General Notes

SOURCES: LDS FHL Ancestal File # 12D0-T3B  (familysearch.org)
SOURCES:  "Myers-Reeves Family Tree" Rebecca Reeves cheezeduke@@glade.net, who has also generously shared the following information at AWTP:

"Seth Hurin Bates is listed in 1850 Census of Limestone County, Texas, at page 27. No. 765, Family 207, as age 68 and born in New Jersey. In the 1820 Census of Crawford County, Illinois, he is listed as the head of a family with two males and three female children under 10 years; 4 males and 1 female between 10 and 15 years; 1 male of 18 to 26 years; 1 female between 26 and 45 years. He and his family are also shown in the 1830 Census of Clark County, Illinois, on page 63, line 24. He was a Justice of the Peace in Crawford County in 1821. He moved to Coles County in the fall of 1824 and settled in Lafayette Township in the present town of Lafayette on the Kickapoo River in the spring of 1825. Coles County was formed in 1830 from Clark County, which was formed from Crawford County in 1819. The Illinois State Historical Society Journal, Vol. 14, page 113, names Seth Bates and his sons and stepsons Levi and Samuel Doty."
"In "History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties", on page 676, it is stated he married Mary Anglin who may have been his third wife. The mother of our ancestor, David, must have been Sarah. In an affidavit seeking land bounty signed by Seth in Limestone County, Texas, on April 10, 1885, he stated he was 73 years of age, served as a private and first sergeant in the Ohio Militia in the War of 1812, as a substitute for Israel Ludlera, that he was drafted in Hamilton County, Ohio, in October or November, 1812, served six months and honorably discharged at Detroit (Michigan?) in March, 1813. He served in the 2nd Reg. (Zumwalt's) Ohio Militia, 1812. "
"Seth came to Limestone County in 1835 with his youngest son, Silas H. Bates, and was living with him during the 1850 Census. Texas records show that Seth H. received Bounty Warrant No. 1316 for 320 acres from the Adjutant General on June 25, 1853, for services from October 1, 1835, to January 1, 1836. 320 acres in Limestone County were patented to David Bates, Asgn. on April 27, 1855. (Pat 1040 Vol 6 Abst. 91 GLO File Rob Bty 708) Silas H. received Bounty Warrant No. 3509 for 1280 acres from the Secretary of War on May 22, 1838, for services from September 5, 1836 to September 5, 1837. 1200 acres in Freestone County were patented to him on October 8, 1846 (Pat. 142 Vol 3 Abst 99 GLO File Rob Bty 116) in 1835, Silas built his cabin at the Bates Spring, where Groesbeck Park is now located. One son, John remained in Illinois, attended an Old Settlers' reunion at Charleston in 1878, and probably died in the 1880's. He is listed in the 1850 Census of Coles County, Illinois, as Family 199, showing he was 39 years of age, born in Ohio. Seth died October 15, 1860, and is buried in Glenwood Memorial Park (Fort Parker Memorial Park) on Farm Road 1245, two miles northwest of Groesbeck, Limestone County, Texas.
Daniel Parker, who could read but not write, was a neighbor to Seth Bates in Coles County, Illinois, and was an ordained Baptist Minister. He was opposed to all missionary work, was quite a convincing talker and caused a split in the church. He concluded to visit Texas and came to Austin's Colony. He learned that the Mexican ecclesiastic statutes prohibited the organization of any church other than Catholic, but that there was no prohibition against the importation of an organized church of another faith. He went back to Illinois, organized a church and brought it to Texas. Apparently Seth and Silas came with them, but they were not listed as members. The church historian said the list did not include all members. Daniel Parker formed the "Pilgrim Church of Predestinarian Regular Baptists" at what is now four miles east of Elkhart, Anderson County, Texas. It appears after a short stay in Texas, Seth returned to Illinois, returning to Texas in 1835. Part of the Parker clan settled first near Grimes Prairie in Grimes County, Texas, but one and one half years later moved northwest, built cabins and a stockade later known as "Old Fort Parker", two miles northeast of Groesbeck. The colony consisted of the Parkers, Anglins, Frosts, Bates, Plummers and Nixons. On May 19. 1836, after the men had eaten lunch and returned to the fields about two miles from the fort, some 300 to 500 Indians (Camanches and Kiowas) attacked the fort. Five persons were killed, two wounded and five were taken prisoners, one of which was Synthia Ann Parker. As the Indians attacked, Mrs Sarah Nixon escaped and warned the men in the fields, but when they got near the fort, they found most of the Indians had left. The home of Silas Bates, with whom Seth lived, was east of the fort and apparently in the area of the farm land. The first school was taught in May or June 1846 and the House of Silas Bates was used on November 3, 1874. Silas H. Bates applied for a pension and said he had served in the Army of the Republic in 1836 and 1837 and was then 60 years of age. In 1962, the State of Texas erected a monument in Fort Parker Memorial Park in his honor, for having served in Captain Seale's Company in 1835-1836. In Newman's "History of Primitive Baptists in Texas". S.H Bates and H.J. Jones were listed as messengers from Frost Creek Church of Limestone County on July 22, 23 and 24, 1887. On October 5, 1837, Seth H. Bates signed an affidavit concerning delivery of 555 pounds of beef to the Texas Rangers for $35.51. Source: O.D. Bates, 1977."