POLK CO, AR - JOHN CALVIN BATES - Bio

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas. 
Chicago: Goodspeed Publishers, 1891.

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John Calvin Bates is a farmer, stock-raiser general merchant and
postmaster at Big Bend, Ark. In the space allotted in this volume it
would be impossible to give a detailed account of the career of this
gentleman, but it is only just to say that in his walk through life 
his course has been marked by honesty, industry, and a manly, 
independent spirit. He was born in Cherokee County, Ga., in 1845, to 
Judge George V. and Hortensia [p.447] M. (Walker) Bates, both of whom 
were born in South Carolina, the former in Pickens District, in 1820, 
and the latter in Spartanburg District, in 1822, respectively. They 
removed with their parents to Georgia, when young, and were there 
afterward married in 1842, making their home in that State until 1852, 
when they came to Polk County, Ark., settling on a woodland farm on 
Big Fork, where they have since lived, both members of the Primitive 
Baptist Church. In 1865 Mr. Bates was elected county and probate 
judge, serving a short time, and was again elected to the same 
position in 1884, serving two years. He was justice of the peace a 
good many years, and was postmaster at Big Fork for some years. His 
father, Stephen Bates, was a Virginian, but was married in South 
Carolina, and from there moved to Cherokee County, Ga., in 1834, where 
he followed the occupation of farming, was justice of the peace, and 
died in July, 1851. His father, William Bates, was probably a 
Virginian, who died in South Carolina. The maternal grandfather of the
subject of this sketch, Allan Walker, was born in North Carolina, and
died in Cherokee County, Ga., about 1848, a farmer. 

John Calvin Bates is one of eight surviving members of a family of ten 
children born to his parents, the other members being: Abraham R., 
Thomas J., Stephen, George W., Nancy E. (wife of Jacob Masters), Sarah 
J. (wife of W. H. Smith, and Margaret (wife of W. L. Huddleston of 
Bell County, Tex.). 

John Calvin Bates was reared on a farm with very poor educational 
advantages, and since 1852 has been a resident of Arkansas. He served 
for about fifteen months during the latter part of the war as third 
sergeant of Company B, Tenth Arkansas Cavalry, the greater part of the 
time being on detached service in Arkansas. 

He was married in 1864, to Miss Malinda E., daughter of Elijah B. and 
Lucretia Goss, who were South Carolinians, removing first to Georgia 
and in 1852 to Polk County, Ark., where Mr. Goss died in 1882, the 
death of his wife occurring six or seven years before, both members of 
the Primitive Baptist Church. Mrs. Bates was born in Lumpkin County, 
Ga., and of the eleven children she has borne her husband, nine are 
living: 

Mr. Bates lived on Big Fork until 1871, then came to his present farm 
of ninety-two acres. Besides this he owns 120 acres, all of which he 
has earned by his own efforts. He raises considerable stock, and for 
several years has run a general store, doing a business of about 
$4,000 annually. He is one of the leading farmers of his township and 
holds progressive views on all topics of general interest, and is a 
member of the Primitive Baptist Church.