The Michael Bates Family

A brief description of this family, compiled by Luther W. Hampton, was published in Dutch Fork Digest X(3): 95, 1995.  More recently notes of origin on the Michael Bates family have been published as "Michael Bates" by Carl W. Nichols in Dutch Fork Digest XV(2): 71, 2000.

Michael Bates was the son of George Bett who came with his wife and one child to SC in 1752 on the Elizabeth.  At that time the child, John Michael, was 9 years old.  A 150 acre bounty grant to Geroge Bett was located on Camping Creek.  In 1773, Catherine Kelley obtained a 100 acre survey adjacent the George Bett grant at which time the Bett grant was shown as land of Michael Bates. The immigrant, George Bett, evidently died before 1773 with Michael inheriting the land by primogenitaire law.

  John Michael Bates, was born about 1743, died about 1800.  He married Ann Catherina Kölle, born 3 May 1748, died 4 September 1825, daughter of  John Jacob Kölle and Ann Catharina Sigler.  The Kölles (Kellys) came to SC in 1752 from Blaubeuren, Germany.  The land grant of Jacob Kelly was located on Buffalo Creek at the Newberry-Lexington County line, near the land grant of George Bett.

  It is often stated that Catherine, wife of Michael Bates, was Catherine Dreher, daughter of Godfrey Dreher, Sr.  Godfrey Dreher came from Erpfingen, Germany and settled on the south side of the Saluda River in Lexington County, SC.  The marriage and early family records of Godfrey Dreher have not been found in German Church records.

  Audited Accounts for Revolutionary Services to Michael Bates (AA06) list payment 25 December 1775 for forage food rations, also for stabling 40 horses and for 75 lbs. flour to Captain Richardson on way to Muddy Creek. (Stud Indent 714) The name of Michael Bates is also listed 1 December 1779 among loyalists serving under Capt. Martin Livingston's Company. (M. J. Clark, "Loyalists in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War," Vol. 1, p. 34).

  Michael Bates obtained a 100 acre late Colonial grant on Camping Creek as well as several adjoining early statehood grants.  In so doing he became the largest land holder during the late 18th century among the German populace of the Dutch Fork of Newberry District.

  Michael Bates made will 21 December 1800, proven 2 February 1801, with son, Jacob Bates and Thomas Frick as executors (Newberry Wills C-217). His LWT gives land to each of his eight children. The 150 acre homeplace tract was left to wife, and at her death to youngest son. On 11 November 1809, Catherine Bates and John Bates of Edgefield District sold this land to Frederick Pasinger (Newberry Deeds K-100). The deed is accompanied by a plat made 17 July 1805 at the request of Thomas Frick and Jacob and Catherine Bates. The plat shows a resurvey of the 150 acre bounty grant of George Bett on Camping Creek.  On this plat the adjacent land grant of Catherine Kelly is shown broken up at the Creek between John and Andrew Bates in agreement with LWT of Michael Bates.

  The will of Catherine Bates, widow of Michael Bates, was proven 6 December 1825 in Edgefield District (Edgefield Wills C-176).  In the will she mentions sons: Jacob, Andrew, and John; daughter Nancy Bowers; daughter Elizabeth Long  "and the seven children she had by her first husband"; and Wilson M. and Ann Catherine Bates, children of deceased son, David Bates.

I. Jacob Bates, born  about  1769, died  after 1856 married Sarah Woolley.  They lived in Lexington County.  In 1823 Jacob Bates was guardian of George and Jacob Kelly, sons of Jacob Kelly (Lexington County Court of Equity, Guardian Returns). The known children of Jacob Bates and Sarah Woolley are as follows:

  A. Jesse Bates, born  about 1806, married Kesiah Wyse, born about 1805, daughter of George Wyse and Mary Margaret Kelly.  They moved to MS..

  B. Franklin D. Bates, born  about 1812

  C. Dr. George Michael Bates, born 17 January  1814, died  5 July 1895, married 1) 14 January  1845, Susannah Margaret Mayer, born  about 1821, died  2 November  1847, daughter of  Adam Mayer and Mary Counts. He moved to Eufala, AL and  married 2) Sophia L. Ewart, born  22 October  1827, died 18 June 1906.

  D. Edith C. Bates, married 28 April 1842, S. K. Taylor.

  E. Dr. Reason (Rezin) Wesley Bates, born 17 February 1819, died 21 April 1892, married 8 December 1842, Elizabeth Evans, born 19 May 1819, died 20 April  1890, daughter of  John Evans.

II. Elizabeth Bates, born 1773, died 18 June 1838, married 1) about 1796, Rezin Woolley, born 1771, died 1809; sonof Col. Shadrach Woolley and wife, Margaret; he married 2) Jacob Long, born 20 July 1790, died 19 December 1848, son of  George Long and Catherine Bowers.  By 1807 Elizabeth Bates and first husband had moved to Edgefield District.

  A. Zaccheus Woolley, born 1797, died 1857, married Elizabeth Long, born 25 October 1798, died  about 1853, daughter of  George Long and Catherine Bowers. They moved to Bibb County, AL.

  B. Sarah Woolley, born 1799, died 1860, married William Early (Buck) Sawyer, born  about  1796, died 1861, son of  George Sawyer and Elizabeth Bird.  They moved to Ashley County, AR.

  C. Andrew Woolley, born 14 February  1801. Moved to Perry County, AL.

  D. Rev. William Vardeyman Woolley, born  about 1803, married Amanda Scott.   Moved to South Georgia.

   E. Nancy Woolley, born  2 April 1805, died 9 January 1883, married 1 May 1823, David C. Shealy, born  14 September 1802, died  29 January 1864, son of  John Jacob Shealy and Christiner Counts.

  F. Reason Woolley, Jr., born  1808, died 1868, married 1) 1833, Martha Hill, and married 2) Mary Atcherson.

  G. David Woolley, born  28 November 1809, died  8 January 1893, married in Lincoln County, GA, 10 December 1830, Sarah M. Harden, born  26 December 1809, died  6 August  1850.

III. Catharine Christine Bates, born 4 December 1774 (St. John's Lutheran Church records, Charleston, SC) married George Bowers, son of Alexander Andrew Bowers and Anna Barbara Herrman.  By 1812, they had moved to Edgefield District.  About the year, 1830, the family moved to Burke County, NC.

  A. Richard Andrew Bowers, born 1805, died 1896, married Margaret Ann Poole.

  B. Samuel Bowers, born 1808.

  C. John Bowers, born 1810.

  D.  James Bowers, born 1817.

IV. Nancy Bates, born  26 September 1775, died  23 October 1848, married Stephen Bowers, born  about 1768, died  13 November 1860, son of  Alexander Andrew Bowers and Anna Barbara Herrman.   Both buried  in Stephen Bowers Cemetery near Prosperity, S.C.

  A. George Bowers, born about 1794, married Catherine (Katie) Fellers, born abotu 1796, daughter of John George Fellers and Catherine Kinard.  Moved to Fayette County, TN.

  B. Alexander Andrew Bowers, born  2 December 1795, died 26 June 1825, married 28 December  1815, Mary Magdeline Wheeler born 13 December  1797, daughter of  George Wheeler and Barbara Addy.

  C. Samuel Bowers, born about 1798, died 25 January 1874, married 1) Elizabeth Cook, daughter of  Jacob Cook and Rebecca Kinard; he married 2) Margaret Moore, born  29 November 1812, died 16 November 1860, daughter of  James Moore, Sr. and Rosannah McClelland.

  D. Jacob Bowers, born  4 April  1799, died  27 February 1896, married 1) Mary (Polly) Lynch, daughter of  Rev. Elijah Lynch and Elizabeth Chapman; he married 2) Jemima Powell, born  1840, GA. Moved to Coweta County, GA prior to 1845.

  E. David Bowers, born  about  1802, died  29 October 1864, married Eve R. Kinard, born  about  1800, died  5 May 1880, daughter of  Michael Kinard, Sr. and Catherine Swittenberg. They lived on headwaters of Crims Creek.

  F. Nancy Bowers, born  5 July 1805, died  12 October 1876, married Robert Maffett, Jr., born  30 October 1797, died 18 September 1879, son of  Robert Maffet, Sr. and Barbara Hair.

  G. Elizabeth Ruth Bowers, born  13 November 1808, died  1 September 1865, married George Fellers born  6 January 1804, died 10 November 1882, son of  John George Fellers and Catherine Kinard.

  H. Sarah (Sallie) Bowers, born  3 November 1810, died  6 August 1882, married John Jacob Wheeler, born 11 April 1801, died  4 September 1874, son of  George Wheeler and Barbara Addy.

   I. John Bowers, born  about 1814, died  10 November 1834.

   J. Lavina (Vina) Bowers, born  28 October 1817, died  4 December 1834, married Dr. Abram Young, Jr., born  8 February 1809, died  16 March 1887.

V. Rev. Andrew Dreher Bates, born 25 September 1777, died 17 July 1842, married 27 February  1803, Nancy Ann Shuler, born 29 January 1784, died  20 September 1856, daughter of  Leonhardt Shuler and Anna Nancy Lever.  According to some sources, Rev. Bates was named Andrew Dreher Bates.  The familiy moved before 1820 to Edgefield District. Both buried Andrew Bates Cemetery, Batesburg, SC. (Andrew Bates Bible Record)

  A. Julia Ann Bates, born  12 February 1804, died  1 February  1879, married 4 January  1827, Elbert Henry Norris, born  25 June 1797, died  5 July 1851, son of  Nathan Norris and Mary Drucilia DeSaussure.

  B. Major George M. Bates, born  1 February 1806, died  15 December 1882, married  Roseanna M. Wilson, born  1816, died  20 October  1884. Moved to Eufala, AL.

  C. Elizabeth Bates, born  21 January  1808, married Joel Hamiter, son of  Jacob Hamiter and Harriette Nancy Bickley. They moved to Barbour County, AL.

  D. Thomas Shuler Bates, born  10 March  1810, died  5 October  1884, married Catherine Amanda Holstein, born  20 February 1827, died  17 March 1906, daughter of  Wade Holstein and Hepzibah Norris.  Both buried Andrew Bates Cemetery, Batesburg, SC.

  E. Ann (Nancy) Bates, born  30 November 1812, died  12 October 1850, married Wilson Michael Bates, son of  Michael David Bates and Sarah Ann Lee. They moved to AL.

  F. John L. Bates, born  9 October  1816.  Moved to Jackson Parish, LA.

  G. Hepzibah Eleanor Bates, born  20 February  1819, died  14 May 1862, married 15 September 1835, Andrew Jackson Wilson, born 11 March  1815, died 10 December 1875, son of  Simpson Wilson and Margaret Manning.  They moved to LA.

  H. Mary Ann Bates, born  9 November  1820, died 14 January 1854, married (as 1st wife) Ezekiel Watson Perry born 8 February 1809 died 7 December 1886, son of Ezekiel Perry, Jr. and Mary (Polly) Watson.   Mary Ann Bates Perry is buried at the Andrew Bates Family Cemetery. (information from Barbara Smith).

  I. Andrew David Bates, born  26 November 1823, died  14 November 1891, married 10 September 1857, Georgianna Mitchell, born 16 September 1836, died  6 August  1883, daughter of  Green Berry Mitchell and Susan Catherine Minick.

VI. George Bates, died 1804. George Bates died unmarried. He made will 14 April  1801, proven 3 September  1804 (Newberry  Wills D-140). In his will he mentions niece, Julia Bates, daughter of  Andrew Bates, and nephews, George and Andrew Bowers.

VII. Michael David Bates, born  about 1784, died  before 1818, married Sarah Ann Lee, daughter of  Andrew Lee and  Nancy Wilson. They moved before 1810 to Lexington District.  The family is said to have moved to AL.

  A. Wilson Michael Bates, born 1815, died about 1852, married Ann (Nancy) Bates, born  30 November 1812, died 12 October 1850, daughter of  Andrew Dreher Bates and Nancy Shuler. This couple moved to Barber County, AL. According to another source, Wilson Bates was born  about  l810, died  9 March  1899, wife named Emily, and moved to LA.

  B. Ann Catherine Bates.

VIII. Col. John Bates, born 1788, died 14 April  1855, married Hepzibah Eleanor Bond, born 1797, died 1866, daughter of  Major John Pearson Bond and Abigail Sarah Fairchild.  Before 1809 John Bates moved to Edgefield District. They are buried  at Bates-Hartley Cemetery, Batesburg, S.C.

  A. Eloisa E. Bates, born 1 May 1820, died 14 April 1855, married 1 May 1838, George James Strother, Jr., born  12 October 1815, died  23 February 1881, son of  George James Strother and Charlotte Richardson.

  B. Georgianna E. Bates, born 12 November 1826, died 1 September 1865, married 12 January  1843, Colonel Robert Baugh.

  C. John Pearson Bates, born 14 April 1829, died 5 November 1864, CSA, Green Pond, S.C., married 10 January  1854, Lucy Jane Glover Nicholson, born 22 January 1838, died  5 December 1892, daughter of  Shemuel Wright Nicholson and Susan Adaline Adams.

  D. Mary Bond Bates, born about 1831, married 1 February 1853, William T. Johnson.

  E. Walter Franklin Bates, born about 1837, died 30 April  1851.

  F. Ella E. Bates, born  18 October 1839, died  2 October 1858.

Submitter: Carl W. Nichols

Bio updated  9 October, 2003