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PERCY J. BATES. Ruskin says that we are always given strength enough and sense enough for what nature intended us to do, and that, whatever we are doing, we cannot be properly fulfilling our earthy mission if we are not happy. ourselves. A part of our service to the world is unquestionably cheerfulness, and unless we are happy in our work and in the life we lead among men we are withholding something that is essential to true serviceableness. Percy J. Bates, rip track foreman at the North Side Frisco shops, Springfield, is a young man who is cheerful in his daily tasks, thus making them much lighter to perform.
Mr. Bates was born September 28, 1886, at Essex junction, Chittenden. county, Vermont. He is a son of Job Bates, who was born in Westford, Vermont. He grew up in his native state and attended school there and in his younger days followed farming, later owned and operated a general store at Essex junction. He was very successful as a business man and became owner of three or four fine farms, which he kept well stocked and highly improved, but keeping them rented, merely looking after them in a general way. He owned a large town house in Essex junction, where he spent about twenty-five years of his life. He was very fond of good horses and made a specialty of raising them, always owning some fine ones. Politically he was, a Republican, and was a road master and selectman, influential and prominent in his town and county. He was a member of the Congregational church. His death occurred on May 12,1904, at the age of seventy-five years. His widow, who was known in her maidenhood as Mary Ella Brackett, a daughter of Hiram Brackett, of Amboy, Illinois, is living at Burlington, Vermont; she was born in 1851.
Eleven children were born to Job Bates and wife, named as follows: Kizzie married Allen Martin, an attorney of Essex junction, Vermont; Julia I. has remained single and lives at home; Charles M. is manager of a hotel at Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania; Marion E., single, is teaching school in Los Angeles, California; Willis S. is physical director at Southwestern College, Winfield, Kansas; James S. lives at Amarillo, Texas; Jessie E., single, is teaching in Burlington, Vermont; Percy J., of this sketch Mary E. is the wife of Dr. John Hunter, of the University of Vermont; Alice B. is a missionary in Labrador, teaching in the Dr. Grenville Mission there; Dorothy S. is single and lives at home.
Percy J. Bates grew to manhood in Vermont and there received his education in the common schools, two years in high school, then studied at Kimball Union Academy at Meriden, New Hampshire, from which he was graduated in 1904, then in 1905 he came West and entered Fairmount College at Wichita, Kansas, from which institution he was graduated in 1909. Taking an interest in athletics he played professional base ball in 1909 and 1910 for the Wichita Western League, being right fielder for that team, then played center field for the Arkansas City (Kansas) State League. He entered railroad service at Arkansas City with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Road, in the transportation department, and later worked in the mechanical department until May 5, 1912, when he went to Amarillo, Texas, where he worked as time keeper and in the car department of the same road. On, January 26, 1914, he entered the service of the Frisco System at Chaffee as piece work checker. On June 1, 1914, he was transferred to Springfield, Missouri, as rip track foreman in the North Side shops, which position he is holding at this writing. He has thirty hands under his direction and is giving his usual satisfaction.
Mr. Bates has remained unmarried. Politically, he is a Republican, and he belongs to the Congregational church. He is a member of the Masonic Order.
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