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Alexander Yule and his wife, Jane Watson Yule
Oakwood Cemetery |
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George Yule
(Source: Portrait and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens in Racine and Kenosha Counties, Chicago, Lake City Publishing Co. 1892) |
About George Yule, son of Alexander and and Margaret (Leeds) Yule
George Yule, who is connected with one of the leading industries of Kenosha, being vice-president and superintendent of the Bain Wagon Company, is a self-made man. In business circles he ranks high, and is well deserving of representation in this volume. His life record is as follows.
Mr. Yule was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on the 31st of August, 1824, and is one of eight children. His father, Alexander Yule, was also born in Aberdeenshire, as was his mother, who bore the maiden name of Margaret Leeds. She died in her native land, and the father afterward again married. In 1840, with his wife and eight children, he crossed the Atlantic to Quebec, Canada, reaching that city six weeks and four days after leaving his native land, and in July of the same year he arrived in Southport, Wisconsin. There was then no pier and they were landed by a lighter. Mr. Yule embarked in farming in Somers Township, where he made his home until his death. In the old country be belonged to the Scotch Presbyterian Church, and in politics was a supporter of the Republican party.
George Yule, who name heads this sketch, acquired his education in the land of his nativity, and for three years engaged with his father in operating the home farm. When nineteen he served a two year's apprenticeship with Henry Mitchell, receiving $5.00 per month in compensation for his services. We thus see that he began at the very bottom but by indomitable energy and ceaseless activity he has worked his way upward. Soon after Mr. Bain had purchased the wagon factory established by Mr. Mitchell, he selected Mr. Yule, who was then working as a journeyman, to superintend the works, which position he has since filled, and upon the organzation of the Bain Wagon Comapny, he was made vice-president. The factory then turned out some three hundred wagons per year and employed about forty hands, but now employment is given to about three hundred and fifty hands, and the annual output of the concern is about thirteen thousand wagons. This establishment is unique in that they have never employed an attorney at law or a traveling salesman. Mr. Yule is also connected with other manufacturing industries in the State.
On the 1st of January 1848 in Kenosha was celebrated the marriage of George Yule and Catherine Mitchell, sister of Henry Mitchell, the noted wagon manufacturer of Racine. The lady is a native of Fifeshire, Scotland, and unto Mr. Yule and his estimable wife have been born six children, two of whom are yet living - George, Assistant Superintendent of the Bain Wagon Company, and William, who is shipping clerk for the company. The boys are both college bred, the former having been educated at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the later at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. The mother is a member of the Baptist Church and a lady whose excellencies of character have won her many friends.
Mr. Yule is a Republican in politics.
(Source: Portrait and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens in Racine and Kenosha Counties, Chicago, Lake City Publishing Co. 1892)
About John T. Yule, son of Alexander and Margaret (Leeds) Yule
John T. Yule, foreman of the wood work department in the Bain Wagon Factory, is classed among the leading citizens of Kenosha. Of Scotch birth, he was born in Fraserboro, Aberdeenshire, on the 21st of January 1831. When he was a lad of nine years he came with his parents, Alexander and Margaret (Leeds) Yule, to the United States,s the family settling in Kenosha County, in the Territory of Wisconsin. He was reared as a farmer lad and educated n an old log schoolhouse, such as were common in those early days.
When 19 years of age our subject began learning the wagon maker's trade, working sixteen hours per day, for $5.00 a month and board. Having pursued his trade in Kenosha some two and a half years, he went to Chicago and worked for Welch & Minson, carriage manufacturers, in whose employ he remained for a year and a half, when he returned to Kenosha, and engaged with Mitchell & Quarles, manufacturers of wagons, but work soon became slack.
In the meantime, a company had been organized to operate a quartz mill at Pike's Peak. Of this company Mr. Yule was elected Secretary and Treasurer and went to St. Louis to make ready a a large twelve-stamp quartz crusher and transport it across the plains on wagons, which took nearly six weeks to make the trip. The machine proved to be just what was needed and would have made every member of the company rich had it not been for the extreme obstinacy of the President, who seemed to have been born in the objective case as he objected to every measure proposed.
the following summer Mr. yule disposed of his interest and returned to Kenosha, where he opened a wagon factory for Peter Wood, operating the same successfully for a period of five years. In 1869 he became associated with the Bain Wagon Company, working by contract and some give years later became foreman of the woodwork department for that company, which position he has held for about eighteen consecutive years.
Mr. Yule has been three times married. For fifty-one years Kenosha county has been his home.
(Source: Portrait and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens in Racine and Kenosha Counties, Chicago, Lake City Publishing Co. 1892)
Alexander Yule Family Record
(Source: Gail Jensen Lesjak/granddaughter of Chris A. Jensen)
William Yule Descendants
(Source: Gail Jensen Lesjak/granddaughter of Chris A. Jensen)
