Edward Bates

Adams Representative of Missouri's 1st district

Congresses Served

House Terms

September 4, 1793 (75 years old)

Birthday

March 25, 1869

Death

American lawyer, politician, and judge active in the 19th century.
Served as a U.S. Congressman and as U.S. Attorney General under President Abraham Lincoln.
First U.S. Cabinet appointee from a state west of the Mississippi River.
Established a legal practice in St. Louis after moving there in 1814.
Appointed as the first Attorney General of Missouri in 1820.
Elected to various political positions, including the Missouri House of Representatives and the Missouri Senate.
Prominent member of the Whig Party, later joined the Republican Party after the Whig Party’s dissolution.
Ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 1860 but lost to Lincoln.
As Attorney General, he dealt with early Civil War policies and legal opinions but had disagreements with Lincoln on issues like the Emancipation Proclamation.
Resigned from the Cabinet in 1864 after being overlooked for a Supreme Court appointment.
Opposed the adoption of a new state constitution in Missouri after leaving office.
Participated in the conservative struggle over Missouri’s 1865 constitution, which abolished slavery.
Married with a large family, including sons who served in various capacities during the Civil War.
Known for his legal work in freedom suits for enslaved individuals.