1. OLIVER BATES was born 7 Aug. 1763 in Shelburn, Franklin co. Mass, the son of JOHN and MARTHA FOSTER BATES. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, enlisting July 1, 1778 in Capt. Prichard's Co, Col. John Creaton's Massachusetts Regiment and was discharged April 7, 1779. He enlisted July 1, 1780 served as a private in Capt. William Taylor's Company, in the Second Massachusetts Regiment commanded by Col. Badlam and was discharged Jan. 1, 1781. He was allowed his pension which was executed April 23, 1818 and at that time was 55 and living in Henderson, Jefferson County New York. ( File #S-44598)
Sometime between 1784 and 1797 he moved with his family to Vermont, between the towns of Randolf and Halifax. About 1798 he left for New York and it is believed he was in the town of Western in the 1800 Census, coming to Henderson, Jefferson County, NY about 1806 as best that can be determined at this point.
OLIVER built a log cabin in Henderson in the area now called Alexander Corners, named for the family of Jonathan S. Alexander who also came from the Halifax area to Henderson with his four sons. CYRUS and OLIVER built a stone house at Alexander Corners about the year 1820 so we assume they lived in a log cabin as did many of the settlers at that time. This fine stone house still stands today, being placed on the state and National Register of Historic Sites in 2004.
The House was a early Mormon meeting house for missionaries of the early Mormon Church and ORSON PRATT, one of the original 12 Church apostles was married to SARAH BATES, daughter of CYRUS BATES in the house. The house was an early church meeting house in 1835 and 1836. Later in her marriage SARAH burned and destroyed many of the journals and writings of ORSON PRATT, but of those that did survive, ORSON PRATT writes of his early missionary work to Sackets Harbor and the Henderson area in 1835 and latter in July of 1836 his marriage to SARAH BATES in her father's house.
At the time of OLIVER'S son's CYRUS'S death in October 1839 the local farm had 141 acres. Most of the family left the town and county, some with the Mormons before the history books were written. There are many websites that deal with the Bates family and one of the better ones is called the BatesPlace.
OLIVER BATES married 16 Sept. 1782 at Shelburne, Mass
REBECCA HART
Children, BATES: ( The last two are listed as being born in Henderson but we do not believe that that could be the case.)
+ 2 i OLIVER BATES Jr. b 7 June 1784 Shelburne, Mass
3 ii ASA BATES b 3 August 1786 VT
4 iii POLLY BATES b 16 March 1789 Randolph, VT
5 iv CYRUS BATES b 17 February 1792 VT
6 v ELIAS BATES b 30 August 1794 Halifax, VT
7 vi HART BATES b 17 March 1797 Halifax VT
8 vi LAURA BATES b 8 July 1799
9 vi FANNY BATES b 28 September 1801
For further information, contact: GARY L. RHODES