| Henry C. Bates | |
| Office1: | Judge for the 9th District of the Court of First Instance, Manila |
| Term Start1: | 1901 |
| Term End1: | 1907 |
| Predecessor1: | New position |
| Successor1: | James Ross |
| Order2: | 42nd |
| Office2: | Lieutenant Governor of Vermont |
| Term Start2: | 1898 |
| Term End2: | 1900 |
| Governor2: | Edward C. Smith |
| Predecessor2: | Nelson W. Fisk |
| Successor2: | Martin F. Allen |
| Office3: | Member of the Vermont House of Representatives |
| Term Start3: | 1896 |
| Term End3: | 1897 |
| Predecessor3: | John C. Clark |
| Successor3: | Truman R. Stiles |
| Office4: | President pro tempore of the Vermont State Senate |
| Term Start4: | 1886 |
| Term End4: | 1890 |
| Predecessor4: | Laforrest H. Thompson |
| Successor4: | Frank A. Dwinell |
| Office5: | Member of the Vermont State Senate |
| Term Start5: | 1886 |
| Term End5: | 1890 |
| Predecessor5: | Henry Clay Ide |
| Successor5: | Albro F. Nichols |
| Birth Date: | January 29, 1843 |
| Birth Place: | Derby Line, Vermont |
| Death Place: | Berkeley, California |
| Resting Place: | Smithland Cemetery, Smithland, Iowa |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Attorney |
| Allegiance: | United States (Union) |
| Branch: | Union Army |
| Serviceyears: | 1864-1865 |
| Unit: | Company C, 4th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery |
| Rank: | Private |
| Battles: | American Civil War |
Henry Clay Bates (January 29, 1843 – March 12, 1909), frequently known as H. C. Bates,[1] was a Vermont lawyer and politician who served as the 42nd lieutenant governor of Vermont and as a judge of the Insular Government of the Philippine Islands.
Henry Clay Bates was born in Derby Line, Vermont on January 29, 1843.[2] [3] He was educated at Derby Academy, taught school in Vermont and Maine, and studied law in Derby and Charleston before enlisting for the Civil War.
Bates served as a member of Company C, 4th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery.[4] [5] After the war he was an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic.[6]
Bates resumed his legal studies after leaving the Army, attained admission to the bar in 1866 and practiced law in St. Johnsbury.[7] A Republican, he served in numerous local offices, including Superintendent of Schools of Guildhall and Town Meeting Moderator of St. Johnsbury.[8]
Bates also served as Caledonia County State's Attorney from 1880 to 1882 and 1892 to 1894.[9] [10] From 1886 to 1890 Bates was a member of the Vermont Senate and served as Senate President.[11]
Bates served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1896 to 1897.[12] In 1898 he won election as Lieutenant Governor and served until 1900.[13]
He participated in numerous county and state Republican conventions, and was a Delegate to the 1900 Republican National Convention.[14] [15]
In 1901 Bates was appointed a judge for the 9th district of the Court of First Instance, Manila, a position within the Insular Government of the Philippine Islands.[16] [17] He served until his 1907 resignation, afterwards living in retirement in Berkeley, California.[18]
Bates died in Berkeley on March 12, 1909, after having been ill as the result of his service in the Philippines.[19] [20] [21] He was buried at Smithland Cemetery (Little Sioux Township Cemetery) in Smithland, Iowa, where his wife's family resided.[22]
In 1866, Bates married Laura E. Jenness of Morgan, Vermont.[23] They were the parents of one son who lived to adulthood, attorney Jerry Dickerman Bates (1869-1952), who was usually referred to as J. Dickerman Bates.