Thomas Bates, Neponset, was born October 26, 1823, in Derbyshire, England. He is a son of John Bates, an able minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who was born in 1790 in England. He died September 18, 1871, in Bureau County, Ill. The mother of our subject, Mary (Weekley) Bates, was born in England, and died in August, 1847, in Madison County, Ill.
Our subject, Thomas Bates, came to Neponset in 1849; he settled on Section 16, where he now resides, and owns 240 acres of well improved land. He was married March 14, 1850, in Madison County, Ill., to Emma Handsaker, who was born June 19, 1829, in Derbyshire, England. She is a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Falkner) Handsaker, natives of England, where he died August 5, 1836. She died in Madison County, Ill., and was an intelligent and religious lady. Mrs. Emma Bates was the mother of six children, viz: Joseph H., born January 4, 1851 (he married Mary J. Wood); Mrs. Mary J. Weed, September 10, 1852; Samuel H., January 1, 1855 (he married Fannie E. Handsaker); John William, July 17, 1857 (he married Emma J. Carr); James T., March 28, 1860; and George E., who was born July 1868. Mr. Bates’ eldest son, Joseph H. Bates, is a physician in Neponset; he has practiced three years in Altona, Ill. He was educated in the Northwestern University of Evanston, Ill., and received his medical education at the Chicago Medical College, where he graduated. Politically Mr. Bates is a Republican, and religiously he and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Source: History of Bureau County, Illinois, H. C. Bradsby, Editor. World Publishing Company Chicago 1885