Asher B. Bates

Asher B. Bates (1810-1873) was a lawyer and politician in the United States state of Michigan and in the Kingdom of Hawaii.

Bates was born in Genesee County, New York [De Land [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=BAD0943.0001.001;didno=BAD0943.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000285 p. 277] indicates he is a native of Boston, but this may be mistaken as De Land also states that Bates came to Detroit in 1840 which is clearly mistaken as he held public offices in the 1830s.] and came to Detroit, Michigan in 1831, where he was an attorney, Justice of the Peace, City Attorney, and City Recorder. In 1838, he served as Mayor of Detroit [See Farmer [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=BAD1458.0001.001;didno=BAD1458.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000192 p. 140] .] after the resignation of Augustus S. Porter to run for the U.S. Senate.See Lanham [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=bac8753.0001.001;frm=frameset;view=image;seq=435;page=root;size=s p. 419] .] He was also an agent for the Protection Insurance Company of Hartford. [See Farmer [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=BAD1458.0001.001;didno=BAD1458.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000925 p. 873] ]

He established the practice of Farnsworth & Bates with Elon Farnsworth. They were joined by Henry N. Walker in 1836, who had studied law in their office. In 1837, Farnsworth left the firm to became chancellor of the chancery court of Michigan and with the addition of Samuel T. Douglass, the firm became Bates, Walker & Douglass. The firm of Walker & Douglass continued after Bates' departure for several years until they were joined by James V. Campbell. Both Campbell and Douglass served terms on the Michigan Supreme CourtSee Moore [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=BAC8762.0003.001;didno=BAC8762.0003.001;view=image;seq=00000113 p. 1291] ] and both Farnsworth and Walker served as Michigan Attorney General.See Tuttle [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=BAC8789.0001.001;didno=BAC8789.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000678 p. 672] ]

At some point he moved from Detroit to Jackson County, Michigan, where he ran unsuccessfully as a Whig Party candidate for Justice of Probate in 1844. [See De Land [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=BAD0943.0001.001;didno=BAD0943.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000303 p. 295] .]

In 1852 he emigrated to the Sandwich Islands. [See De Land [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=BAD0943.0001.001;didno=BAD0943.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000285 p. 277] ] In 1855, he was appointed a commissioner by the General Government to prosecute certain business in the Sandwich Islands, after which he became a subject of the King of Hawaii, and was later raised to the position of Attorney-General.See Durant [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=afk0725.0001.001;size=l;frm=frameset;seq=465 p. 296] ]

He died in San Francisco of leprosy contracted while in Hawaii. [See Burton [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=bad1447.0002.001;didno=bad1447.0002.001;view=image;seq=00000298 p. 1146] .]

Notes

References

*cite book |last=Burton |first=Clarence Monroe |title=The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922 |origyear=1922 |url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/bad1447.0002.001 |accessdate=2007-04-15 |year=2005 |publisher=University of Michigan Library |location=Ann Arbor, Mich.
*cite book |last=De Land |first=Charles V. |title=De Land's history of Jackson county, Michigan |origyear=1903 |url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/bad0943.0001.001 |accessdate=2007-04-15 |year=2005 |publisher=University of Michigan Library |location=Ann Arbor, Mich.
*cite book |last=Durant |first=Samuel W. |title=History of Oakland County, Michigan |origyear=1877 |url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/afk0725.0001.001 |accessdate=2007-04-15 |year=2005 |publisher=University of Michigan Library |location=Ann Arbor, Mich.
*cite book |last=Farmer |first=Silas |title=The history of Detroit and Michigan |origyear=1884 |url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/BAD1458.0001.001 |accessdate=2007-04-15 |year=2005 |publisher=University of Michigan Library |location=Ann Arbor, Mich.
*cite book |last=Lanman |first=Charles |title=The red book of Michigan; a civil, military and biographical history |origyear=1871 |url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/bac8753.0001.001 |accessdate=2007-04-15 |year=2005 |publisher=University of Michigan Library |location=Ann Arbor, Mich. |pages=p. 419 | chapter=Biographical History of Michigan |chapterurl=http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=bac8753.0001.001;frm=frameset;view=image;seq=435;page=root;size=s
*cite book |last=Moore |first=Charles |title=History of Michigan |origyear=1915 |url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/bac8762.0003.001 |accessdate=2007-04-15 |year=2005 |publisher=University of Michigan Library |location=Ann Arbor, Mich.
*cite book |last=Tuttle |first=Charles Richard |title=General history of the state of Michigan |origyear=1873 |url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/bac8789.0001.001 |accessdate=2007-04-15 |year=2005 |publisher=University of Michigan Library |location=Ann Arbor, Mich.