BATES, Stephen 1812-1880

BATES, STRONG

Posted By: Karen L. Robertson (email)
Date: 4/2/2012 at 10:40:04

#1:

DIED AT HIS RESIDENCE IN ST. ANSGAR, IOWA, SATURDAY, MARCH 6TH, 1880,
STEPHEN BATES, AGE 68 YEARS.

Mr. Bates was born at Fishkill, Duchess Co., N.Y., in 1812; came to Illinois in 1837 and removed to Wisconsin in 1844, December 13th. He was married to Betsey Strong, by the Rev. Mr. Murphy, a Baptist minister. He continued to reside in Ripon, Wisconsin, until 1860, when he came to Iowa, at this place, where he continued to reside until his death. He was appointed post-master in 1861 and held the office for about nine years, when he resigned. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace and various other offices of trust in the township during his residence.

He was a man widely known throughout the county for his rare integrity, kindness of heart and generous disposition. No one ever applied to him for sympathy or financial relief, but he contributed to them as liberally as he could. He was the friend of the poor, the weak and the down-trodden. To render everyone happy with whom he came in contact seemed to be his especial delight.

He literally fulfilled the scriptural injunction to "go about doing good." To say that he will be missed from our midst, poorly expresses the feeling fo the community in which he lived and died. He needs no monument of granite to remind us that he was once a citizen among us. The recollections of his manly traits of character, his unswerving devotion to right and principle, his benevolent disposition, his native kindess of heart, are features in his life that will be remembered with pleasure.

No higher ambition need a man strive for than to so live, that when he passes from us the unanimous expression of "how much we shall miss him" comes from every lip. The last years, months and weeks of his life were full of acute sufferings, yet few words of impatience ever escaped him. He died in the full faith and expectancy of a delightful future.
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#2:

A large concourse of people followed the remains of our deceased citizen, Stephen Bates, to its final resting place. The funeral sermon was delivered by Rev. Slade, of Osage, and was an excellent one.

St. Ansgar Enterprise
Wednesday, March 10, 1880
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#3:
NOTES:

Stephen Bates is buried at the St. Ansgar City Cemetery. (kr)

See obituary for his wife, Betsey Bates.