By Sandy Bates, October 5, 2002
 

Clement Bate and his Family arrived in Hingham, Massachusetts in 1635. His Father was James Bates, and his Brother was James of Dorchester. According to LDS Records, Clement was born Jan. 22, 1595, in Kent, England and died in Hingham Sept. 17, 1671. His wife Anna Dalrymple born 1596 in England, died in Hingham Oct. 1, 1669.

Clement was instrumental in the forming of Hingham and also in the Church there. He subscribed for the Old Meeting House, which is the Oldest Meeting House in existence today still being active. He was very active in all Town affairs.

Clement and Anna had all but one of their children in England. A child was born to them in England and died in 1631. James came with them. Clement came with them and drowned in 1639. John died in England. Rachel, who died in 1647, came with them as did Benjamin, who died in 1687 and Joseph, who died in 1706. Samuel was born in Hingham and died in 1713.

Years ago, the Church meeting house needed an addition and they had no where to go so they moved the graves of Clement and his wife Anna, along with other early Pioneers. They went farther back from the Church and dug a big hole and then put the remains dirt and all in this hole, and put a cement circle around it and a plaque telling that the Early Pioneers were there. In 1927 The Bates Association erected a stone on the site engraved with, "In Memory of Clement and Ann, Immigrant Ancestors".

Clement's descendants are abundant in New England as well as other parts of the United States, today.