Robert Bates
and Elizabeth Bentley

Robert Bates b 24 Aug 1825 Ky d 25 Sept 1921 Knott Co KY; s/o John Wallis Bates and Sarah Walthrop. Robert Bates m. 19/22 May 1888 to Elizabeth Bentley b 16 Dec 1870 Letcher Co KY d 6 Jan 1956 Letcher Co KY; buried Bates Cemetery, Colson, Letcher Co K; d/o Aaron Rice Bentley and Dorcas Hall. Children of Robert Bates and Elizabeth Bentley;

1. Robert Bobby Bates b 5 Sept 1888 d 1924; killed by his brother, Sam J Bates for which Sam received a life sentence, but served only a short time.

2. Eliza Bates b 2 Jan 1889 d 11 Feb 1969; m. 28 Jun 1909 Letcher Co KY to Ira Wilson Collins b 30 Jul 1891 Colson, Letcher Co KY d 15 Jun 1946 Letcher Co KY; s/o James Jasper Collins and Nancy Collins.

3. Henry Bates b 5 Sept 1892 d 1 Jul 1974; buried Seco, Letcher Co KY; m. Sept 1913 to Arminta Tolliver b 3 Nov 1901 Kona, Letcher Co KY d 9 Nov 1990 Whitesburg, Letcher Co KY; buried Whitaker Cemetery, Whitaker, Letcher Co KY; d/o Elliot Burton Tolliver and Henrietta Wright.

4. Ralph Booten Bates b 1 Apr 1894 Hindman, Knott Co KY d 18 Jun 1983 Letcher Co KY; m. Lizzie Ethel Kiser b 16 May 1907 d 2 Nov 1948; d/o James Kiser and Amanda Elizabeth Stidham.

5. Uriah L Bates b 25 Jun 1896 d 27 Oct 1979 Letcher Co KY; m. Oct 1933 to Connie Johnson b 1909; d/o Samuel Johnson and Rhoda Jane Slone. Thanks to Maxine Bates Quillen for corrections for this family. Daughter of Uriah Lee Bates and Connie Johnson; i. Maxine Bates; m. Male Quillen.

6. Jesse Bates b 27 Feb 1898 d 12 May 1980 KY; m. 12 Dec 1923 to Della Mae Stewart b 31 Mar 1907 Letcher Co KY d 3 Jun 1993 Letcher Co KY; d/o Thomas Marion Stewart and Cora Ellen Kelly.

7. Beckham Bates b 18 Feb 1901 d 19 Mar 1985; m. 29 Jun 1925 to Auda Everidge b abt 1905

8. Sam J Bates b 19 Nov 1902 d 30 Jul 1963 of gunshot wound inflicted during an altercation in which Sam Bates slapped Edwin Dearl Rowe and in an act of retaliation, Edwin Dearl Rowe pulled out a .38 and killed Sam J Bates with it. Same Bates m. (2) to Elizabeth Sowards (aka Souders) b 1906 who killed Sam's wife, Maxine by shooting her. Sam J Bates m. (1) to Maxine Unknown. (killed by his 2nd wife, Elizabeth Sowards aka Souders)

9. Joseph Joe Bates b 26 May 1904 d 26 Aug 1957 Letcher Co KY.

10. Lola Bates b 28 Mar 1906 Knott Co KY d 4 Sept 2006 Pinetop, Knott Co KY; m. 1928 to Roosevelt Honeycutt b 15 Feb 1902 Omaha, Knott Co KY d 18 Oct 1996 Perry Co KY; s/o Grant Honeycutt and Mary Ann Polly Stamper.

11. Tandy Bates (male) b 23 Dec 1908 d 26 Sept 1937 Letcher Co KY; m. Lonnie Bates

12. Manerva Bates b 8 Feb 1911 d 6 Jan 1983; m. (1) to James Curtis Holbrook b 1907 Letcher Co KY; s/o Jesse Adam Holbrook and Eva Victoria Addington. Manerva Bates m. Luther Hampton b abt 1907. (This lady, Manerva Bates, was my Mom's best friend).

13. Mildred Cleo Bates b 11 Sept 1912 d 25 Feb 1991 Fauette Co KY; buried Green Acres Cemetery, Whitesburg, Letcher Co KY; m. 7 Oct 1932 to Martin Luther Baker b 24 Oct 1907 Letcher Co KY d 4 Jan 1999; buried Green Acres Cemetery, Whitesburg, Letcher Co KY; s/o Thaddeus Lowry Baker and Rawsey Sergent.

1900 Letcher Co KY Census
48 48 Bates Robert Head W M 1828 72 M 13 KY KY KY
48 48 Bates Elizabeth Wife W F 1870 30 M 13 KY KY KY
48 48 Bates William Son W M 1888 12 S KY KY KY
48 48 Bates Lizza Daughter W F 1892 8 S KY KY KY
48 48 Bates John H Son W M 1894 6 S KY KY KY
48 48 Bates Buton Son W M 1896 3 S KY KY KY
48 48 Bates Eurias Son W M 1896 3 S KY KY KY
48 48 Bates Jesse J Son W M 1899 1 S KY KY KY
48 48 Pratt Linsey Boarder W M 1882 18 S KY KY KY
48 48 Smith John Boarder W M 1840 60 S VA VA VA
48 48 Hall Darkus Servent W F 1847 52 S KY KY KY

Short Bio of Robert Bates

Robert Bates was a captain in the 7th Cavalry, CSA. He was state representative from Letcher Co KY between 1880 and 1884. While serving as a state legislator, he pushed through the bill establishing Knott Co as a separate county from Letcher, Perry, and Floyd Counties.

Bechham Bates Trial
Mt Eagle 29 Apr 1921
Whitesburg, Letcher Co KY

Beckham Bates, aged about 19, son of Uncle Bob Bates, charged with the murder of Elijah Sergent more than a year ago went to trial in Circuit Court here on Tuesday. Owing to the notoriety of the case and the wide relationship of the parties concerned a jury summoned from Perry county was empaneled to try the case. It consists of an excellent body of Hazard and Perry county farmers and business men, all well known and well connected. The names of the trial jury are as follows: Ira McIntosh, J. f. Griggs. E. D. Campbell, Simpson Fugate, John Robinson, James Stacey, Wm. Fields, Joe Brewer, Dennis Brewer, Pole Fields, Tim Johnson, Bony Combs. Beckham is a younger brother of Uriah Bates, tried lately in Circuit Court here and given a life sentence on the same charge. He has been serving this sentence and was brought as a witness in the trial of his brother.

The evidence in the trial of Beckham was along the same lines as that given in former trials of Uriah Bates and tended to connect the present defendant with the crime. Uncle Bob Bates, now bordering close to the century mark, and one of the best known of Letcher county pioneers, was present at the trial and minifested the usual interest in the case. The evidence in the case closed Wednesday and the attorneys opened arguments on Thursday. Strong arguments were made for the defense by Dug Day, D. D. Fields and Jesse Morgan. The Commonwealth's side was well put by R. Monroe Fields and F. G. Fields. Thursday afternoon the jury reported as follows: "We the jury cannot agree."

Various reports are circulated as to how the jury stood on the final ballot but since there is generally divers rumors in such cases we desist from saying anything.