The Tsunami and the Rising Tide, or, My Less Than Triumphant Return

So, how about a little current history on our family? As a wee lad of 19 years old, I had the great fortune of being called to serve a mission for my church in Japan. The coolest part was that I was sent to Laie, Hawaii for two months to learn Japanese. We landed in Honolulu in late August, 1973. There were about 12 of us missionaries and a driver from Fiji. We loaded ourselves into a big navy blue van and drove up the highway past Waikiki. As a young man from southern Utah, I had never seen anything like the blue sky next to the white sand with the green coconut trees waving in the wind. I was mesmerized by the surf and the crashing waves. I vowed at that moment someday I would return.

Well, as Alisa texted to her children on March 9, 'Someday is here!" The stars somehow aligned themselves, and the two of us were off on a trip to Kauai. However, there is a little background you need to know about. When circumstances presented themselves where a cool vacation became a real possibility we first considered a return to either Hawaii or Japan, where I lived for 2 years. We have good friends in Japan, who have visited us here in the U.S. and whom we still correspond with. They are getting up in age, so we thought it would be good to go there.

We checked into airline tickets and possible accommodations. As the departure date drew closer, however, I became a little anxious about this decision. I don't know about you, but we always pray about major purchases, like houses, cars, etc. before we make them. This was more of a major purchase than I anticipated, so I suggested to Alisa that we pray about it and talk about it in the morning. I have always found it very useful to pray about something and let it sit for the night before making a major decision. Well, the next morning I did not feel good about the decision, so we 'settled' for Hawaii. We got our tickets, and soon the day of departure arrived.

We left Seattle on the morning of March 9, after a quick visit with our daughter and her family. We landed in Kauai about 9 that evening and checked into our hotel on the Coconut Beach near Kapa'a. I was so excited the next morning, that I arose in time to take pictures of the sunrise. It was awesome. We spent the day on the beaches and playing in the ocean along the east shore.

After a nice seafood dinner, we went to bed early. We had a boat tour planned early the next day along the NaPali coast. Just prior to retiring, I clicked the TV remote. On CNN we saw terrifying footage of the after effects of the Tokyo earthquake. We saw buildings shake and glass plummet from skyscrapers and shatter on the streets. Next, we witnessed the horrific images of the tsunami as it swept into Sendai. Houses were flattened, business exploded as ships were driven across them. There are no words to describe the horror of watching cars full of fleeing people swept away.

Our shock was soon broken by a message across the bottom of the screen that announced that Hawaii, along with other Pacific Ocean locales, were under a tsunami warning. Before long, that was changed to a tsunami watch. The tsunami was expected to hit Kauai between 3 and 5 a.m.

Just after 10:00 p.m., a siren sounded. We were evacuated to the Kapa'a middle school. Thanks to my Christmas gift from my daughter in Seattle, we used our Garmin GPS to navigate the roads. On our way, we saw long lines of vehicles blocking lanes of the highway, waiting to fill their tanks with gas. We had a compact car and it was only 1.6 miles, so we toughed it out and drove past them. We were one of the first 10 cars to pull into the parking lot.

This is a picture of people that were evacuated. We spent the night between a covered gym/cafeteria and our car. Most sat glued to the television awaiting word of the tsunami. It hit Kauai at 5:07. A buoy in the ocean measured the wave at about 5 feet. Live cams broadcasted scenes of coastlines. There really was not much to be seen. After a half hour or so, there was some reports of minor flooding in Maui, in Hanalei, and Port Allen.

We were allowed to return to our hotel about 8 a.m. Our morning boat ride was cancelled. From the news reports, we thought this was much ado about nothing. However, we were quite surprised at what we saw. Sea level was at least 12 feet below the crest of the beach at our hotel. However, the debris line on the hotel's lawn clearly revealed that the waves had risen at least to that level. Our room was on the ground floor. It was about 3 feet higher in altitude than the height achieved by the tsunami.

This is the same beach as the one in the picture above after the tsunami. We heard another story from a lady staying at the St. Regis hotel on the north shore. She and her husband were evacuated to the 9th floor. She stood in the lobby (which is on the 9th floor) and filmed and watched the tsunami. She said the first wave was not all that big, but it was one symmetrical ripple that crashed against the shore. Then, the water abated, leaving hundreds of yards of coral exposed. After a few minutes, a much larger wave came. It was big enough that it hit the hotel, but it did not cause any damage.

After all of this we were grateful for many things. First, we were grateful that we were safe and that there was no damage. Second, we were very grateful to our Heavenly Father. We could have been on the bullet train traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto. We were going to spend the night of the 9th, and possibly the 10th, in Tokyo. No one will ever know what we would have experienced, but you know what, I am grateful that we never will. We are so thankful to our Father in Heaven, and His Son, Jesus Christ, who listen to and answers our prayers.

We are also very sad for the good people of Japan. Their country has been so devastated. We pray that they will find solace and peace, along with warmth and food. It is a real tragedy. Thankfully, the area where our friends live did not suffer extensive damage. We await the time we will be able to talk with them. We cannot know why disasters such as this earthquake and tsunami occur. We can only pray that we can learn from them and improve our lives.

By the way, the rest of our vacation was absolutely wonderful. We can't wait to return, and go to Japan, someday!

Robert Bates, son of John and Rebekah Bates

Robert Bates, born about 1791 in York, South Carolina, was the fourth of the five sons of John and Rebekah Bates. Of his five sisters, only Mary was older. Robert married his wife Catherine, in 1819. That same year, he purchased land along Fishing Creek in York County. There is a high likelihood that his wife's maiden name was Rowell, as the land transfer was witnessed by Benjamin Rowell. Robert is listed in the 1820 York County census with his wife, and a female under the age of 5. Apparently, they had a daughter.

Tragedy struck this young couple in 1821. Robert fell ill, whether from an accident or disease it is unknown. In 1821, he recorded his will, which said in part;

"I, Robert Bates, being sound of mind but weak of body, leave everything to my beloved wife, Catherine Bates, during her widowhood, but if she should marry again or die, then whatever of my estate remains, I will and bequeath to my own brothers and sisters share and share alike. Second, And I do hereby nominate and appoint my Father John Bates, Sen'r. to be the Executor of this my last will and Testament."

Shortly thereafter, Robert passed away. His will was probated 3 Dec 1821. James P. Sandifer, Milat Sturgis and John Bates, Sr., witnesses. Will Book G, p. 67. Case no. 10. York County, South Carolina.

The Children of John Bates, Esq., of York, S.C.

I'd like to step back, and write a little about John and Rebekah Bates' children, as well as the son of John and Ms. Kennedy.

John Bates and Rebekah Beall children:

John C. Bates, born about 1778. Married Edna (Edney) about 1820. Migrated to Spalding Co. Georgia about 1827. Died about 1854 in Georgia. They had 7 children.

Mary Bates, born in 1780 in Maryland. Married Robert Ellis on 11 Sep 1807 in York, S.C. This was his second marriage. They had two children. Date of death unknown, but she was living in York County in 1830. William G. Bates reports she died about 1853 in York County.

Zachariah Bates, born about 1781. Married Lavina around 1819 in York, S.C. Died in Arkansas before 1872. They had 8 children.

Thomas A. Bates, born about 1784 in New Acquisition, Craven, (later York Co.) S.C. He enlisted in the War of 1812. Thomas never married. He lived with his single sister Elizabeth in 1850 in York Co. He died about 1862.

Robert Bates, born about 1791 in York, S.C. Died in 1821.

Alenna Rene Bates, or Allie, was born 1 May 1794 on the Main Fork of Fishing Creek, York, S.C. She married Richard Lawson Reeves in 1814 in Odgen, York County. They had 8 children. She died on 16 Feb 1887 in Milam, Sabine County, Texas.

Twins Dicey and Isis were born in 1799 in York County, S.C. Dicey married Robert Chambers around 1816. They migrated to Georgia. She died before 1883.

Isis never married. She stayed on the homestead with her father until he died. John left Isis the homestead, because "all her sisters had left." It was through the probate of Isis' will in 1872 that we learned the names of her living brothers and sisters.

Elizabeth, or Betsey, was born around 1800 on Main Fork of Fishing Creek, York County, South Carolina. She never married, but lived on a farm nearby with her brother Thomas A. She died in York County about 1857.

Allen Bates was born 23 Oct 1803 on the Main Fork of Fishing Creek, York County, S.C. He married Letitia, Lettie, White in 1827 in DeKalb County, Georgia. They had 13 children.

John Bates and Miss Kennedy Child:

David Kennedy Bates, born in 1809, in York, S.C. He married Mary Elizabeth McHood around 1830 in York Co. He died about 1870, and was buried there. They had 7 children.

Oady Bates, son of Thomas J. and Flora Bates

Oady Bates was the third son of Thomas Jefferson and Flora Snow Bates. He was born in Sebastian County, Arkansas, on 27 Sep 1901. He is on the far left in the picture above, with brothers Bon, on the right, and Monte. This picture was taken after the family had moved, by train, from Arkansas to Oregon. Oady was about 4 years old in the picture.

After his father died in 1911, Oady eventually ended up living with his half-brother, James Ragan Bates, in Riddle, Douglas County, Oregon. James was the son of Thomas J. and Susan Pearson Bates. James ran a farm near Riddle. Oady worked on the farm with him. This is a picture of Oady on a horse, with Ralph, Byron and Emery.



Tragedy struck when Oady was 18 years old. The details from this incident can be found in the Douglas County Court Records. Ethel Mae Kinkade sent me the transcript of the inquest, along with an article from the May 11, 1920, Roseburg Review. I have added a bit from a letter that Monte sent to my father, James W. Bates, much later.

Oady entered into an trade agreement with Arthur Thompson. Oady owned a horse, which he traded to Mr. Thompson for a Holstein cow. Mr. Thompson reported that he was assured the horse was in good condition. However, after the trade, he was disappointing with the horse. Failing to reach an agreement to return the horse for the cow, he took the horse back and tied it in the field. The following is an excerpt from the newspaper describing testimony given in the inquest.

Roseburg Review, May 25, 1920.

MURDER TRIAL IN PROGRESS TODAY

Arthur Thompson Puts Up Pleas for Self Defense For Killing Odie Bates.

THE TESTIMONY TAKEN

Both the Prosecution and Defense Examine Witnesses in Case Which is Being Heard Before a Large Crowd in Local Court.

With the courtroom crowded, the trial of Arthur James Thompson of Riddle, accused of the murder of Odie Bates, also of that place, progressed rapidly today. The jury completed late yesterday and after brief opening statements the prosecution opened its testimony.

The story as brought out on the witness stand briefly is that Thompson and Bates negotiated a trade, a horse being exchanged by the latter for the former's cow. Both men were employed on the same section gang and agreed upon the trade while at work. The horse was represented, it was said as a good animal and one which would be of value to Mr. Thompson on his small farm. After the trade was completed Thompson found the horse to be in poor condition and decided to return it. Witnesses testified that Thompson endeavored to obtain a return of the cow but failing to do this went to the Bates home and took the cow out of the pasture, leaving the horse in its place. As he was leading the cow away, Odie Bates rushed from the house, climbed the fence and endeavored to stop him from taking the cow away. They engaged in an altercation in which Bates is said to have attacked Thompson. The latter pulled out a knife and stabbed his opponent under the heart with fatal results. Bates was not killed immediately but walked back to where his uncle, Jim Bates, was standing and died while on his way to the house.

Thompson went on to his home and did not know that he had killed Bates until he was placed under arrest. He was indicted by the grand jury on a charge of second degree murder ...

... Mr. and Mrs. Jim Bates and Mrs. Tom Sims were witnesses of the fight and all testified that Bates struck first. Mrs. Sims saying that Thompson was knocked down once. An intervening rose bush hid the battlers from the sight at the time the stabbing took place and no details of this were given.

During the trial, Thompson took the stand. He said he agreed to trade the cow for the horse if it was not balky. The prosecutor asked him how he came to know the horse was balky. Thompson reported that "she stopped going up a little hill with with me. Uhlam told me that he had seen her balk and Mrs. Nichols said she would do to drive but not to pull a load.

The following is Thompson's testimony.

Question - Did you have any words before this stabbing took place?
Thompson - I talked to him and he would not do anything down here.
Q - How came you to resort to force?
T - He saw me on the road and came the other way and headed me off. I told him to go back and tried to keep him off of me with my knife. He knocked my hat off and when he when he started to hit me again I made a pass at his arm and he was closer than I thought he was.
Q - Did he hit you first?
T - Yes, He knocked my hat off.
Q - Did it hurt you?
T - It blinded me- made me a little blind.
Q - You had your knife open?
T - When he cursed me I opened my knife.
Q - Was that before or after you opened your knife?
T - He cursed me before and after both.
Q - Did you know there was a legal way of getting the cow?
T - I did not know whether there was or not.

Mrs. Sims testified that she was about 50 yards from Thompson when the altercation took place. There was a fence and a rosebush between them. She testified that Oady jumped the fence and said "this is my cow." The next thing she heard was Oady say, "I'm stuck." Mrs. Sims ran to him and she asked what kind of knife it was. Oady said it was a pocket knife. She reported that Thompson left leading the cow. Oady died 15 minutes later.

The rest of the story comes from a letter from Monte, Oady's brother, sent to my father.

Bleeding badly, Oady stumbled home. Monte screamed for help when he saw him coming. Jim's wife, Victoria Parrish Bates, ran to his aid. Oady fell into his arms and died moments later.

The Roseburg News-Review, on May 27, 1920, reported the following:

"Arthur James Thompson was last night acquitted of the charge of murder, and his plea of self-defense sustained by the jury, which deliberated only a few moments."

This was another moment of tragedy for the family. James was the only one left of TJ's first family. TJ had died, and Flora suffered greatly from Oady's death.

Thanks, again, to Ethel Mae for providing copies of the newspaper articles and the inquest.

TJ and Flora Bates Family Pictures

Here are some more pictures of TJ and Flora's children. These were provided by Ethel Mae Kinkade, daughter of Emery:


Monte Bates, Sr. circa 1920



Emery Bates when 22 years old



Emery and the twins

Bates - Snow Get Together

On September 18, 2010, several members of the Bates and Snow families met in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Ethel Mae Kinkade, a descendant of John Bates of York, SC, through his grandson, Thomas Jefferson Bates, and her sister, Flora Ann Bates, and cousin, Marti Bates Cohen. They left Oregon on a Family History fact finding trip. They really wanted to meet our relatives in Arkansas. Ethel Mae, Texas Bill, and I have all been corresponding with Larrie Owen via email and over the phone. Ethel Mae was hoping to meet up with Larrie and see if they could piece a few things together.

About 12 relatives met at Creekmore Park at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. I have posted a few pictures:

This is a picture Flora Ann Bates, Ethel Mae Bates Kinkade, and Marti Bates Cohen.

Bates /Snow Get Together, Creekmore Park, Fort Smith, AR; Julie Beam (desd. of John C. Bates), Terri Lovell (John C. Bates, dec.), and Larrie Owen (d. of Robert E. Bates).

Marti Bates Cohen (TJ Bates), Ruth Sweeten (Julie's mother), and Norma Owen (Larrie's wife).

Juanita's mother, Juanita Moreton Harris, Sandi Robison, Vic Neve, Ronnie Moreton, Norma Jean Moreton Neve, and Denny Moreton (Flora Snow relatives).

Larrie Owen and Ethel Mae Kinkade In Witcherville, AR, on Sept. 16, 2010. Thomas Jefferson Bates & Flora Ethel Snow married in Witcherville on Oct. 12, 1893.


Valley View Church near Greenwood, AR. Robert Ellis Bates donated the land for the church. John C. Bates is buried on the south side of the church where the old homestead is. His grave is the only one with a headstone. Other graves are marked with rocks.

Robert Ellis Bates old homestead. The land is now owned by the Plunkett family.

New Book: Descendants of John Bates of York, SC

William G. Bates, or Texas Bill, has published a new book entitled, "The Descendants of John Bates of York, South Carolina.

It is finally an accomplished fact, the 288 page book, "The Descendants of John Bates Sr From York County, South Carolina" (the first four generations) has been printed and distributed to family members who have requested a copy. The book was intentionally bound in the loose leaf style using2" clear comb bindings that will allow additions, principally Addenda, to be added to each individual book as the holder sees fit. The Addenda, the family lines of John Bates Sr's children who have descendants past the fourth generation (John Jr, Zachariah, Alenna, Allen, and David), will require both time and effort due to necessity of contacting all living individuals as to their preference in printing their personal information. I will probably set a date whereby if the "Permissions" have notbeen received, the Addenda will be printed using only the full name of anyone without permission on file. While the "Basic Book", as I call it for brevity, has only been offered to very few non-relatives other than The Bates Association, BFOOV, and the York County Genealogical and Historical Society, there is the possibility that other non-relatives may request a copy for their familial library so as to preclude using research in their genealogical era that is related within its pages. I am presently
asking $35.00 donation that only covers production and shipping costs. The Addenda WILL NOT BE OFFERED to non-vetted family members because of the magnitude of living individuals they will contain.

As an aside to this, I am adding to this note part of the opening section of the book as pertains to John BATES Sr and some early history of family migrations.

Beginning, fact and conjecture

Facts, and some conjecture, as of 25 July 2010:

1. John Bates arrives in the Colonies, probably Baltimore, between 1770 and 1775, age 20-25. He married Rebecca BEAL about 1777 probably in Georgetown, Maryland with John Jr (1778), Mary (1780), and Zachariah (1781) being born in the vicinity before he, and others, head south mid spring 1783.
2. John Sr pays cash to purchase 300 acres of land "on the main fork of Fishing Creek on the Indian Line with William Hall" in Sep 1783.
3. John seems to have been reasonably well educated as attested by the 1800 census that was written in his own hand with his signature on the opening page and on the final page when he gave two copies to the Marshall who then passed it to his superior with acknowledgment that they came from John BATES.
4. Besides being the Assistant Marshall for the 1800 census, John was also a Constable (1790), Under Sheriff (1793), and appointed a Commissioner (one of three) to oversee finishing the York County Court House building in Yorkville.
5. Mary BATES, on the 1850 York County, SC census and widow of Robert ELLIS, states she was 70year old (born 1780) and born in Maryland.
6. Only one of John Sr's children, Allen BATES, lived long enough to indicate on the 1880 census that his father was born in England and his mother was born in Maryland. Allen named both of John's wives, his mother as Rebecca Beall by full name and "Miss Kennedy" as the second wife, in a document to the York County Probate Court contesting the previous execution of Isis Bates' intestate probate settlement.
7. Zachariah's son, John C. BATES, indicates on the 1880 Sebastian County, Arkansas census that his father was born in "D. Columbia".
8. There is a John Bates (baker age 21 from Norwich) who signed a five year indenture aboard the ship Elizabeth bound Virginia which sailed from London on the morning tide 27 November 1774.
9. There is a John Bates who marries a Rebekah Rolfe in London in October 1775.
10. There is a John BATES, escaped prisoner, deserted his 7 year indenture contract in the sixth year, in 1777. This is followed by a John BATES who enlisted in the Continental Army in Annapolis, Maryland shortly afterwards. This is being investigated at this time.
11. There is a John BATES, from South Carolina, who is an Indian Trader who has made at least two trips into the central Georgia area that included Fayette County because of its Indian gathering locations. Along with this is the known location of Wiley and William REEVES, cousins to RIchard Lawson REEVES, Alenna Bates' husband, in Jasper County, Georgia (two counties before Fayette County on a direct line from Savannah, Georgia) Given the above, it is a consensus that:

The John Bates on the ship Elizabeth could not be be John Sr of York County, SC primarily because of the date in conjunction with other known dates and facts. There are the conditions of indenturement when coupled to the marriage to Rebecca BEALL about 1777. None of the individuals/families who purchased an indenture in this time frame would allow the individual to marry until the contract was satisfied without substantial extension. There has been noted incidences, all well documented, where the owner was impressed with the contractee's performance and considered the contract satisfied as much as six months, and one case 10 months, ahead of the original contractual date. However, considering the expected arrival date between early January to late February 1775, would preclude this John marrying Rebecca BEALL in 1777 as the earliest this John BATES could have been eligible to marry, without contractual penalty, would be about July 1779. Additionally, the Revolutionary War was a controlling factor in this area from early 1777 to about 1782.

The John Bates who married Rebekah Rolfe in London is considered by the research group to be improbable as much because of the date, 1775, and John of York County's marriage to Rebecca BEALL of Maryland in 1777. There is, however one of several sequence of events that could still allow this to be accurate, however, all of them require Rebekah to die between early 1776 to shortly after arrival, probably Baltimore, in late 1776 and John to immediately became acquainted with the BEALL family. The most probable cause of death would be childbirth with the child possibly surviving though there are conditions of ship crossings where death has been noted for numerous other reasons. There is no documentation found to confirm or deny this conjecture besides the marriage in London.

The John BATES, escaped prisoner, in 1777 seems to have much going for this possibility. Several items have been discovered that seem to point in his direction. First he has been in the proper area, present Alexandria and northward to about Great Falls to encounter the BEALL family of Georgetown, Maryland. and the owner did not pursue but only reported the incidence which seems to indicate the two events may be linked. Second is the historical records of the unit to which he enlisted includes service in the Carolina's as Coastal Defense which would probably put them in a position of being in the area of the Battle on Kings Mountain or afterwards highly possible. Kings Mountain is in the extreme northwest corner of York County but at the time of the battle was part of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Since John would have had to marry Rebecca BEFORE he enlisted in the Continental Army, it is necessary that we discover something that indicates this John knew her and/or something of their marriage. Research is ongoing at this time.


The discovery of the Isis Intestate Documents, both original Probate (1872) and the later contestation(1884) by John Jr's living children (William T., John W., Thomas Allen, and Nancy (Bates) Aiken) with John Jr's brother, Allen Bates, clearly shows several facts.

First, John Sr was married twice, first to Rebecca BEAL (Correct spelling BEALL) of Maryland and after her death to Miss KENNEDY in York County, South Carolina. Miss KENNEDY is believed to have died before John Sr (1833) as there are indications of her on the 1810 and 1820 censuses but not on the 1830 census plus there is no provision for her in John Sr's will with his entire estate going solely to his unmarried daughter, Isis.

Also contained in these documents is they did not know whether Zachariah was alive or not in 1872 but that he was last known to be in Arkansas with no specific location. There is also John Jr preceding Isis in death and gives his year of death as 1856 in Georgia.

It is speculation on my part, along with the birth declarations and the prevailing tradition that a woman would repair to her parents home, if they were close by, for childbirth. It is believed that all three, John Jr, Mary (confirmed), and Zach (confirmed), were born across the Potomac River in what is now the Georgetown district of the District of Columbia.

The area now known as Arlington District is an official part of District of Columbia on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. This area may have been the locality for John's residence from arrival to 1783 when he, and others, head south, either via the Old Indian Road (Shenandoah valley) southward or the Fall Line Road which began in Fredericksburg and ends at the South Carolina side of the Savannah River across from Augusta, Georgia. No one in their right mind, not so much as problems with the natives but primarily because of outlaws, would have attempted family travel individually for any distance during this time period but would have connected with others in their area who wanted to travel in the same direction with a leader who had been to the area of destination.

Anyone who wishes to contact me may do so using my email address, WGB97@elp.rr.com, and I would be happy to discuss this, or any of the multitudinous families of research I have been engaged in over the past thirteen years. I have numerous files of several other BATES lines that, while not complete and in most cases just plain outdated, I have information that may be of importance of some individuals particularly in the western Georgia and Alabama area. I have a huge file on the cemetery listings in the Cullman County, Alabama area that includes four different BATES family lines. I do not recall the exact connection points but there is a "Back Door" connection between this BATES family and BFOOV through the ALFORD family in Virginia (1700's) and somewhat later (mid 1800's) in Spalding County, Georgia.

I would urge all individuals with DNA test to please upgrade them to at least 67 markers to take advantage of the newest research possibility and connections.

William G. Bates

Those interested in obtaining a copy can contact Bill at: wgb97@elp.rr.com, or

William G. Bates
637 Castile Ave
El Paso, Tx 79912
ph. 915-307-7627