Biography of James Woodson Bates, Benton Co, AR

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SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed 
Publishing Co., 1889.
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The first of these articles are on persons from other counties that
have Sebastian County ties.   Later, you will find only Sebastian 
County families.

History of Benton County
REPRESENTATIVE MEN. 
page 735

Judge James Woodson Bates, brother of Frederick and Edward Bates, of national
notoriety, was born in Goochland County, Va., about 1788, and died at his home
in Crawford (now Sebastian) County, Ark., in the year 1846. He was educated at
Yale and Princeton Colleges, and graduated in the latter about 1810. When quite
young he attended the trial of Aaron Burr, at Richmond, [p.735] for treason.
Soon after leaving college he commenced the study of law, and not long after
the organization of the Territory of Arkansas, in 1820, he located at the post
of Arkansas, and there commenced the practice of his profession. Soon
thereafter he was elected first territorial delegate to Congress. In 1823 he
was a candidate for re-election, but was defeated by the Hon. Henry W. Conway.
After leaving Congress, Bates removed to the newly settled town of Batesville,
which  was named after him, and there resumed the practice of law. In November,
1825, President Adams appointed him one of the territorial judges. On the
accession of Gen. Jackson to the presidency, his commission expired  without
renewal, and soon thereafter he removed to what is now Sebastian County, and
there married a daughter of Maj. Moore, and settled on a farm, where he
remained until his death. In the fall of 1835 he was elected to  the
constitutional convention, and contributed his ability and learning in the
formation of the organic law of the State of Arkansas. Soon after the accession
of John Tyler to the presidency he appointed Judge Bates register of the land
office at Clarksville. He discharged every trust and all the duties devolved
upon him with the utmost fidelity. He was a most gifted conversationalist, and
a writer of unusual vigor. His mind was richly stored with classical learning.