Arthur Jay Bates was the son of GEORGE EDWIN BATES and ISABELLA "BELLE" STEELE. He moved to Seward county, Nebraska before 1870 and then to Brown county, Nebraska by 1882. They were early settlers of Brown county, the part that became Rock county in 1888. Jay Bates married to Catherine "Kate" Rickard on 02 Jan 1894 at Rock county, Nebraska. She was the daughter of Lewis Rickard and Maria Antoinette Fellows Rickard. Two children were born to Jay and Kate: Perry M Bates & Nola Antoinette Bates married William Harold Allbee.

The father of Arthur Jay Bates, George Edwin Bates, was born 21 June 1830 Owego, Tioga, New York and died 22 Aug 1908 Brown county, Nebraska. George moved to Broome county, New York with his parents and then to Winnebago county, Illinois. He went back to New York and married on 12 March 1854 at Broome, NY to HANNAH RUMMER (daughter of Truman and Almedia). He brought Hannah to Winnebago county, Illinois where she died about 1865.
They were parents of 3 children born in Winnebago county:

DELSINA DIANE "BELL" BATES JEFFERS BALES 1855-1930;
TRUMAN R BATES 1857 Illinois-after 1920 Nebraska;
JENNIE BATES RAMBO born 1861 and died between 1900-1910 at Wisner, Cumming, Nebraska, married 1881 Holt county, Ne. to James Peter Rambo FAG #24868981.

George Edwin Bates married 2nd on 20 Dec 1866 to Isabella "Belle" Steele, born Feb 1837 Ireland. They were parents of 2 children:

ARTHUR JAY BATES was born in Winnebago county, Illinois. The family moved to Seward county, Nebraska where his sister:
IDA MAE BATES MUSFELT DEBOLT was born 01 Aug 1870. The family moved to Brown county, Nebraska about 1882. Ida Mae Bates married in 1887 to Fremont Musfelt FGA #163546180 and then in 1890 to Alexander DeBolt FAG #51210431. Ida died 26 Dec 1921 IN Keya Paha county.