Transcribed from Goodspeed’s History of  Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present; Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketches of from Twenty-Five to Thirty Counties of East Tennessee, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Reminiscences, etc., etc. (Chicago and Nashville:  The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887), pp. 962-987.  See footnote below for on-line access.

T. L. BATES, a prominent farmer of the Seventh Civil District, Bradley County, Tenn. was born in Franklin County, Ala. April 2, 1819, and is the son of Ezekiel and Hannah (Hill) Bates. The father was of Anglo-Irish descent and was born in Virginia, October 14, 1794, and died June 15, 1864. He came to Tennessee at a very early date, then married and moved to Alabama, and was there for two years. He then moved to Ray [Rhea] County, Tenn. He afterward moved to the Ocoee Purchase, Bradley County, Tenn. He was a very successful merchant and farmer. He had a good education, which he secured by his own efforts after his marriage. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and was a Democrat. The mother was born in Georgia, February 13, 1796, and died in Bradley county, Tenn. January 19, 1837. She had a good education and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our subject was the third of eleven children. He was a collegiate education, secured at Knoxville, Tenn. He worked on his father’s farm until January 2, 1844, when he married Cynthia McCarty, who was born in Meigs County, Tenn, July 24, 1824, and died in Bradley County, Tenn., July 25, 1867. she was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was the daughter of B. V. and Sallie G. McCarty. Our subjects marriage resulted in the birth of eight children, two of them now living: Catherine H. and Cynthia J. The others died in infancy. July 29, 1868, our subject married Maryline Culton, who was born in McMinn County, Tenn., April 11, 1842. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and is the daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Culton of Dutch-Scotch descent. The union has resulted in eight children. Six of them now living: Clementine A., Thomas L., Walter C., James M., Sarah M. and Nancy A. Those dead are Frederick A. and Henry C. When married our subject moved to his present location, and lived on this place until elected sheriff of Bradley County, then moved to Cleveland. He was re-elected two terms after this, then moved back to his farm. He was poor when he began, but now owns 360 acres. Besides this he owns two improved lots in Cleveland and two and a half acres of unimproved land in Cleveland. He is a Democrat, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a Master Mason, and was instrumental in instituting a lodge of that kind in Chatata. He at all times contributes to churches and schools, having very nearly paid for one church and contributed largely to the female collage at Cleveland.

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This biography was transcribed by Sherry Pollard. We thank her for transcribing all the Goodspeed’s biographical sketches.

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