Hello--you may be interested in joining the Bates Association (info to follow). The Bates line you are tracing is the "Edward of Boston" line. Many of our members are in that line and have been very gracious in sharing documented lineage information. You can instantly connect with many new cousins who share your line. We do have all the dates and places for the Lydia marriage that you referenced. If interested, here is some info on the association... THE BATES ASSOCIATION, established 1907 As stated in its corporate charter, the object of the Bates Association is the collection, compilation, and publication of all available data concerning the Bates families, strictly on a not-for-profit basis. All persons and institutions interested in the objectives cited above are most welcome. Our membership currently boasts nearly 200 members across the US, into Canada, England, Scotland, and Australia! Individuals having a Bates ancestor qualify as individual or family members, while others qualify for associate or institutional memberships. The Bates Association provides all those interested in the Bates heritage with the following: 1. A one year subscription to The Bates Bulletin, a genealogical newsletter. The Bulletin offers a wonderful opportunity to enter or answer queries, publish your work, and read the work of others, or just keep up on Bates news. 2. Annual or Biennial Association Reunions 3. Exchange of data and sharing of family charts. We are also computerizing these records to make searches and connections easier. 4. Meeting "family" you never knew you had, through reunions, the Bulletin, and correspondence. A membership directory is published regularly (next issue in June 1997) with names, addresses, EMail and telephone numbers, and research lines. 5. Historical field trips and lectures 6. Participation in the Bates Query Hotline. This is a group of our on-line members, to whom we Email any queries that come into the Association. We will then forward any replies to the proper person. In the event the query is submitted by a member who is NOT on line, any replies will be returned by snail-mail to the person posing the query. That way, everyone can participate. Any queries that are unable to be answered will appear in a future issue of the Bates Bulletin for all members to view. The original Bates Association flourished from 1907 until the mid-1960's, holding reunions, publishing the informative Bates Bulletin, and providing a place for Bates descendants of different ancestral lines to meet and share their common heritage. The loss of the Association left a tremendous void for the Bates families. However, in July, 1993, representatives of five branches of the Bates family met in Falmouth, Massachusetts, to revive the Bates Association. Today's Bateses have created a new and expanded version of the Association, chartered in Massachusetts, which not only honors New England origins of the original Association, but also honors equally those of other origins within the United States regardless of time or place of immigration, as well as "cousins" from other lands. One of the first projects of the "new" Association, was the publication of two books. The first (in 1994) was a complete hardcover edition duplicating all past issues of The Bates Bulletins from 1907-1922. Many of our members purchased this limited edition research aid to help them in their research. In 1996, we published the second hardcover book, containing reprints of the Bulletins from 1922-1938. Hopefully future volumes will be produced as we attempt to preserve the Bates heritage. In these Bulletins are so many gems and memories that were shared by Bates Association members of that time! We can read the birth, wedding, and death announcements, information on family reunions, family chit chat, queries, Bates history, and such. Reunions are held at locations that have historic significance to the Bates families, or provide important educational or research opportunities. Since the reviving of the Bates Association, we have held reunions in Scituate, MA and Chelmsford MA. Our 1997 reunion is planned for July, 1997 in Salt Lake City, UT. From time to time there are also regional gatherings planned if there are a large number of members in one particular area. If you have an ancestor with the Bates name, or if you or your institution are interested in the history of the Bateses, joining this organization provides a network of other individuals and groups with Bates ties. The Association's future goals include expanding its membership, involving more members on committees based on shared interests, publishing the Bates Bulletin on a quarterly basis, and making the use of technology to share our research. Annual Dues are payable each December, and are $20.00 for an individual, an associate, or an institutional membership, and $25.00 for a family membership. Our definition of a family membership is two adults and/or children residing at the same address. A membership application can be mailed to you if you provide me with a mailing address (snail mail). We will also include a computer survey form, so that we can get a better idea of how to use technology to service our members and their research needs. Both forms can be returned together with your check. Thank you for your interest, and we hope that you will decide to join us! Lauren A. Delaney Membership Chairman EMail: [email protected]