Asher B. Bates
Encyclopedia
Asher B. Bates was a lawyer and politician in the United States
state of Michigan
and in the Kingdom of Hawaii
.
Bates was born May 2, 1810 in in Le Roy
, Genesee County, New York
. He graduated from Union College in 1828 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 after the resignation of Augustus S. Porter
to run for the U.S. Senate. He was also an agent for the Protection Insurance Company of Hartford.
He married Lucilla Beals October 23, 1832, but she died in 1839.
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 Court
and both Farnsworth and Walker served as Michigan Attorney General
.
He married Elizabeth Gertrude (or Gilmore) Judd (1810–?) December 6, 1843.
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.
By July 1848 he had emigrated to the Hawaiian Islands
and became a citizen of the Kingdom of Hawaii
.
Bates was brother-in-law of Gerrit P. Judd
, a former American missionary doctor who was then a power cabinet minister.
He served from August 21, 1849 to 1853 on the Privy Council of King Kamehameha III
. On November 1, 1849 he became Registrar of Conveyances
until August 3, 1859.
Although the office of Attorney General
was not officially part of the cabinet since the resignation of flamboyant but short-lived John Ricord
, Bates served as lawyer for the king. Ricord had help design the executive branch and served as combined Attorney General and Registrar, or chief Notary Public
. Bates was succeeded by Thomas Brown who served until 1886.
He moved to San Francisco in 1863 to become a bankruptcy judge and died on June 1, 1873. of leprosy
contracted while in Hawaii.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and in the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
.
Life
His father was also named Asher Bates, so he is sometimes called Asher Bates Jr.Bates was born May 2, 1810 in in Le Roy
Le Roy (town), New York
Le Roy, or more commonly LeRoy, is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 7,790 at the 2000 census. The town is named after one of the original land owners, Herman Le Roy....
, Genesee County, New York
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
. He graduated from Union College in 1828 and came to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
in 1831, where he was an attorney, Justice of the Peace, City Attorney, and City Recorder. In 1838, he served as Mayor of Detroit after the resignation of Augustus S. Porter
Augustus Seymour Porter
Augustus Seymour Porter was a U.S. statesman from the state of Michigan.He was born in Canandaigua, New York, the nephew of Peter Buell Porter and attended Canandaigua Academy. He graduated from Union College, in Schenectady, New York, in 1818, studied law and was admitted to the bar and commenced...
to run for the U.S. Senate. He was also an agent for the Protection Insurance Company of Hartford.
He married Lucilla Beals October 23, 1832, but she died in 1839.
He established the practice of Farnsworth & Bates with Elon Farnsworth
Elon Farnsworth (Michigan Attorney General)
Elon Farnsworth was an American lawyer and politician. He served as both Attorney General and Chancellor of the state of Michigan.- Biography :...
. 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
James V. Campbell
James V. Campbell was a member of the Michigan Supreme Court from 1858-1890.Campbell was born in Buffalo, New York but was brought to Detroit at a very young age. Campbell served as a law professor at the University of Michigan for much of the time he was on the Michigan Supreme Court.-Sources:*...
. Both Campbell and Douglass served terms on the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
and both Farnsworth and Walker served as Michigan Attorney General
Michigan Attorney General
The Attorney General of Michigan is the fourth-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan and one of four great offices of state. The officeholder is elected statewide in the November general election alongside the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, members of the Senate and...
.
He married Elizabeth Gertrude (or Gilmore) Judd (1810–?) December 6, 1843.
At some point he moved from Detroit to Jackson County, Michigan
Jackson County, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 158,422 people, 58,168 households, and 40,833 families residing in the county. The population density was 224 people per square mile . There were 62,906 housing units at an average density of 89/sq mi...
, where he ran unsuccessfully as a Whig Party
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
candidate for Justice of Probate in 1844.
By July 1848 he had emigrated to the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
and became a citizen of the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
.
Bates was brother-in-law of Gerrit P. Judd
Gerrit P. Judd
Gerrit Parmele Judd was an American physician and missionary to the Kingdom of Hawaii who later became a trusted advisor and cabinet minister to King Kamehameha III.- Life :...
, a former American missionary doctor who was then a power cabinet minister.
He served from August 21, 1849 to 1853 on the Privy Council of King Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III was the King of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name was Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa Kalani Waiakua Kalanikau Iokikilo Kiwalao i ke kapu Kamehameha when he ascended the throne.Under his...
. On November 1, 1849 he became Registrar of Conveyances
Recorder of deeds
Recorder of deeds is a government office tasked with maintaining public records and documents, especially records relating to real estate ownership that provide persons other than the owner of a property with real rights over that property.-Background:...
until August 3, 1859.
Although the office of Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
was not officially part of the cabinet since the resignation of flamboyant but short-lived John Ricord
John Ricord
John Ricord whose birth name was probably Jean Baptiste Ricord-Madianna II, was a lawyer and world traveler. He was involved in cases in Texas, Oregon, Hawaii, and California.-Life:...
, Bates served as lawyer for the king. Ricord had help design the executive branch and served as combined Attorney General and Registrar, or chief Notary Public
Notary public
A notary public in the common law world is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with estates, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business...
. Bates was succeeded by Thomas Brown who served until 1886.
He moved to San Francisco in 1863 to become a bankruptcy judge and died on June 1, 1873. of leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
contracted while in Hawaii.