John Batis

The file has been accepted in good faith "as is" and has not been fact checked or verified. Accordingly K.I.P.A. cannot accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained therein.

Thought you might be interested in what I have found out about through Trove and records.

Appears that George Bates has one or more children.

Local knowledge George "Fireball" Bates was said to have a son, but no-one knew what became of him. It is believed that George “Fireball” had at least 3 grandchildren- William, John Henry and Wallis reference Port Pirie Law courts 1939 -death of William and John Henry charged with manslaughter.

  • Geoffrey Chapman

1. John M Batis-Bates born circa 1831

There is a family story in the Batis family of the South Australian Mid-North, that this John Batis was the son of George "Fireball" Bates, a sealer and whaler of Kangaroo Island in pre-colonial days, and an unknown aboriginal woman. The family claims that this John Bates who was the father of John Batis [1851-1924] and the grandfather of John Henry Batis 1880-1960. John M Batis was born about 1831and died 1924 married Elizabeth Corner

His children:

1.1 Joseph Batis born about [1846 –1888] in Adelaide. In 1870, Joseph married Sarah Ann Coppin

Their children

1.1.1. William Henry Batis born and died 1873 in Hindmarsh Adelaide

1.2 DianaRebecca” Batis born about 1848. On 22 Sept 1870 “Rebecca” Batis married Richard Leaney at the, at the residence of Mr. Charles Hutchins, Stepney, by the Rev. H. J. Lambert. Both living at Stepney.

1.3 John [junior] Batis born 1850 and died 31st July 1924 of heart failure, aged 74, leaving a wife, six daughters. and four sons. In 1877, John married Paulina Eleanor Thoman and lived at Nantabibbie [ near Peterborough SA]. John Batis of Black Rock farmer -in Nov 1884 acquired Hundred Nackara, County Herbert- Secs. 61, 78, 38 acres, called the farm “Daisy Dell”, Nankara

Paulina Batis died 1958

John and Paulina’s children

1.3.1 Roes Jane Batis no further details ye

1.3.2 John Henry Batis [1880-1960]- from about 1914 to 1938 worked as a ganger with the Peterborough Railways. From 1938 to 1939 was working on the family farm

Henry Batis Sentenced to three years. Charged with the murder of his brother, Robert Wilfred Batis, 46,single, farm labourer, of Nantabibbie, near Oodla-Wirra, on 7th January 1939. John Henry Batis, 58, single, also of Nantabibbie, pleaded not guilty before Mr. Justice Richards, in the Gladstone Circuit Court on Wednesday. The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter, under very strong provocation, and the defendant was sentenced to three years imprison.

1.3.3 Walter George Batis born abt 1895 and died 8 July 1938 - of Nackara.in the Peterborough S.M. Hospital, aged 50 years

1.3.4 Olive Linda Batis born circa 1898 and died 10th Feb 1935, Adelaide aged 38 years beloved daughter of Mrs. and the late Mr. J. Batis, of Nackara.

1.3.5 Gladys Pearl Batis [1900 -1983] on 13th April 1925 Gladys married William Ernest Pedler, in the Oodla-wirra Methodist Church. W Ernest Pedler was youngest son of Mrs. Pedler, of "Wattle View" Blyth.

1.3.6 Robert Wilfed [Bill] Batis [1893 -1939]- killed by his brother.

From Court case: Bill was dangerous when he was drunk. He used to grind his teeth and froth at the mouth. He always hated the fact that he had black blood in him. My great-grand father was 'Fireball Bates,' a redheaded English runaway sailor and one of the original settlers on Kangaroo Island. He arrived there in 1824. "He and a man named Waller went to the mainland and got two gins. Waller's gin swam back to the mainland, but my great-grandfather's gin remained. When-ever Bill was drunk he used to call me and my brothers black ____ s and had threatened on a number of occasions to kill us. "Last year my brother Walter had just come home from hospital and Bill came home and attacked him while in bed. I fought him off Wally and then he attacked me. "On that occasion he said to my mother- 'Why did you marry a black ____? You are the cause of all this trouble.' My mother said: 'He was a better man than you are,' and Bill said: 'That has to be proved.' On a number of other occasions Bill blamed my mother for having married my father. Bill was going with a girl for a long time, but when she found out that he had black blood she never went out with him again. That made Bill more bitter than ever.

1.3.6 Albert Batis known to have farmed near Clare no further details yet

1.3.7 Edith May Batis died 1977]. On 10TH Oct 1910, Edith married Ezra John Cosh [1879-1969] at the family’s residence “Daisy Dell”, Nankara

Their child :Edith Jean Cosh born 1911

1.3.8 Alice Rebecca Batis- born 1884 and died 24th Oct 1946 at Woodville, daughter of Mrs. Batis and the late John Batis, late of Nackara. Aged 62 years. – In 1919, Alice Rebecca married George Thomas Lampard

1.3.9 Matilda Amelia Margaret [“Millie”] Batis – 3rd daughter of J Batis of , Nackara in 1920 , married Henry Richard Harley second son Mr & Mrs J A Watling of Kintore Ave, Chicago After marrying , lived at Bancalla. Millie gave birth to a stillborn child on 29th May 1921 at Kennard Nursing Home, Woolnough street, Largs Bay

1.3.10 Eva G. Batis 5th daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Batis, of Nackara –married to Trooper Robert Dey, of A.I.F., third son of Mr. and Mrs. A. McGregor Dey, High-street, Burnside.

1.4 George Batis born about 1852 no further details yet