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James Woodson Bates
Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas Territory
In office December 21, 1819 – March 3, 1823
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	Henry W. Conway
Delegate to 1836 Arkansas Constitutional Convention
In office January 4, 1836 – January 30, 1836Serving with Richard C.S. Brown and John Drennen
Constituency	Crawford County
Personal details
Born	August 25, 1788 (1788-08-25) Goochland County, Virginia, U.S.
Died	December 26, 1846 (1846-12-27) (aged 58) Van Buren, Arkansas, U.S.
Spouse	Elizabeth Moore Bates
Relations	Frederick, Edward; see Bates extended family
Alma mater	Princeton University
Profession	Attorney

James Woodson Bates (August 25, 1788 – December 26, 1846) was an American lawyer and statesman from Sebastian County, Arkansas. He represented the Arkansas Territory as a delegate to the United States House of Representatives.

Early life and education

James was born in Goochland County, Virginia at his parents' plantation known as Belmont. Part of a political family, Bates was the younger brother of Frederick Bates, second governor of Missouri; and older brother of Edward Bates, who served as US Attorney General to President Abraham Lincoln. He was the ninth child of Thomas and Caroline (Woodson) Bates. He started his advanced education at Yale University but soon transferred to Princeton University, where he graduated in 1807. He read law and then went west.

Career

In 1807, Bates' older brother Frederick was Secretary of the Missouri Territory, based in St. Louis. James and his younger brother Edward joined Frederick in St. Louis, where James began the practice of law (Edward would follow him in this profession).

When the Arkansas Territory was created in 1819, Bates moved to its capital, Arkansas Post, to become one of the first lawyers in the new territory. That fall he was elected to be the non-voting delegate for the territory in the United States House of Representatives. He served two terms, from December 21, 1819, until March 3, 1823, and chose not to stand for re-election in 1822.

While serving in Congress, he had moved to the small settlement called Poke Bayou. When the town plat was laid out in 1821, it was renamed Batesville in his honor. When his congressional term ended, he returned to Batesville and resumed practicing law. He became a local judge in 1824, riding the fourth circuit through the western part of the territory.

In 1828 President John Quincy Adams appointed him to the superior court of the territory. Bates served until President Jackson named judge Charles S. Bibb to the post. In 1835 he was a delegate to the constitutional convention for the new state of Arkansas.

While serving as a circuit judge, Bates met a wealthy widow, Elizabeth Moore. After they married, he moved to her Moore Farm near Van Buren in Crawford County. He later served as a probate court judge and a registrar in the land office. He owned slaves.

Death

Bates died in Van Buren, Arkansas, on December 26, 1846. He is interred at a private family graveyard on the Moore farm near Van Buren.

References

1. "James Woodson Bates". The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
2. "James Woodson Bates". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
3. "James Woodson Bates". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
4. "Congress slaveowners", The Washington Post, 2022-01-19, retrieved 2022-07-11
5. "James Woodson Bates". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 17 June 2013.

External links

• United States Congress. "James Woodson Bates (id: B000235)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

v t e Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas
Territory Bates Conway Sevier At-large Yell Cross Yell Newton Johnson Hynes Breckinridge
1st district Greenwood Hindman Roots Hanks Hodges Gause Dunn Cate Featherstone Cate McCulloch Macon Caraway Driver Gathings Alexander Lincoln Berry Crawford 2nd district Warren Rust Warren Rust Hinds Elliott A. A. C. Rogers O. P. Snyder Slemons Jones Breckinridge Little Brundidge W. Oldfield P. Oldfield Miller Mills Tucker Bethune T. Robinson Thornton V. Snyder Griffin Hill 3rd district Boles Edwards Boles Wilshire Gunter Wilshire J. Cravens J. H. Rogers McRae Dinsmore Floyd Tillman Fuller Ellis Fulbright Trimble Hammerschmidt T. Hutchinson A. Hutchinson Boozman Womack 4th district Gunter Peel J. H. Rogers W. Terry Reid Little W. B. Cravens O. Wingo E. Wingo W. B. Cravens W. F. Cravens Tackett Harris Pryor Thornton Anthony Dickey Ross Cotton Westerman 5th district Peel Dinsmore Reid Jacoway Ragon D. Terry Hays Alford 6th district Neill Brundidge J. Robinson S. Taylor C. Taylor Sawyer Reed Glover McClellan W. Norrell C. Norrell 7th district Wallace Goodwin Parks Kitchens Harris

• Biography
• Law
• Politics
• United States

• 1788 births
• 1846 deaths
• People from Goochland County, Virginia
• American people of English descent
• Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from Arkansas Territory
• Arkansas state court judges
• Arkansas lawyers
• Missouri lawyers
• American lawyers admitted to the practice of law by reading law
• American slave owners
• People from Batesville, Arkansas
• 19th-century American judges
• 19th-century American lawyers
• Princeton University alumni
• 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives