Born on the Orkney Islands in 1832, Yates joined the Hudson's Bay Co. and came to Canada where he served as a clerk in York Factory, Norway House, Fort St, James and Fort McLeod. In 1854 he was sent to Fort Yale, and was put in charge of Fort Hope a few years later. Here he married a native woman and attained a good understanding of several native languages. With this ability, Yates was often sent for from other areas to settle disputes. He was of a very passive nature, and hated to have his picture taken. Very athletic he was once challenged to swim across the Fraser River at Hope. When his challengers did not see him land and became skeptical, he swam across a second time. Yates died in 1917 at the age of 85 years. Info from "Forging a New Hope", p.165
William Yates was a Hudson Bay man and in charge of Fort Hope as the Gold Rush started. (credit: BC Archives #F-08275)
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All text and images
© Quesnel & District Museum and Archives unless otherwise
noted. Thanks to the B.C. Archives for permission to show various
images. Thanks to the BC Encyclopedia for permission to quote information
on the roadhouse communities. Thanks to the Living Landscapes Project,
the Royal British Columbia Museum, Ministry of Community, Aboriginal
and Women's Services for their support of site development.
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