William Bates
Revolutionary War soldier and Spy for the United States
William Bates was born into a Quaker family in Pennsylvania in 1759. A descendant of Rev. William Bates of England. The Family moved to the Yadkin river area of North Carolina while he was still a boy. At the start of the Revolutionary War rather than fight, he volunteered as a spy for Colonel Shepherd who commanded the North Carolina Militia. He knew most of the Torres that occupied the area around where he grew up. As the war progressed he watched the Indians that had been hired by the British to fight for England as they killed and destroyed most of his family and property. By 1781 he had developed a hatred toward the Indians and the British and decided to join the fight. He enlisted in the first North Carolina Regiment under General Green. He served until the war ended and was discharged at Wilmington North Carolina. He never received a formal education and could not read or write. He was well spoken though, due to his religious upbringing. He stated for the record in his pension application the following:
"First, ever since the Revolutionary War in which I lost many relations and property, being poor, I chose the Western Frontier, wishing more for revenge from the Indians, than a Pension from my country. Secondly, Neither was I blessed with education, and of course could not read the laws which give me a right to pension; neither did I know of the benevolent laws until a short time since, and perhaps I would not have heard thereof if I had not become too frail to labor and support my helpless family, and some people who heard me relating of our suffering and hard fighting under General Green as a Revolutionary Soldier, informed me of the Law of Congress, whereupon I thankfully and confidently ask for this just bounty of my country."
Sworn and declared on the 5th of April, 1832 before Moses O. Bledsoe, Clerk of the Green county, Illinois Circuit Court.
Williams first wife died during his assignment as a spy. He married his second wife Elizabeth Collins in 1798 in North Carolina. They had daughter Hannah Bates there in 1799.
In 1806 William and wife Elizabeth moved to Madison county, Illinois.
In 1808 Elizabeth and William Bates helped created what was Moore's settlement in Madison county, Illinois, named after their son in-law Capt. Abel Moore.
He was following the Indians forced migration west. He voluntarily hunted those down that broke the law or left the reservations and killed them. He became a formidable backwoods man and tracker.
In correspondents between Indian affairs personnel he is mentioned as being a problem when the government needed the Indians to agree to new terms. The Indians were not very cooperative partially due to their fear of this backwoods white man that hunts them. Several times the Indian affairs department sent a person to ask him to stop his crusade, some did not return.
William built a log cabin near where Piaza creek and the Mississippi river meet. He is considered an early pioneer of the Jersey county and Greene county Illinois area.
By 1813 the Potawatomis and Kickapoo Indians were being stirred up again by the British and by 1814 the Indians were helping the British take over Fort Shelby Illinois, this rekindled the aggression of the Indians to the local settlers, and on the 10th of July, 1814 in an Indian attack called the "The Wood River Massacre". He lost two grandsons. His one daughter Hannah and two of his grandsons along with Mrs Reagan and her three children (in-laws) were walking the road from his daughter Mrs Abel Moore's home to pick green beans when they were attacked. Mrs Reagan and her children along with his grandson William age 10 and grandson Joel age 8 were killed, his daughter Hannah Bates had turned back from the walk just 300 yards earlier and was not seen by the Indians.
By 1815 the war of 1812 was over and once again the British abandoned their Indian allies to the American forces. The Indians eventually withdrew to the confines of the reservations and hostility toward the settlers halted.
By 1817 He along with the help of his son in-law Major Abel Moore had made the area fairly safe from Indian attacks so he started building a farm on his land they had purchased near the mouth of the Piasa Creek and built a log cabin there. Elizabeth became ill in late 1821 and William took her to the closest doctor which was in Hunter's town. Elizabeth died there January 31st, 1822. William buried her on his Piasa Creek farm.
By 1823 he had married his third wife who died during childbirth.
William outlived three wives up to this point in his life and was now married to his fourth.
By 1832 William and his fourth wife were raising his final 4 children, and farming. He was 75 years old and was no longer strong enough to work the farm and support his family. He applied for his revolutionary war pension and with some help from his first born son James Bates he sold some of the land and set aside enough to live the remainder of his life.
William Bates died at the home of his son in-law Major Abel Moore in Moore's Settlement in 1843. The family buried him near his old log cabin on the Piasa Creek farm next to two of his earlier wives he was 84 years old.
There is a Revolutionary War marker at the location which is now Locke Haven Country Club.
Revolutionary War soldier and Spy for the United States
William Bates was born into a Quaker family in Pennsylvania in 1759. A descendant of Rev. William Bates of England. The Family moved to the Yadkin river area of North Carolina while he was still a boy. At the start of the Revolutionary War rather than fight, he volunteered as a spy for Colonel Shepherd who commanded the North Carolina Militia. He knew most of the Torres that occupied the area around where he grew up. As the war progressed he watched the Indians that had been hired by the British to fight for England as they killed and destroyed most of his family and property. By 1781 he had developed a hatred toward the Indians and the British and decided to join the fight. He enlisted in the first North Carolina Regiment under General Green. He served until the war ended and was discharged at Wilmington North Carolina. He never received a formal education and could not read or write. He was well spoken though, due to his religious upbringing. He stated for the record in his pension application the following:
"First, ever since the Revolutionary War in which I lost many relations and property, being poor, I chose the Western Frontier, wishing more for revenge from the Indians, than a Pension from my country. Secondly, Neither was I blessed with education, and of course could not read the laws which give me a right to pension; neither did I know of the benevolent laws until a short time since, and perhaps I would not have heard thereof if I had not become too frail to labor and support my helpless family, and some people who heard me relating of our suffering and hard fighting under General Green as a Revolutionary Soldier, informed me of the Law of Congress, whereupon I thankfully and confidently ask for this just bounty of my country."
Sworn and declared on the 5th of April, 1832 before Moses O. Bledsoe, Clerk of the Green county, Illinois Circuit Court.
Williams first wife died during his assignment as a spy. He married his second wife Elizabeth Collins in 1798 in North Carolina. They had daughter Hannah Bates there in 1799.
In 1806 William and wife Elizabeth moved to Madison county, Illinois.
In 1808 Elizabeth and William Bates helped created what was Moore's settlement in Madison county, Illinois, named after their son in-law Capt. Abel Moore.
He was following the Indians forced migration west. He voluntarily hunted those down that broke the law or left the reservations and killed them. He became a formidable backwoods man and tracker.
In correspondents between Indian affairs personnel he is mentioned as being a problem when the government needed the Indians to agree to new terms. The Indians were not very cooperative partially due to their fear of this backwoods white man that hunts them. Several times the Indian affairs department sent a person to ask him to stop his crusade, some did not return.
William built a log cabin near where Piaza creek and the Mississippi river meet. He is considered an early pioneer of the Jersey county and Greene county Illinois area.
By 1813 the Potawatomis and Kickapoo Indians were being stirred up again by the British and by 1814 the Indians were helping the British take over Fort Shelby Illinois, this rekindled the aggression of the Indians to the local settlers, and on the 10th of July, 1814 in an Indian attack called the "The Wood River Massacre". He lost two grandsons. His one daughter Hannah and two of his grandsons along with Mrs Reagan and her three children (in-laws) were walking the road from his daughter Mrs Abel Moore's home to pick green beans when they were attacked. Mrs Reagan and her children along with his grandson William age 10 and grandson Joel age 8 were killed, his daughter Hannah Bates had turned back from the walk just 300 yards earlier and was not seen by the Indians.
By 1815 the war of 1812 was over and once again the British abandoned their Indian allies to the American forces. The Indians eventually withdrew to the confines of the reservations and hostility toward the settlers halted.
By 1817 He along with the help of his son in-law Major Abel Moore had made the area fairly safe from Indian attacks so he started building a farm on his land they had purchased near the mouth of the Piasa Creek and built a log cabin there. Elizabeth became ill in late 1821 and William took her to the closest doctor which was in Hunter's town. Elizabeth died there January 31st, 1822. William buried her on his Piasa Creek farm.
By 1823 he had married his third wife who died during childbirth.
William outlived three wives up to this point in his life and was now married to his fourth.
By 1832 William and his fourth wife were raising his final 4 children, and farming. He was 75 years old and was no longer strong enough to work the farm and support his family. He applied for his revolutionary war pension and with some help from his first born son James Bates he sold some of the land and set aside enough to live the remainder of his life.
William Bates died at the home of his son in-law Major Abel Moore in Moore's Settlement in 1843. The family buried him near his old log cabin on the Piasa Creek farm next to two of his earlier wives he was 84 years old.
There is a Revolutionary War marker at the location which is now Locke Haven Country Club.
William Bates
Revolutionary War soldier and Spy for the United States
William Bates was born into a Quaker family in Pennsylvania in 1759. A descendant of Rev. William Bates of England. The Family moved to the Yadkin river area of North Carolina while he was still a boy. At the start of the Revolutionary War rather than fight, he volunteered as a spy for Colonel Shepherd who commanded the North Carolina Militia. He knew most of the Torres that occupied the area around where he grew up. As the war progressed he watched the Indians that had been hired by the British to fight for England as they killed and destroyed most of his family and property. By 1781 he had developed a hatred toward the Indians and the British and decided to join the fight. He enlisted in the first North Carolina Regiment under General Green. He served until the war ended and was discharged at Wilmington North Carolina. He never received a formal education and could not read or write. He was well spoken though, due to his religious upbringing. He stated for the record in his pension application the following:
"First, ever since the Revolutionary War in which I lost many relations and property, being poor, I chose the Western Frontier, wishing more for revenge from the Indians, than a Pension from my country. Secondly, Neither was I blessed with education, and of course could not read the laws which give me a right to pension; neither did I know of the benevolent laws until a short time since, and perhaps I would not have heard thereof if I had not become too frail to labor and support my helpless family, and some people who heard me relating of our suffering and hard fighting under General Green as a Revolutionary Soldier, informed me of the Law of Congress, whereupon I thankfully and confidently ask for this just bounty of my country."
Sworn and declared on the 5th of April, 1832 before Moses O. Bledsoe, Clerk of the Green county, Illinois Circuit Court.
Williams first wife died during his assignment as a spy. He married his second wife Elizabeth Collins in 1798 in North Carolina. They had daughter Hannah Bates there in 1799.
In 1806 William and wife Elizabeth moved to Madison county, Illinois.
In 1808 Elizabeth and William Bates helped created what was Moore's settlement in Madison county, Illinois, named after their son in-law Capt. Abel Moore.
He was following the Indians forced migration west. He voluntarily hunted those down that broke the law or left the reservations and killed them. He became a formidable backwoods man and tracker.
In correspondents between Indian affairs personnel he is mentioned as being a problem when the government needed the Indians to agree to new terms. The Indians were not very cooperative partially due to their fear of this backwoods white man that hunts them. Several times the Indian affairs department sent a person to ask him to stop his crusade, some did not return.
William built a log cabin near where Piaza creek and the Mississippi river meet. He is considered an early pioneer of the Jersey county and Greene county Illinois area.
By 1813 the Potawatomis and Kickapoo Indians were being stirred up again by the British and by 1814 the Indians were helping the British take over Fort Shelby Illinois, this rekindled the aggression of the Indians to the local settlers, and on the 10th of July, 1814 in an Indian attack called the "The Wood River Massacre". He lost two grandsons. His one daughter Hannah and two of his grandsons along with Mrs Reagan and her three children (in-laws) were walking the road from his daughter Mrs Abel Moore's home to pick green beans when they were attacked. Mrs Reagan and her children along with his grandson William age 10 and grandson Joel age 8 were killed, his daughter Hannah Bates had turned back from the walk just 300 yards earlier and was not seen by the Indians.
By 1815 the war of 1812 was over and once again the British abandoned their Indian allies to the American forces. The Indians eventually withdrew to the confines of the reservations and hostility toward the settlers halted.
By 1817 He along with the help of his son in-law Major Abel Moore had made the area fairly safe from Indian attacks so he started building a farm on his land they had purchased near the mouth of the Piasa Creek and built a log cabin there. Elizabeth became ill in late 1821 and William took her to the closest doctor which was in Hunter's town. Elizabeth died there January 31st, 1822. William buried her on his Piasa Creek farm.
By 1823 he had married his third wife who died during childbirth.
William outlived three wives up to this point in his life and was now married to his fourth.
By 1832 William and his fourth wife were raising his final 4 children, and farming. He was 75 years old and was no longer strong enough to work the farm and support his family. He applied for his revolutionary war pension and with some help from his first born son James Bates he sold some of the land and set aside enough to live the remainder of his life.
William Bates died at the home of his son in-law Major Abel Moore in Moore's Settlement in 1843. The family buried him near his old log cabin on the Piasa Creek farm next to two of his earlier wives he was 84 years old.
There is a Revolutionary War marker at the location which is now Locke Haven Country Club.
Revolutionary War soldier and Spy for the United States
William Bates was born into a Quaker family in Pennsylvania in 1759. A descendant of Rev. William Bates of England. The Family moved to the Yadkin river area of North Carolina while he was still a boy. At the start of the Revolutionary War rather than fight, he volunteered as a spy for Colonel Shepherd who commanded the North Carolina Militia. He knew most of the Torres that occupied the area around where he grew up. As the war progressed he watched the Indians that had been hired by the British to fight for England as they killed and destroyed most of his family and property. By 1781 he had developed a hatred toward the Indians and the British and decided to join the fight. He enlisted in the first North Carolina Regiment under General Green. He served until the war ended and was discharged at Wilmington North Carolina. He never received a formal education and could not read or write. He was well spoken though, due to his religious upbringing. He stated for the record in his pension application the following:
"First, ever since the Revolutionary War in which I lost many relations and property, being poor, I chose the Western Frontier, wishing more for revenge from the Indians, than a Pension from my country. Secondly, Neither was I blessed with education, and of course could not read the laws which give me a right to pension; neither did I know of the benevolent laws until a short time since, and perhaps I would not have heard thereof if I had not become too frail to labor and support my helpless family, and some people who heard me relating of our suffering and hard fighting under General Green as a Revolutionary Soldier, informed me of the Law of Congress, whereupon I thankfully and confidently ask for this just bounty of my country."
Sworn and declared on the 5th of April, 1832 before Moses O. Bledsoe, Clerk of the Green county, Illinois Circuit Court.
Williams first wife died during his assignment as a spy. He married his second wife Elizabeth Collins in 1798 in North Carolina. They had daughter Hannah Bates there in 1799.
In 1806 William and wife Elizabeth moved to Madison county, Illinois.
In 1808 Elizabeth and William Bates helped created what was Moore's settlement in Madison county, Illinois, named after their son in-law Capt. Abel Moore.
He was following the Indians forced migration west. He voluntarily hunted those down that broke the law or left the reservations and killed them. He became a formidable backwoods man and tracker.
In correspondents between Indian affairs personnel he is mentioned as being a problem when the government needed the Indians to agree to new terms. The Indians were not very cooperative partially due to their fear of this backwoods white man that hunts them. Several times the Indian affairs department sent a person to ask him to stop his crusade, some did not return.
William built a log cabin near where Piaza creek and the Mississippi river meet. He is considered an early pioneer of the Jersey county and Greene county Illinois area.
By 1813 the Potawatomis and Kickapoo Indians were being stirred up again by the British and by 1814 the Indians were helping the British take over Fort Shelby Illinois, this rekindled the aggression of the Indians to the local settlers, and on the 10th of July, 1814 in an Indian attack called the "The Wood River Massacre". He lost two grandsons. His one daughter Hannah and two of his grandsons along with Mrs Reagan and her three children (in-laws) were walking the road from his daughter Mrs Abel Moore's home to pick green beans when they were attacked. Mrs Reagan and her children along with his grandson William age 10 and grandson Joel age 8 were killed, his daughter Hannah Bates had turned back from the walk just 300 yards earlier and was not seen by the Indians.
By 1815 the war of 1812 was over and once again the British abandoned their Indian allies to the American forces. The Indians eventually withdrew to the confines of the reservations and hostility toward the settlers halted.
By 1817 He along with the help of his son in-law Major Abel Moore had made the area fairly safe from Indian attacks so he started building a farm on his land they had purchased near the mouth of the Piasa Creek and built a log cabin there. Elizabeth became ill in late 1821 and William took her to the closest doctor which was in Hunter's town. Elizabeth died there January 31st, 1822. William buried her on his Piasa Creek farm.
By 1823 he had married his third wife who died during childbirth.
William outlived three wives up to this point in his life and was now married to his fourth.
By 1832 William and his fourth wife were raising his final 4 children, and farming. He was 75 years old and was no longer strong enough to work the farm and support his family. He applied for his revolutionary war pension and with some help from his first born son James Bates he sold some of the land and set aside enough to live the remainder of his life.
William Bates died at the home of his son in-law Major Abel Moore in Moore's Settlement in 1843. The family buried him near his old log cabin on the Piasa Creek farm next to two of his earlier wives he was 84 years old.
There is a Revolutionary War marker at the location which is now Locke Haven Country Club.
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