Lyman Bates - 1879

BATES, EATON, EDSON, DARLING, GOODENOW

Posted By: LuAnn Goeke (email)
Date: 12/18/2009 at 21:46:05

SOUTH FORK TOWNSHIP. LYMAN BATES, farmer, Sec. 25; P.O. Maquoketa; is a native of Warren Co., N.Y.; born Nov. 22, 1817; he grew to manhood there, and, in the spring of 1838, he and Mr. John E. Goodenow started for Iowa with a four-horse team prepared to journey either on wheels or runners, were forty-eight days on the way; traveled thirty-nine days, and crossed the river on the ice, March 10, 1838; they reached the place where Maquoketa now stands, March 19; they bridged every stream between here and the river. After coming here, he and Mr. Goodenow kept bach for a year; they made claims, and began making farms, though it was seven years before the land was offered for sale by the Government. Dec. 1, 1839, he married Miss Sylvia D. Eaton, a native of Cortland Co., N. Y.; mention is made of their wedding in another part of this work; they began housekeeping in a log shanty. Mr. Bates has lived here over forty-one years; is one of the earliest settlers now living. He owns a good farm of 160 acres just south of the city limits. His wife died leaving three children - Miles E., Mary, and Julia (now Mrs. Edson), all living in this vicinity. Mr. Bates married Emily A. Darling, from Franklin Co., Vt.; they have one child - Ella. – 1879 History of Jackson county Iowa, pg 641.