Yates, Rutherford B. H., Sr., House

Rutherford Birchard Hayes Yates (1878-1944), son of the Rev. John Henry "Jack" and Harriet Yates, grew up next door to this property (in a house later relocated to Sam Houston Park.) Yates followed in his father's footsteps as a civic and religious leader in Houston's Fourth Ward, originally known as Freedmen's Town, a spiritual, cultural and business district for African Americans in Houston since the Civil War. Following his graduation in 1906 from Bishop College in Marshall, Texas, with a degree in printing, Rutherford Yates taught school in Vinto, Louisiana, and Palestine, Texas, before moving to Dallas with his wife, Erie (Sherrod), and their infant daughter. In 1908, they moved to Houston and resided in the Yates family home until this house was completed in 1912. A well-preserved and typical example of the middle class residences built in the Fourth Ward in the early 20th century, the Yates house features leaded glass windows, a wraparound porch with Classical columns, and doors with transoms and sidelights. During the time that the Yates family occupied this house, Rutherford Yates worked with several African American printers and taught at the Houston Academy (founded by his father) where he had attended school as a young boy. In 1922, he and his brother Paul established the Yates Printing Company, which grew and prospered over the years until it closed after 1978. At a time when commercial lodging for African Americans in Houston was limited, Rutherford and Erie Yates and their children -- Johnnie Mae, Olee and Rutherford -- often opened their home to visiting dignitaries and delegates to church and other conventions. The house remained in the Yates family ownership until 1994. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1998

Yates, Rutherford B. H., Sr., House is a historical marker in Houston, Harris County, dedicated in 1998. It is one of 422 historical markers documented in Harris County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 849 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.7558, -95.3809 near Houston. The nearest cataloged historic site is The Reverend Ned P. Pullum (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include St. James United Methodist Church, J. Vance Lewis, and Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5201011691. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.