A well known stockman and farmer of Carlinville township is Douglas
M. Bates, who was born in Bird township, Macoupin county, Illinois, on
the 11th of May, 1861, a son of George and Agnes Ann (Adams) Bates, also
natives of Illinois. The father was born and reared in this county,
engaging in agricultural pursuits all of his life. The first property he
owned was a tract of one hundred and twenty acres in Bird township,
which he improved and cultivated for eight years. He then disposed of
this land, buying a quarter section in Carlinville township that he
operated until his death on the 4th of February, 1879. His wife had
passed away about ten years previously, her demise occurring in
December.
Douglas M. Bates was reared in Macoupin county, his
early interests being very similar to those of other lads reared in the
country at that period. He attended the district schools of the vicinity
until he had acquired sufficient knowledge of the common branches to
enable him to assume the heavier responsibilities of life. Laying aside
his school books he gave his entire attention to the work of the farm
with which he had been assisting since his early boyhood. He remained a
member of the parental household until he had attained his majority,
when he felt he was fully'*qualified to begin his independent career as
an agriculturist. He rented some land in the cultivation of which he met
with such gratifying success that at the expiration of six years he was
able to buy his father's farm. This has ever since been his home and
here he engage? in general farming, in addition to which he is a stock
raiser and an extensive feeder. He feeds and ships from two to three
loads of cattle every year, keeps twenty-five horses and raises from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred hogs annually. His occupation has
proven to be very lucrative and Mr. Bates has been able to add to his
holdings from time to time until he now owns four hundred and forty-five
acres in Carlinville and Bird townships, all of it under cultivation and
well improved.
It was on the 5th of October, 1882, that Mr.
Bates was joined in wedlock to Miss Mattie A. Wilson, a daughter of
James and Rebecca (Barr) Wilson, natives of Ireland. The father
emigrated to this country in his early manhood, first locating in
Pennsylvania, where he worked in the iron mills for many years. From
there he went to New York, then to New Jersey, thence to Iowa, having
remained for several years in each of these states. He finally came to
Macoupin county, buying a farm in Honey Point township that he improved
and operated until his death. He passed away on the 2d of March, 1899,
his wife having died on the same day twenty years previously. Of the
seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Bates five are living, as follows:
Morris, who is twenty-six years of age; Walter, who is twenty-four;
Agnes, now a young woman of twenty-two; Byron, who is twenty; and
Webster, a youth of thirteen years. The two deceased were Faun, who was
born on the 10th of November, 1892 and died five days later; and Harry,
who was born on the 25th of July, 1899, and died in December, of the
same year.
In religious faith the family are Baptists. His
political allegiance Mr. Bates gives to the democratic party, and is now
serving as assistant supervisor of Carlinville township, while for
twenty-one years he was a school director. A capable business man as
well as trustworthy and reliable, Mr. Bates is held in high esteem in
his community, where both he and his family have many friends.
Extracted 18 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 627-628.
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