James T. Bates
Encyclopedia
James T. Bates was an American businessman who founded the daily newspaper Tribune de Genève
on 1 February 1879.
The son of Joseph C. Bates, a shipowner, James Bates was born in Boston
, Massachusetts
. He enlisted at age 17 in the Union army
, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
at age 21. He became a stockbroker in New York City
. In 1873, he married Amélie, the daughter of Arthur Chenevière. After making a fortune in the States, he settled in 1875 in Geneva
, Switzerland
, the hometown of his wife.
Soon after moving, in 1876, he acquired the newspaper The Continental Herald and Swiss Times which shortly after became the daily Tribune de Genève
on 1 February 1879.
He later married Henriette Baron, the widow of Léonce Pictet.
Since 1878, he was one of the more active members of the Emmanuel Church, the American church of Geneva.
In 1887, he founded the "Union Bank", which got absorbed into the Union Bank of Switzerland
(later to become UBS AG
) in 1919.
Bates died in Geneva on 24 December 1914.
Tribune de Genève
Tribune de Genève is the most prominent regional newspaper of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.Tribune de Genève was founded on 1 February 1879 by James T. Bates. The French language daily is published by Edipresse in Geneva...
on 1 February 1879.
The son of Joseph C. Bates, a shipowner, James Bates was born in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He enlisted at age 17 in the Union army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
at age 21. He became a stockbroker in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1873, he married Amélie, the daughter of Arthur Chenevière. After making a fortune in the States, he settled in 1875 in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the hometown of his wife.
Soon after moving, in 1876, he acquired the newspaper The Continental Herald and Swiss Times which shortly after became the daily Tribune de Genève
Tribune de Genève
Tribune de Genève is the most prominent regional newspaper of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.Tribune de Genève was founded on 1 February 1879 by James T. Bates. The French language daily is published by Edipresse in Geneva...
on 1 February 1879.
He later married Henriette Baron, the widow of Léonce Pictet.
Since 1878, he was one of the more active members of the Emmanuel Church, the American church of Geneva.
In 1887, he founded the "Union Bank", which got absorbed into the Union Bank of Switzerland
Union Bank of Switzerland
Union Bank of Switzerland was a large integrated financial services company located in Switzerland. The bank, which at the time was the second largest bank in Switzerland, merged with Swiss Bank Corporation in 1998, to become UBS to form what was then the largest bank in Europe and the second...
(later to become UBS AG
UBS AG
UBS AG is a Swiss global financial services company headquartered in Basel and Zürich, Switzerland, which provides investment banking, asset management, and wealth management services for private, corporate, and institutional clients worldwide, as well as retail clients in Switzerland...
) in 1919.
Bates died in Geneva on 24 December 1914.