Charles Hadden Yates, widely known as a manufacturer of knit goods, added a brilliant chapter to the record of a family whose members were among the builders and promoters of Utica, and a long, honorable and upright life of great usefulness and activity was brought to a close on April 10, 1923, when he was called to his final rest at the venerable age of seventy-five years. Mr. Yates was the youngest son of Rynier and Margaret (Hadden) Yates and he was born in this city on the 2d of February, 1848.
Charles Hadden Yates attended the public schools, the Utica Free Academy, and also had the benefit of instruction in private schools at Flushing, Long Island, and in New York city. He returned to Utica and in 1872 became a member of the wholesale clothing firm of R. V. Yates & Sons, established by his father. He spent several years in Buffalo as manager of their branch in that city and in 1900 embarked in the manufacture of sweaters and hosiery. He organized the Athletic Knit Goods Company and the Utica Hosiery Company, continuing at the head of these corporations until his demise. Under his expert guidance they became live, substantial, progressive concerns, ever keeping pace with the constantly changing conditions of modern commerce and a fitting example of the possibilities of this section, if utilized to their fullest extent. Like his father he possessed executive ability of a high order, as well as the broad perspective of the man of large affairs, and after hours of work under trying circumstances he had ample reserve of strength for those critical emergencies which make the greatest demand on the powers of apprehension and judgment. He was one of the industrial leaders of his city and also served as a director of the City National Bank, of which his father was one of the founders and promoters.
On November 25, 1889, Mr. Yates was married to Miss Frances Louise Harris, only daughter of Jeremiah and Martha Harris, who were pioneer residents of Utica. Mr. Yates is survived by his widow and by one daughter, Gertrude H., the wife of A. James Eckert and the mother of three children.
Mr. Yates attended Westminster Presbyterian church and was a republican in his political views. He was one of the influential members of the Utica Chamber of Commerce, with which he was long connected, and also belonged to the Fort Schuyler Club and the Yahnundasis Golf Club. His success was due not only to his superior business ability but also to an unsullied reputation — a possession of far greater value than all the power that wealth can buy. His acquaintance was wide and he enjoyed to the fullest extent the confidence and respect of his fellowmen, for he possessed a strong sense of duty and honor, a courteous, kindly manner, a generous nature, and a thorough appreciation of genuine worth in others, acquitting himself with dignity, fidelity and honor in every relation of life.