The son of James, John Yates owned and operated a mill in Hatchley for many years. John married his wife, Margaret Morgan, in 1893 and they had two children but both died within hours of being born. Maggie passed away in 1918 and John did not remarry. In 1916 John purchased a used Overland touring automobile for $2000, something that was a rarity in Burford Township at the time.

John was loved and respected by many in Burford Township as he was always willing to give advice and lend a helping hand. He wrote on a Dominion Bureau of Statistics Census of Industry form for the year 1947, “I am now an old man, 86 last March now, and this will be my last year in mill work. I have run this mill for the convenience of farmers in the township.” To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Yates family coming to North America, John erected a memorial monument in memory of Jarvis Yates at the farm in 1940. When John passed away in 1952 he was the last surviving Yates in Burford Township.