Richard Yates, Jr., Governor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Yates_(20th_century_politician)

Richard Yates, Jr. (December 12, 1860 – April 11, 1936) was the 22nd Governor of Illinois from 1901 to 1905. From 1919 to 1933, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois. Although he failed to receive his party's nomination in 1928 to the Seventy-first Congress, he was later appointed nominee and elected in place of Henry R. Rathbone who died prior to the election. In 1932, he was unsuccessful in his bid for reelection to the Seventy-third Congress.

His father, also Richard Yates, was also an Illinois politician. The son was born in Jacksonville, Illinois and attended public schools and, from 1870 to 1874, the Illinois Woman's College (now MacMurray College). He was the city editor of the Daily Courier in 1878 and 1879, and of the Daily Journal 1881–1883. Yates graduated from Illinois College in Jacksonville in 1880 and from the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1884. He practiced law in Jacksonville and was city attorney of Jacksonville 1885–1890 and county judge of Morgan County 1894–1897. From 1897 to 1900 Yates was United States collector of internal revenue for the eighth internal revenue district.

Yates served as a private in Company I, Fifth Infantry, Illinois National Guard from 1885 to 1890.

After leaving Congress, Yates resided in Harbor Springs, Michigan, and Springfield, Illinois, while writing his memoirs. He died in Springfield and was buried in Diamond Grove Cemetery, Jacksonville.

Richard Yates Jr. also Governor of Illinois (R) 1901-1905. He was born in Jacksonville, Yates became the first native-born Governor. He received his bachelor's degree and master's degree from the Illinois College and graduated from the University of Michigan law school. After serving as city attorney of Jacksonville and as Morgan County Judge. he was appointed U.S. collector of internal revenue for the central district, based in Springfield. Coincidentally, Yates' nominated for Governor came on the 40th anniversary of his father's nomination for the same office. Yates ran a thrifty administration, vetoing bills for racetracks and improvements to the Executive Mansion. He was unsuccessful in a re-nomination bid in 1904 as well as in 1908 and 1912. After serving three terms in Congress Yates retired from politics. He is buried in Jacksonville. (1860 - 1936)