Andrew Jackson Bates was born in
Webster, Massachusetts, on June 23, 1839. He was a descendant of Clement Bates, an early settler of
Hingham, Massachusetts, who arrived from
Lydd, England in 1635. In 1773, Jacob Bates great grandson of Clement Bates came to Webster when it was still part of
Dudley, Massachusetts. Andrew J. Bates was the great grandson of Jacob, grandson of Captain Alanson Bates (1772 – 1842), and the son of Nelson Bates (1801 – 1889). He grew up on the family homestead which had at the time seen five generations of the
Bates family. Although his father was regarded as an excellent farmer, a prominent figure in 19th century Webster and a selectman during the year 1839, he was not very active in civic affairs. One explanation being that he had always preferred private to public life, honest industry to idleness or speculation. Webster economic growth was kindled by the establishment of
Samuel Slater's cotton mill at the head of the
Lake Chaubunagungamaug "Historical Collections, Vol.1" by Holmes Ammidown states that in 1812 "...men of prominence in the vicinity...were Elijah Pratt, Asa and Samuel Robinson, John and Alanson Bates, and several by the name of Kingsbury, all being men of considerable character and standing, maintaining good moral, social and religious society." Andrew J. Bates was married in 1862 to Harriet daughter of Asa and Matilda (Kingsbury) Bartlett of Webster, MA. Harriet died in 1887 and Andrew J. Bates married a second time in 1891 to Emma Van Nostrand of Brooklyn, New York. When he died February 15, 1915, he left his wife, a son Edgar A. Bates and three daughters. ==See also==