Robert Bates

Robert Bates was a son of John Wallis and Sarah Waltrip Bates.  

He was born 24 August 1825 at the mouth of Boone Fork at present

day Kona, Kentucky.  Robert was married three times and fathered 

18 children.  Rob's main interest was land.  He acquired many 

acres including land in Letcher County and what is now Knott 

County, Kentucky.  Rob was the main force in the formation of 

Knott County from parts of Breathitt, Floyd, Letcher and Perry 

Counties in 1884.  As a result, Robert Bates is known as the 

"Father of Knott County".  He was elected to the state 

legislature for the term 1883-1884.


He served in the Confederate Army from 1861 to May 1865.  He 

was elected Captain of Co. A of French's Batallion of Virginia 

Infantry.  Serving with Robert was his brother Martin Van Buren 

Bates, "The Kentucky Giant."


Robert died at age 96 on 24 September 1921.


An article in the "Louisville  Commercial" for July 8, 1855 

gives the following description of Robert, "A plain looking man 

of 45, of average size, cheaply dressed, slightly bald, and 

wearing spectacles."