The following provided by Find A Grave contributor, Karl D Heither:
James Leroy (Yens) Coates was born February 14, 1897 in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, the second son of Joseph E. and Annie Hansine Gunderson Coates. In November 1902, at the age of five, he moved with his parents to Carey, Idaho. His childhood was spent on the Fish Creek ranch that his parents had homesteaded. He helped on the ranch and went to school. During this time, he decided to change his name from James to Yens. He had been named after his maternal Grandfather,
Jens Gunderson, and he preferred the Norwegian version for the name James.
Yens and his brothers and other young people of the community went to dances in horse drawn sleighs during the winter. As many as six couples could ride on a sleigh, enjoying the sound of the bells on the harnesses and the crunch of the horses hooves on the snow.
As Yens grew older, he played the violin in the old time band, with his father on the accordion and brother, Nathan, on the guitar. After Nathan married, his wife joined the group with her piano skills.
Yens was called to the first World War in 1918 and was stationed at Camp Lewis, Washington. The war ended just as he was going over seas. He went back to Carey and worked a few years, wanting to go to school to be a doctor. Due to the lack of money, he decided to move to Salmon, where he worked on a ranch for Tom Kane.
On July 30, 1924 he married Rena May Holbrook, daughter of Charles and Jessie Schrader Holbrook and was born May 27, 1901 at Baker, Idaho. The young couple lived on the Tom Kane ranch until Rena passed away due to complications of childbirth. The baby. Yens Jr., was stillborn April 3, 1927. Rena passed away a week later on April 10, 1927. Both are buried in the Salmon Cemetery.
While working on the John McKinny ranch in the Baker area, he met Ruth Negus, daughter of Charlie and Rhoda Negus of Lemhi. The young couple married March 14, 1929 in Salmon and lived on the McKinny ranch. On December 9, 1929 a baby girl, Eletha Sharon, blessed this union. They continued working on the ranch until 1935 when they purchased an acreage from Yens's father on South St. Charles Street. They built a small cabin to live in and started their own farming operation. A son, James Lloyd, was born June 10, 1935. Another son joined the happy family July 27, 1940 and was named Keith Edward. By this time Yens had built a two bedroom home.
In the spring of 1946 Yens went to Chicago. Illinois, entering the- College of Swedish Massage to learn to be a Massage Therapist. He graduated and came back to Salmon to start his own business. The farm was sold and a home bought in town where he continued his work.
In 1954 they moved to Great Falls, Montana where he worked as a Massage Therapist until his death April 24, 1966. He had a military funeral and is buried in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Great Falls.
Ruth continued to live in Great Falls until 1970, when she moved back to Salmon, living there until her death on August 20, 1979 at Steel Memorial Hospital. She was buried beside Yens in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Great Falls, Montana.
Written by: Eletha Daniels
Centennial History of Lemhi County, Vol 2
James Leroy (Yens) Coates was born February 14, 1897 in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, the second son of Joseph E. and Annie Hansine Gunderson Coates. In November 1902, at the age of five, he moved with his parents to Carey, Idaho. His childhood was spent on the Fish Creek ranch that his parents had homesteaded. He helped on the ranch and went to school. During this time, he decided to change his name from James to Yens. He had been named after his maternal Grandfather,
Jens Gunderson, and he preferred the Norwegian version for the name James.
Yens and his brothers and other young people of the community went to dances in horse drawn sleighs during the winter. As many as six couples could ride on a sleigh, enjoying the sound of the bells on the harnesses and the crunch of the horses hooves on the snow.
As Yens grew older, he played the violin in the old time band, with his father on the accordion and brother, Nathan, on the guitar. After Nathan married, his wife joined the group with her piano skills.
Yens was called to the first World War in 1918 and was stationed at Camp Lewis, Washington. The war ended just as he was going over seas. He went back to Carey and worked a few years, wanting to go to school to be a doctor. Due to the lack of money, he decided to move to Salmon, where he worked on a ranch for Tom Kane.
On July 30, 1924 he married Rena May Holbrook, daughter of Charles and Jessie Schrader Holbrook and was born May 27, 1901 at Baker, Idaho. The young couple lived on the Tom Kane ranch until Rena passed away due to complications of childbirth. The baby. Yens Jr., was stillborn April 3, 1927. Rena passed away a week later on April 10, 1927. Both are buried in the Salmon Cemetery.
While working on the John McKinny ranch in the Baker area, he met Ruth Negus, daughter of Charlie and Rhoda Negus of Lemhi. The young couple married March 14, 1929 in Salmon and lived on the McKinny ranch. On December 9, 1929 a baby girl, Eletha Sharon, blessed this union. They continued working on the ranch until 1935 when they purchased an acreage from Yens's father on South St. Charles Street. They built a small cabin to live in and started their own farming operation. A son, James Lloyd, was born June 10, 1935. Another son joined the happy family July 27, 1940 and was named Keith Edward. By this time Yens had built a two bedroom home.
In the spring of 1946 Yens went to Chicago. Illinois, entering the- College of Swedish Massage to learn to be a Massage Therapist. He graduated and came back to Salmon to start his own business. The farm was sold and a home bought in town where he continued his work.
In 1954 they moved to Great Falls, Montana where he worked as a Massage Therapist until his death April 24, 1966. He had a military funeral and is buried in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Great Falls.
Ruth continued to live in Great Falls until 1970, when she moved back to Salmon, living there until her death on August 20, 1979 at Steel Memorial Hospital. She was buried beside Yens in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Great Falls, Montana.
Written by: Eletha Daniels
Centennial History of Lemhi County, Vol 2
The following provided by Find A Grave contributor, Karl D Heither:
James Leroy (Yens) Coates was born February 14, 1897 in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, the second son of Joseph E. and Annie Hansine Gunderson Coates. In November 1902, at the age of five, he moved with his parents to Carey, Idaho. His childhood was spent on the Fish Creek ranch that his parents had homesteaded. He helped on the ranch and went to school. During this time, he decided to change his name from James to Yens. He had been named after his maternal Grandfather,
Jens Gunderson, and he preferred the Norwegian version for the name James.
Yens and his brothers and other young people of the community went to dances in horse drawn sleighs during the winter. As many as six couples could ride on a sleigh, enjoying the sound of the bells on the harnesses and the crunch of the horses hooves on the snow.
As Yens grew older, he played the violin in the old time band, with his father on the accordion and brother, Nathan, on the guitar. After Nathan married, his wife joined the group with her piano skills.
Yens was called to the first World War in 1918 and was stationed at Camp Lewis, Washington. The war ended just as he was going over seas. He went back to Carey and worked a few years, wanting to go to school to be a doctor. Due to the lack of money, he decided to move to Salmon, where he worked on a ranch for Tom Kane.
On July 30, 1924 he married Rena May Holbrook, daughter of Charles and Jessie Schrader Holbrook and was born May 27, 1901 at Baker, Idaho. The young couple lived on the Tom Kane ranch until Rena passed away due to complications of childbirth. The baby. Yens Jr., was stillborn April 3, 1927. Rena passed away a week later on April 10, 1927. Both are buried in the Salmon Cemetery.
While working on the John McKinny ranch in the Baker area, he met Ruth Negus, daughter of Charlie and Rhoda Negus of Lemhi. The young couple married March 14, 1929 in Salmon and lived on the McKinny ranch. On December 9, 1929 a baby girl, Eletha Sharon, blessed this union. They continued working on the ranch until 1935 when they purchased an acreage from Yens's father on South St. Charles Street. They built a small cabin to live in and started their own farming operation. A son, James Lloyd, was born June 10, 1935. Another son joined the happy family July 27, 1940 and was named Keith Edward. By this time Yens had built a two bedroom home.
In the spring of 1946 Yens went to Chicago. Illinois, entering the- College of Swedish Massage to learn to be a Massage Therapist. He graduated and came back to Salmon to start his own business. The farm was sold and a home bought in town where he continued his work.
In 1954 they moved to Great Falls, Montana where he worked as a Massage Therapist until his death April 24, 1966. He had a military funeral and is buried in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Great Falls.
Ruth continued to live in Great Falls until 1970, when she moved back to Salmon, living there until her death on August 20, 1979 at Steel Memorial Hospital. She was buried beside Yens in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Great Falls, Montana.
Written by: Eletha Daniels
Centennial History of Lemhi County, Vol 2
James Leroy (Yens) Coates was born February 14, 1897 in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, the second son of Joseph E. and Annie Hansine Gunderson Coates. In November 1902, at the age of five, he moved with his parents to Carey, Idaho. His childhood was spent on the Fish Creek ranch that his parents had homesteaded. He helped on the ranch and went to school. During this time, he decided to change his name from James to Yens. He had been named after his maternal Grandfather,
Jens Gunderson, and he preferred the Norwegian version for the name James.
Yens and his brothers and other young people of the community went to dances in horse drawn sleighs during the winter. As many as six couples could ride on a sleigh, enjoying the sound of the bells on the harnesses and the crunch of the horses hooves on the snow.
As Yens grew older, he played the violin in the old time band, with his father on the accordion and brother, Nathan, on the guitar. After Nathan married, his wife joined the group with her piano skills.
Yens was called to the first World War in 1918 and was stationed at Camp Lewis, Washington. The war ended just as he was going over seas. He went back to Carey and worked a few years, wanting to go to school to be a doctor. Due to the lack of money, he decided to move to Salmon, where he worked on a ranch for Tom Kane.
On July 30, 1924 he married Rena May Holbrook, daughter of Charles and Jessie Schrader Holbrook and was born May 27, 1901 at Baker, Idaho. The young couple lived on the Tom Kane ranch until Rena passed away due to complications of childbirth. The baby. Yens Jr., was stillborn April 3, 1927. Rena passed away a week later on April 10, 1927. Both are buried in the Salmon Cemetery.
While working on the John McKinny ranch in the Baker area, he met Ruth Negus, daughter of Charlie and Rhoda Negus of Lemhi. The young couple married March 14, 1929 in Salmon and lived on the McKinny ranch. On December 9, 1929 a baby girl, Eletha Sharon, blessed this union. They continued working on the ranch until 1935 when they purchased an acreage from Yens's father on South St. Charles Street. They built a small cabin to live in and started their own farming operation. A son, James Lloyd, was born June 10, 1935. Another son joined the happy family July 27, 1940 and was named Keith Edward. By this time Yens had built a two bedroom home.
In the spring of 1946 Yens went to Chicago. Illinois, entering the- College of Swedish Massage to learn to be a Massage Therapist. He graduated and came back to Salmon to start his own business. The farm was sold and a home bought in town where he continued his work.
In 1954 they moved to Great Falls, Montana where he worked as a Massage Therapist until his death April 24, 1966. He had a military funeral and is buried in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Great Falls.
Ruth continued to live in Great Falls until 1970, when she moved back to Salmon, living there until her death on August 20, 1979 at Steel Memorial Hospital. She was buried beside Yens in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Great Falls, Montana.
Written by: Eletha Daniels
Centennial History of Lemhi County, Vol 2
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