He was the son of Major Elkanah Bates and Hannah Copeland Bates.
July 1, 1835 as Benjamin E. Bates, he married Josephine Louisa Shephard at Boston, Massachusetts.
They were the parents of one child.
On August 8, 1860, he married Sarah C. Gilbert, daughter of Dea. Joseph T. Gilbert of Gilbertsville, New York.
They were the parents of three children.
He was the son of Elkanah Bates, a farmer, cotton manufacturer and merchant and his wife, Sarah. In his lifetime he was one of the largest donors to the Maine State Seminary. In 1863 the Seminary's President and founder, Oren B. Cheney changed the name of the Seminary to Bates College without the knowledge or consent of Mr. Bates. On July 1, 1835 as Benjamin E. Bates, he married Josephine Louisa Shephard at Boston, Massachusetts.
The Boston Daily Advertiser
Wednesday, January 16, 1878
Benjamin E. Bates
Mr. Benjamin K. Bates, President of the Bank of Commerce, died at his house on Arlington Street Monday evening, after a short illness. He had not been entirely well for some time past, but had attended to his large and varied business until a fortnight ago, when an attack of pleurisy confined him to his house. There had been some improvement in his health and he fully expected and his friends hoped for, a speedy recovery. Early Monday evening he was stricken with heart disease and soon expired.
Mr. Bates was born in Norton, Massachusetts in 1808. He came from the academy in Wrentham, where he studied and taught for a short time, to Boston and entered the dry goods store of Barnabas T. Loring, on Washington Street, succeeding to his business a few years later as a member of the firm of Davis, Bates & Turner, afterwards Bates Turner & Co., one of the largest dry goods jobbing and importing houses in the city. He early became interested in the development of the water power at Lewiston and was a pioneer in the manufacturing establishments which have been the making of that enterprising city. He was the first Treasurer of the Lewiston Water Power Company and for many years to the time of his death Treasurer of the Androscoggin Mills and of the Bates Manufacturing Company at Lewiston and a Director and owner in other mills there and elsewhere. The college at Lewiston, named in Mr. Bates' honor, is indebted to him for its first great endowment.
Soon after the organization of the Bank of Commerce Mr. Bates was chosen President. He was also a Director in the Union Pacific Railroad and held intimate and responsible relations with several of the largest business institutions of the city and the State and he attended to the manifold requirements they made on him with unfailing diligence and integrity. In his early and middle life Mr. Bates experienced the perils which most men in actives business are compelled to pass through; but his patience, courage and good judgment carried him safely through and led him in positions to take advantage of better times when they came.
However much he was burdened by business cares, Mr. Bates still found time to interest himself actively in objects of public concern. He contributed liberally of his means and counsel to religious and benevolent work and kept his hand and heart always open to asset enterprises which seemed to him in any way conducive to the general welfare. He was one of the founders of the Central Church and in all its vicissitudes a firm friend and generous helped. But his good deeds were never heralded abroad and many persons shared the benefits of his generosity without knowing their benefactor. The multiplication of his duties and his relations with important trusts, for which he felt a personal responsibility, may have overtaxed his strength, but he never failed in any respect to meet the requirements of every trust committed to him and to the last he faithfully performed the duties of an upright man and a good citizen.
Mr. Bates was twice married, leaving by his first wife a daughter, Mrs. Henry B. Hammond of New York and by his second wife, who survives him, a son and two daughters.
July 1, 1835 as Benjamin E. Bates, he married Josephine Louisa Shephard at Boston, Massachusetts.
They were the parents of one child.
On August 8, 1860, he married Sarah C. Gilbert, daughter of Dea. Joseph T. Gilbert of Gilbertsville, New York.
They were the parents of three children.
He was the son of Elkanah Bates, a farmer, cotton manufacturer and merchant and his wife, Sarah. In his lifetime he was one of the largest donors to the Maine State Seminary. In 1863 the Seminary's President and founder, Oren B. Cheney changed the name of the Seminary to Bates College without the knowledge or consent of Mr. Bates. On July 1, 1835 as Benjamin E. Bates, he married Josephine Louisa Shephard at Boston, Massachusetts.
The Boston Daily Advertiser
Wednesday, January 16, 1878
Benjamin E. Bates
Mr. Benjamin K. Bates, President of the Bank of Commerce, died at his house on Arlington Street Monday evening, after a short illness. He had not been entirely well for some time past, but had attended to his large and varied business until a fortnight ago, when an attack of pleurisy confined him to his house. There had been some improvement in his health and he fully expected and his friends hoped for, a speedy recovery. Early Monday evening he was stricken with heart disease and soon expired.
Mr. Bates was born in Norton, Massachusetts in 1808. He came from the academy in Wrentham, where he studied and taught for a short time, to Boston and entered the dry goods store of Barnabas T. Loring, on Washington Street, succeeding to his business a few years later as a member of the firm of Davis, Bates & Turner, afterwards Bates Turner & Co., one of the largest dry goods jobbing and importing houses in the city. He early became interested in the development of the water power at Lewiston and was a pioneer in the manufacturing establishments which have been the making of that enterprising city. He was the first Treasurer of the Lewiston Water Power Company and for many years to the time of his death Treasurer of the Androscoggin Mills and of the Bates Manufacturing Company at Lewiston and a Director and owner in other mills there and elsewhere. The college at Lewiston, named in Mr. Bates' honor, is indebted to him for its first great endowment.
Soon after the organization of the Bank of Commerce Mr. Bates was chosen President. He was also a Director in the Union Pacific Railroad and held intimate and responsible relations with several of the largest business institutions of the city and the State and he attended to the manifold requirements they made on him with unfailing diligence and integrity. In his early and middle life Mr. Bates experienced the perils which most men in actives business are compelled to pass through; but his patience, courage and good judgment carried him safely through and led him in positions to take advantage of better times when they came.
However much he was burdened by business cares, Mr. Bates still found time to interest himself actively in objects of public concern. He contributed liberally of his means and counsel to religious and benevolent work and kept his hand and heart always open to asset enterprises which seemed to him in any way conducive to the general welfare. He was one of the founders of the Central Church and in all its vicissitudes a firm friend and generous helped. But his good deeds were never heralded abroad and many persons shared the benefits of his generosity without knowing their benefactor. The multiplication of his duties and his relations with important trusts, for which he felt a personal responsibility, may have overtaxed his strength, but he never failed in any respect to meet the requirements of every trust committed to him and to the last he faithfully performed the duties of an upright man and a good citizen.
Mr. Bates was twice married, leaving by his first wife a daughter, Mrs. Henry B. Hammond of New York and by his second wife, who survives him, a son and two daughters.
He was the son of Major Elkanah Bates and Hannah Copeland Bates.
July 1, 1835 as Benjamin E. Bates, he married Josephine Louisa Shephard at Boston, Massachusetts.
They were the parents of one child.
On August 8, 1860, he married Sarah C. Gilbert, daughter of Dea. Joseph T. Gilbert of Gilbertsville, New York.
They were the parents of three children.
He was the son of Elkanah Bates, a farmer, cotton manufacturer and merchant and his wife, Sarah. In his lifetime he was one of the largest donors to the Maine State Seminary. In 1863 the Seminary's President and founder, Oren B. Cheney changed the name of the Seminary to Bates College without the knowledge or consent of Mr. Bates. On July 1, 1835 as Benjamin E. Bates, he married Josephine Louisa Shephard at Boston, Massachusetts.
The Boston Daily Advertiser
Wednesday, January 16, 1878
Benjamin E. Bates
Mr. Benjamin K. Bates, President of the Bank of Commerce, died at his house on Arlington Street Monday evening, after a short illness. He had not been entirely well for some time past, but had attended to his large and varied business until a fortnight ago, when an attack of pleurisy confined him to his house. There had been some improvement in his health and he fully expected and his friends hoped for, a speedy recovery. Early Monday evening he was stricken with heart disease and soon expired.
Mr. Bates was born in Norton, Massachusetts in 1808. He came from the academy in Wrentham, where he studied and taught for a short time, to Boston and entered the dry goods store of Barnabas T. Loring, on Washington Street, succeeding to his business a few years later as a member of the firm of Davis, Bates & Turner, afterwards Bates Turner & Co., one of the largest dry goods jobbing and importing houses in the city. He early became interested in the development of the water power at Lewiston and was a pioneer in the manufacturing establishments which have been the making of that enterprising city. He was the first Treasurer of the Lewiston Water Power Company and for many years to the time of his death Treasurer of the Androscoggin Mills and of the Bates Manufacturing Company at Lewiston and a Director and owner in other mills there and elsewhere. The college at Lewiston, named in Mr. Bates' honor, is indebted to him for its first great endowment.
Soon after the organization of the Bank of Commerce Mr. Bates was chosen President. He was also a Director in the Union Pacific Railroad and held intimate and responsible relations with several of the largest business institutions of the city and the State and he attended to the manifold requirements they made on him with unfailing diligence and integrity. In his early and middle life Mr. Bates experienced the perils which most men in actives business are compelled to pass through; but his patience, courage and good judgment carried him safely through and led him in positions to take advantage of better times when they came.
However much he was burdened by business cares, Mr. Bates still found time to interest himself actively in objects of public concern. He contributed liberally of his means and counsel to religious and benevolent work and kept his hand and heart always open to asset enterprises which seemed to him in any way conducive to the general welfare. He was one of the founders of the Central Church and in all its vicissitudes a firm friend and generous helped. But his good deeds were never heralded abroad and many persons shared the benefits of his generosity without knowing their benefactor. The multiplication of his duties and his relations with important trusts, for which he felt a personal responsibility, may have overtaxed his strength, but he never failed in any respect to meet the requirements of every trust committed to him and to the last he faithfully performed the duties of an upright man and a good citizen.
Mr. Bates was twice married, leaving by his first wife a daughter, Mrs. Henry B. Hammond of New York and by his second wife, who survives him, a son and two daughters.
July 1, 1835 as Benjamin E. Bates, he married Josephine Louisa Shephard at Boston, Massachusetts.
They were the parents of one child.
On August 8, 1860, he married Sarah C. Gilbert, daughter of Dea. Joseph T. Gilbert of Gilbertsville, New York.
They were the parents of three children.
He was the son of Elkanah Bates, a farmer, cotton manufacturer and merchant and his wife, Sarah. In his lifetime he was one of the largest donors to the Maine State Seminary. In 1863 the Seminary's President and founder, Oren B. Cheney changed the name of the Seminary to Bates College without the knowledge or consent of Mr. Bates. On July 1, 1835 as Benjamin E. Bates, he married Josephine Louisa Shephard at Boston, Massachusetts.
The Boston Daily Advertiser
Wednesday, January 16, 1878
Benjamin E. Bates
Mr. Benjamin K. Bates, President of the Bank of Commerce, died at his house on Arlington Street Monday evening, after a short illness. He had not been entirely well for some time past, but had attended to his large and varied business until a fortnight ago, when an attack of pleurisy confined him to his house. There had been some improvement in his health and he fully expected and his friends hoped for, a speedy recovery. Early Monday evening he was stricken with heart disease and soon expired.
Mr. Bates was born in Norton, Massachusetts in 1808. He came from the academy in Wrentham, where he studied and taught for a short time, to Boston and entered the dry goods store of Barnabas T. Loring, on Washington Street, succeeding to his business a few years later as a member of the firm of Davis, Bates & Turner, afterwards Bates Turner & Co., one of the largest dry goods jobbing and importing houses in the city. He early became interested in the development of the water power at Lewiston and was a pioneer in the manufacturing establishments which have been the making of that enterprising city. He was the first Treasurer of the Lewiston Water Power Company and for many years to the time of his death Treasurer of the Androscoggin Mills and of the Bates Manufacturing Company at Lewiston and a Director and owner in other mills there and elsewhere. The college at Lewiston, named in Mr. Bates' honor, is indebted to him for its first great endowment.
Soon after the organization of the Bank of Commerce Mr. Bates was chosen President. He was also a Director in the Union Pacific Railroad and held intimate and responsible relations with several of the largest business institutions of the city and the State and he attended to the manifold requirements they made on him with unfailing diligence and integrity. In his early and middle life Mr. Bates experienced the perils which most men in actives business are compelled to pass through; but his patience, courage and good judgment carried him safely through and led him in positions to take advantage of better times when they came.
However much he was burdened by business cares, Mr. Bates still found time to interest himself actively in objects of public concern. He contributed liberally of his means and counsel to religious and benevolent work and kept his hand and heart always open to asset enterprises which seemed to him in any way conducive to the general welfare. He was one of the founders of the Central Church and in all its vicissitudes a firm friend and generous helped. But his good deeds were never heralded abroad and many persons shared the benefits of his generosity without knowing their benefactor. The multiplication of his duties and his relations with important trusts, for which he felt a personal responsibility, may have overtaxed his strength, but he never failed in any respect to meet the requirements of every trust committed to him and to the last he faithfully performed the duties of an upright man and a good citizen.
Mr. Bates was twice married, leaving by his first wife a daughter, Mrs. Henry B. Hammond of New York and by his second wife, who survives him, a son and two daughters.
