William B. Bates papers

Identity elements

Reference code

MS 011

Level of description

Collection

Title

William B. Bates papers

Date(s)

  • 1896-1981 (Creation)
  • 1896-1991 (Creation)

Extent

18 cubic feet (14 boxes)

Name of creator

(1889-1974)

Biographical history

William B. Bates was born August 16, 1889 in Nat, Texas. He and his siblings attended local schools at Nat and in a place called Red Flat. In 1910, He attended Sam Houston Normal Institute where he earned teaching certificates. After teaching for a few years, he went on to study law at the University of Texas, graduating first in the class in 1915.
Bates served in the United States Army from 1917 to 1919 during World War I. When he returned, he opened a law practice with his brother, Jesse, and married Mary Estill Dorsey. In 1923, he was hired by Fulbright and Crooker, a law firm in Houston. The title "colonel" was bestowed upon W.B. Bates by his friend, former Governor of Texas Dan Moody.
William B. Bates had an enormous impact on the growth and development of Houston, almost from the moment he arrived. He became a member of the Houston Independent School District Board of education in 1925. The University of Houston was established under his chairmanship. William B. Bates also served the Houston Chamber of Commerce for many years. He was on the advisory board of the, then famous, Bank of the Southwest.
In 1939, William B. Bates became chairman of the Board of Trustees of the M.D. Anderson Foundation upon the death of its benefactor, Mr. Anderson. Col. Bates' foresight and leadership contributed to the creation and growth of the Texas Medical Center. W.B. Bates died on April 17, 1974.
For more information about Col. Bates, please refer to N. Don Macon's book South from Flower Mountain: A Conversation with William B. Bates (Houston : Texas Medical Center, 1975)

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

The William B. Bates papers contains correspondence and photographs documenting his life and career as a lawyer. Of particular interest are the scrapbook of newspaper clippings dating back to the 1920s and photographs from World War I and Bates' childhood. The collection consists of 14 boxes, including two oversize boxes, and equals 9 cubic feet. The materials are in fair to good condition.

Subjects: Attorney

System of arrangement

Collection is arrangement into two main series:
Series I: Personal and Professional papers
Series II: Oversize materials

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

No access restrictions. Open for research.

Physical access

Materials are in fair to good condition with some water damage.

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Languages of the material

  • English

Scripts of the material

Language and script notes

Finding aids

Legacy finding aid is available.

Generated finding aid

Acquisition and appraisal elements

Custodial history

Deed-4

Immediate source of acquisition

This collection was given to the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library by William B. Bates' daughter, Mary Bates Bentson. The papers are maintained, for the most part, in the order in which they were received.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

Accruals

No accruals are expected for this collection.

Related materials elements

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related archival materials

Notes element

Specialized notes

  • Citation: William B. Bates papers; MS 011; John P. McGovern Historical Collections and Research Center, Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library. Please cite the box and folder numbers where appropriate.

Alternative identifier(s)

TARO

00146

Description control element

Rules or conventions

Sources used

Archivist's note

Finding aid prepared by Lisa C. James, May 2001

Access points

Place access points

Accession area