The Yates Family Reunion

On November 12, 1967, twenty members of our lineage came together to establish the
Yates-Brent Foundation. While honoring traditional family reunion values, the foundation was created with a broader vision—one that fosters generational wealth and
long-term prosperity.

The mission of the Foundation was to strengthen family bonds and preserve the rich history
of the Yates family, and secure land, property, and financial opportunities for future
generations. While this vision had the potential for great success, records show that on
On April 18, 1969, the Yates-Brent Foundation was officially disbanded. However, the family
continued to gather informally until 1973.

The New Vision

In 1973, a pivotal meeting was held at the home of William and Ruth Yates Dear, where
The decision was made to formally establish a new family organization. This led to the
creation of the YDSBW Family Reunion—named after the last names of those present:
Yates, Dear, Slaughter, Brent, and White. Coincidentally, these initials also represented
the family names connected to Ruth Yates.

Geraldine Doiger was elected as the first reunion chair, with Mattie Allen serving as the
first co-chair. Additionally, Ta Mara Lee was appointed as the first recorder of minutes.
ensuring that the legacy of our gatherings was properly documented. These three
women were all descendants of Ruth Yates.

Name Change

As our family history has been further researched and our lineage continues to grow,
the current reunion committee has made the decision to simplify our name to The Yates
Family Reunion.

While “YDSBW” originally represented the families present at the time of reorganization,
Our roots trace back to Sims Yates and Eula Brent. This name change ensures that our
Family history remains clear and easily understood by future generations. By uniting
under the Yates name, we honor the foundation from which we all come and reinforce
the bond that has kept our family strong for decades.

Our Family Lineage

Our family bloodline originates from Sims Yates and Eula Brent, who were blessed with
fifteen children. Their descendants form the branches of our great family:

Annie Yates

Hoise Yates

Rosie Yates

Ruth Yates (Slaughter, White, Dear)

Arcola Yates

Troy Yates Sr.

Robert Yates Sr.

Claude Yates Sr.

Kelly Yates

Ruby Yates

Johnny Yates

Three children who passed at birth: Harvey, Mayloa, and Tevi

Through generations, the Yates Family Reunion has remained a cherished
tradition—bringing us together to celebrate our heritage, honor our ancestors, and
strengthen the ties that bind us as family