Charles P. Bates Biography


	This biography appears on pages 897-898 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	CHARLES P. BATES is a native of the old Empire state of the 
Union, having been born in Oneida county, New York, on the 4th of 
December, 1859, and being a son of Rev. Laban E. and Caroline (Bronson) 
Bates, his father having been a clergyman of the Congregational church, 
in whose ministry he served until the time of his death, in 1896, his 
wife passing away in 1869. The subject of this sketch was reared on a 
farm. his father having been engaged in agricultural pursuits in 
addition to his ministerial labors, and after attending the public 
schools until he had completed the curriculum he continued his studies 
in the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lima, New York, and from the age of 
eighteen until that of twenty-three he devoted a portion of his time to 
teaching and to the study of law in connection wits, his course in the 
seminary, having initiated his technical reading of the law in the city 
of Rochester. In 1883 Mr. Bates came to what is now the state of South 
Dakota and located in Ipswich, Edmunds county, where he was identified 
with the hardware business about two years. In March, 1885, he came to 
Sioux Falls and resumed the study of law in the office of H. H. Keith, 
being admitted to the bar in January, 1887, but continuing in the 
employ of his preceptor, Mr. Keith, until January, 1889, when they 
formed a partnership, under the title of Keith & Bates, this 
association continuing until January, 1893, after which Mr. Bates was 
independently engaged in the practice of his profession until January, 
1898, when he entered into partnership with P. J. Rogde, under the firm 
name of Bates & Rogde. On January 1, 1904, this partnership was 
dissolved and Mr. Bates formed a business alliance with Ralph W. 
Parliman, under the firm name of Bates & Parliman.  

	In May, 1894, Mr. Bates was appointed city attorney, being chosen 
as his own successor in the following year and thus remaining incumbent 
of the office until May, 1896. During the spirited campaign of 1894 he 
was chairman of the Republican central committee of Minnehaha county, 
marshaling his forces with consummate skill and discrimination and 
proving himself well qualified for leadership. After the nomination of 
William McKinley for the presidency in 1896 he identified himself with 
the silver wing of the party, receiving the nomination for state's 
attorney on the Fusion ticket and being elected by a gratifying 
majority, the entire ticket being victorious in the county. In 1898 he 
was reelected, serving as a tangible mark of the popular appreciation 
of his ability and his effective services as public prosecutor, and m 
the campaign of that year he was also chairman of the executive 
committee of the Fusion party in the county and had charge of the 
campaign in the county. In 1902 Mr. Bates renewed his allegiance to the 
Republican party and has since been an advocate of its principles. He 
is devoted to the work of his profession, giving a careful preparation 
to all his cases and presenting every cause with directness and with a 
full appreciation of the salient points involved, while his thorough 
knowledge of the basic principles, and the minutiae of the law, as well 
as of precedents, has gained him marked prestige as a trial lawyer and 
as a safe and conservative counsel. Fraternally Mr. Bates is one of, 
the prominent members of Granite Lodge No. 18. Knights of Pythias, in 
which he has passed all the official chairs and has frequently 
represented the lodge in the grand lodge of the state. He is also 
affiliated with Sioux Falls Lodge, No. 262, Benevolent and Protective 
Order of Elks, of which he is past exalted ruler, having also 
represented this organization in the grand lodge. His religious faith 
is that of the Congregational church, in which he was reared.  

	On the 5th of February, 1891, Mr. Bates was united in marriage to 
Miss Grace Chester, of Elmira, New York, and they are the parents of 
two sons, Chester Bronson and Lawrence Russell.