My Yates family is traced back to Roane County, TN and surrounding areas. They connect with the HOLMES, MCCRACKEN, KELSAY, REGISTER and CHANCE families in other counties such as Greene County, TN and DE and MD. My G-Grandfather, Jim Yates left TN with his sister Myra and the Gideon Morrison family and migrated to Howell County, MO. This is where Jim met his wife Cerilda BREEDLOVE and raised his family. Myra died at age 22 from T.B. She never married. A younger sister, Lydia, was left in TN and married a CLARK.

The Wilkerson family is traced back to 1812 in DE where his GG-Grandfather Joshua Wilkerson was born. He and his brother George migrated with their families to IN where some of George's children were born. In the 1856 census for Des Moines County, IA it shows Joshua living with the Samuel BEDWELL family and Sam and his wife were also born in DE. Joshua was listed as a widower. The family also connects to the JORDANS, MILLERS, HAGAS, WHITTMORES, DESPAINS, SKAGGS and TRUES.