"Moses D. Bates Display" Hannibal History Museum ~ Hannibal, Missouri
One of the first, & probably the most prominent of the pioneer settlers of this country, was the subject of this sketch. He was a Virginian by birth, but emigrated to Kentucky at a very early date, where he remained until the spring of 1815. At that time he removed further west, & settled, at what was then a small French Village-now the great city of St. Louis, Missouri. Possessed of a clear & vigorous intellect, great energy of character, a generous nature, & a remarkably fine physical constitution, Mr. Bates soon distinguished himself among the inhabitants of the village of St. Louis, Missouri. Possessed of a clear & vigorous intellect, great energy of character, a generous nature, & a remarkably fine physical constitution, Mr. Bates soon distinguished himself among the inhabitants of the village of St. Louis. As a mark of their confidence & respect they elected him, unsolicited, sheriff of St. Louis county. He was the first native born citizen of the United States who had ever been here accorded so great distinction. Being spirited & industrious, Mr. Bates resigned the subaltern duties of the office, & engaged in the lumber business on an extensive scale, being the first person who ever engaged in that industry in St. Louis. Under his supervision many of the finest buildings which adorned St. Louis were constructed.
Endowed with penetrating discernment, Mr. Bates perceived the advantage of pushing forward toward the upper Mississippi, where there were then but few settlers. Purchasing a keel-boat, he loaded it with goods, & went up the "Father of Waters" to Galena, Illinois, where he, in conjunction with a nephew, David G. Bates, established a lead-smelting furnace.
For several years Mr. Bates made voyages up & down the river. The site where the thrifty & prosperous city of Hannibal now stands, early attracted his attention as a point likely to concentrate the trade of this locality. So he determined to lay off a town here, & in connection with Gen. Rector, began, in 1819, to clear up & locate its boundaries, cutting away brush & undergrowth with his own hand, in the course of establishing the future great city of the upper Mississippi. Here Mt. Bates opened a store-house. The Indians were at this time quite trouble-some & sometimes he & his associates found it necessary to resort to fire arms for defense.
Mr. Bates brought from St. Louis a large assortment of dry goods & groceries & became the first merchant of the new town. In the meantime Missouri had thrown off her territorial effeminacy, & became a member of the great & growing North American confederacy of States. This all engendered great political & personal strife among those citizens ambitious of distinction & fame. Mr. Bates had but little relish for political dissension, & was often called upon to interfere with & adjust controversies growing out of this cause, for which he seemed to possess a happy faculty. He never instigated any trouble, but bore a conspicuous part as pacificator.
About this time Col. John Miller, subsequently Governor of Missouri, & for many years member of Congress from this State, formed a partnership with Mr. Bates for the purpose of speculating in government lands. They brought up some of the best tracts in this section of the country. Mr. Bates was always noted for his energy & industry, & he was largely instrumental in advancing the interest of the State, & particularly of Marion County. He was a useful citizen, a sincere friend, benevolent, just to all men, & an affectionate husband & father. He died very suddenly, at the present residence of his son, Moses D. Bates, Jr., in Miller township, in Marion County, August 18, 1857, yet still lives in the memory of the people as a good & honest man. His widow, Martha (Gash) Bates, to whom he was married February 22, 1821, is now living in Marion County.
"Moses D. Bates Display" Hannibal History Museum ~ Hannibal, Missouri
One of the first, & probably the most prominent of the pioneer settlers of this country, was the subject of this sketch. He was a Virginian by birth, but emigrated to Kentucky at a very early date, where he remained until the spring of 1815. At that time he removed further west, & settled, at what was then a small French Village-now the great city of St. Louis, Missouri. Possessed of a clear & vigorous intellect, great energy of character, a generous nature, & a remarkably fine physical constitution, Mr. Bates soon distinguished himself among the inhabitants of the village of St. Louis, Missouri. Possessed of a clear & vigorous intellect, great energy of character, a generous nature, & a remarkably fine physical constitution, Mr. Bates soon distinguished himself among the inhabitants of the village of St. Louis. As a mark of their confidence & respect they elected him, unsolicited, sheriff of St. Louis county. He was the first native born citizen of the United States who had ever been here accorded so great distinction. Being spirited & industrious, Mr. Bates resigned the subaltern duties of the office, & engaged in the lumber business on an extensive scale, being the first person who ever engaged in that industry in St. Louis. Under his supervision many of the finest buildings which adorned St. Louis were constructed.
Endowed with penetrating discernment, Mr. Bates perceived the advantage of pushing forward toward the upper Mississippi, where there were then but few settlers. Purchasing a keel-boat, he loaded it with goods, & went up the "Father of Waters" to Galena, Illinois, where he, in conjunction with a nephew, David G. Bates, established a lead-smelting furnace.
For several years Mr. Bates made voyages up & down the river. The site where the thrifty & prosperous city of Hannibal now stands, early attracted his attention as a point likely to concentrate the trade of this locality. So he determined to lay off a town here, & in connection with Gen. Rector, began, in 1819, to clear up & locate its boundaries, cutting away brush & undergrowth with his own hand, in the course of establishing the future great city of the upper Mississippi. Here Mt. Bates opened a store-house. The Indians were at this time quite trouble-some & sometimes he & his associates found it necessary to resort to fire arms for defense.
Mr. Bates brought from St. Louis a large assortment of dry goods & groceries & became the first merchant of the new town. In the meantime Missouri had thrown off her territorial effeminacy, & became a member of the great & growing North American confederacy of States. This all engendered great political & personal strife among those citizens ambitious of distinction & fame. Mr. Bates had but little relish for political dissension, & was often called upon to interfere with & adjust controversies growing out of this cause, for which he seemed to possess a happy faculty. He never instigated any trouble, but bore a conspicuous part as pacificator.
About this time Col. John Miller, subsequently Governor of Missouri, & for many years member of Congress from this State, formed a partnership with Mr. Bates for the purpose of speculating in government lands. They brought up some of the best tracts in this section of the country. Mr. Bates was always noted for his energy & industry, & he was largely instrumental in advancing the interest of the State, & particularly of Marion County. He was a useful citizen, a sincere friend, benevolent, just to all men, & an affectionate husband & father. He died very suddenly, at the present residence of his son, Moses D. Bates, Jr., in Miller township, in Marion County, August 18, 1857, yet still lives in the memory of the people as a good & honest man. His widow, Martha (Gash) Bates, to whom he was married February 22, 1821, is now living in Marion County.