection contains items relating to both Thomas Yates and his son Thomas P. Yates, both of Tioga County, New York.  Papers of Thomas Yates pertain to his blacksmith and carriage making business and date between 1844-1854.  Manuscripts include articles of agreement, apprenticeship agreements, labor contracts, and bills, as well as a letter from Yates in reply to an order for a wagon.

 

Thomas P. Yates applied for several patents, but apparently was rejected for at least one; however, he was granted permission to make products following Solomon Goddard's patent for carriages and Parker's patent for airtight cases.  An illustrated patent of Joseph Enders carriage springs is also included.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

The items are in accession number order.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

 

Purchased from Charles J. Semowich.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Carriages and carts.

Carriages and carts - Patents.

            Carriages and carts - Pictorial works.

            Carriage and wagon making - New York (State) – Tioga County.

            Carriage industry.

            Carriage manufacturers and dealers - New York (State) – Tioga County.

            Wagons.

            Business records - New York (State) - 19th century.

            Commercial correspondence.

            Patents - 19th century.

            Apprentices.

            Wages – Apprentices. 

           

Agreements.

                        Articles of apprenticeship.

                        Blacksmiths.

 

            Additional author:

                        Payson, Charles H., circa 1818-

                        Yates, Thomas P., 1847-1933.

 

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 3 B 5

 

 

All accession numbers begin with 84x135.

 

 

Folder 1 of 1:

 

Thomas Yates material:

 

.1         Agreement between Arthur Yates and Andrew G. Washbon on one part, with Jacob Busby [or Bushy] on other part: Yates and Washbon agree to sell blacksmith shop and land to Busby, Factoryville, Tioga County, New York, Feb. 23, 1844;

                        With addition: Busby assigns his interest in shop and land to Thomas Yates and Trevor Yates, Sept. 12, 1845;

                        Additional notes on back, chiefly about payments

 

.2         letter (copy), Thomas Yates, Factoryville, July 11, 1851, to John Du Bois, Williamsport: can make him a wagon, but he needs information about what kind, size of wheels, thickness of tires, [etc.]; please send a sketch; would Du Bois like to order some lumber wagons as well? “Our wagons wear out they do not ‘fall to pieces .…’”

 

.3         apprenticeship agreement, Oct. 1, 1851: Devillow Knapp of Factoryville, age 18, apprenticed to Thomas Yates, at the carriage making business, until Knapp turns 21 on June 20, 1854; Knapp is to be paid a certain sum each year of his apprenticeship, and at the end of his term is to receive a set of tools; signed by Knapp, Yates, and Isaac Knapp, father of Devillow

                        [other records spell the name as Devillo]

 

.4         agreement: George D. Wilkinson agreed to work for Thomas Yates as a carriage maker for two years, with salary set forth in this agreement, Oct. 5, 1851; signed by both men

 

.5         apprenticeship agreement, Nov. 6, 1851: Ethan C. Ball of Factoryville, age 17 (but will be 18 on Dec. 11, 1851), apprenticed to Thomas Yates, at the blacksmithing and carriage ironing business, for three years; Ball is to be paid a certain sum each year of his apprenticeship; signed by Ball, Yates, and Willmina Ball, mother of Ethan C. Ball

 

.6         bill from Thomas Yates, June 30, 1852, to unknown person, for new hub, spokes, new boxes and setting of same, new axle [spelled exl], new bob[?] in old wheel, and something else

 

.7         agreement between Thomas Yates and Jeremiah Fenner, Sept. 15, 1852: Fenner to make six cutters [with description of them]; Yates to pay Fenner with tools, clothing, boots or shoes, board, and $2 a week

 

.8         agreement between Charles H. Payson and Thomas Yates, both of Factoryville, Tioga County, N.Y.: they agree to become partners under the name of Charles H. Payson & Co., to make and repair carriages and sleighs, and to do blacksmithing at Yates’ place of business; spells out additional terms of the agreement, including the fact that if a partner is absent, he shall pay twelve shillings to the firm for each day of absence; this partnership to last only one year; dated Oct. 29, 1853

 

.9         agreement between Charles H. Payson and Thomas Yates for Yates to rent part of his establishment to Payson for one year, with privilege of five years; gives details of what parts are to be rented (wagon shop, paint room, etc.), dated Oct. 4, 1854

 

.10       agreement between Thomas Yates and William S. Tuthill, dated Nov. 1, 1854: Yates rents to Tuthill for one year, with privilege of five years, his blacksmith shop and coal rooms, with details about access to cellar of carriage shop; Tuthill is to pay his rent in blacksmith work for Yates

 

.11       conveyance of rights: Zebulon Parker of Licking County, Ohio, convey to Thomas and Trevor Yates of Barton, Tioga County, N.Y., the right of making, using, and vending to people in Tioga County one of Parker’s Patent Air-tight Cases or Drafts for purpose of propelling saws[?] or other machinery; also mentions Parker’s Patent Percussion and Reaction Water Wheels; dated Nov. 8, 1850;

            Printed form; endorsed on back: water wheel deed

 

.12       Solomon Goddard and Judah Pierce 2d sell to Thomas Yates the right to make a certain patented device, dated Oct. 2, 1851; Henry Warfield and John L. Allen are also mentioned;

            Printed form; endorsed on back: Goddard & Pierce to Thos. Yates carriage top lever patent deed

 

.20       slip of paper with figures, and dates from Feb. 23, 1844, to Oct. 20, 1848

 

 

Thomas P. Yates material:

 

.13       printed copy of patent no. 160,887, dated March 16, 1875, issued to Joseph Enders of Louisville, Kentucky, for improvement in carriage springs; with illustration;

            [was enclosed with letter from Munn & Co., .15 below]

 

.14       communication from United States Patent Office, Feb. 28, 1882, to Thomas P. Yates, Factoryville, rejecting his application for a patent for improvement in wall pockets;

 

.15       letter: Munn & Co., Office of the Scientific American, New York, Jan. 7, 1884, to T. P. Yates: examiner very unlikely to reopen his claim;

            Mentions enclosing a copy of Ender’s patent, which is .13 above

 

.16a-b  letterpress copy of a letter from Thomas P. Yates to U.S. Patent Office, March 10, 1886

 

.17       letter, Gilbert M. Plympton, New York, to C.M. Crandall, Aug. 19, 1886: encloses correspondence relating to Yates’ kite application; please return them

                        Printed letterhead: solicitor of American and foreign patents; counsellor at law in patent cases

 

.18       letter, Gilbert M. Plympton, New York, to C.M. Crandall, Sept. 25, 1886: Yates’ kite application has been rejected

            Printed letterhead: solicitor of American and foreign patents; counsellor at law in patent cases

 

.19       form letter, United States Patent Office, to T. P. Yates, Feb. 28, 1887: application about improvement in kites has been received