Joseph E. Bates Joseph E. Bates Joseph E. Bates (May 5, 1837 – September 22, 1900) was an American politician who served on the city council and as mayor. Bates was born in Chautauqua County, New York and raised in Muskegon County, Michigan. He moved to Denver, Colorado in 1860, where he became involved in working for various businesses. He became active in city politics being elected a city councilor in 1868. Bates established enterprises including the Denver Brewery, Denver Pacific Railroad and the Denver Smelting and Refining Works. Joseph E. Bates was twice elected Mayor of Denver, in 1872 and again in
Martha E. Cram Bates M.). In addition to her work on the "Herald", Bates did an immense amount of literary work in the way of correspondence, sketches, stories and poems. She also wrote several books. With Mary Knezik Buck, Bates was the joint author of, "Along Traverse Shores", and "A Few Verses for a Few Friends". Bates was the author of "Young People's History of Michigan", which was used in many schools of the State for historical study. In religion, Bates was one of the three surviving charter members of the Congregational church. While she had been an invalid for about three years, Bates