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Joseph Bates is born.
Joseph was the fifth of seven children. He lived in New Bedford, Massachusetts, by the sea, and spent a lot of his early life by the docks. -
Joseph Bates sails on the sea for the first time.
Joseph's parents wanted him to start to persue a career, yet all their son wanted to do was be a sailor. That wasn't exactly what every parent wanted their son to become back then. Sailors weren't held in very high regard. Finally, Joseph's parents decided to let their son go to sea, hoping he would come down with sea-sickness and give up his dream of being a sailor. Sometime in the years 1806 and 1807, Joseph Bates's uncle agreed to let his nephew come with him on his next trip to Boston. -
Joseph leaves his home on the Fanny.
When Joseph came back from his voyage on his uncle's ship, his parents realized that the trip had had the opposite effect on him. They accepted the inevitable, and went to find a ship with a good captian to entrust their son to. At that time, a ship called the Fanny was about to set sail for Europe. The captian, Elias Terry, agreed to let young Joseph Bates on his ship. -
Joseph is kidnapped!
A few days after arriving in Liverpool, a press-gang, which consisted on an officer and twelve men, barged into the boarding house that Joseph and some other men were staying in. They asked them which country they were in, and the men showed the Brits their American Protections, proving that they were indeed citizens of the United States. But the men didn't care. They put Joseph and the other men in confinement, and forced them all to join the British Navy. -
Joseph is set free.
At this date, Joseph and 260 other men were set free. -
Joseph and Prudence are married.
Joseph married Prudence Nye, a friend of his. -
Joseph retires.
Joseph became more and more interested in spiritual things. When he was the captian on his ships, he told the men that swearing and drinking was not allowed, as well as some other things. Eventually, he decided to retire. -
The Falling of the Stars.
On this date, the stars fell. Many people thought it was the second coming of Jesus. -
Joseph decides to preach full-time.
At this date, Joseph dedicated his life to full-time preaching. -
The Great Disappointment.
Joseph, as well as many, many other Christians, were extremely disappointed when Jesus didn't come on this day. They felt confused, upset, and most of all, abandoned. -
Joseph accepts Saturday as the Sabbath.
An article written by T. M. Preble in a paper called The Hope Of Isreal, Joseph became convinced that Saturday was the true Sabbath. -
Joseph believes in Ellen White's visions.
When Ellen White described Jupitar, the seven moons, and Saturn in a vision, and then explained afterwards that she had never even opened an astrology book before, Joseph knew that her visions were from God. -
Joseph moves to Battle Creek, Michigan.
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The First SDA Camp Meeting
In January, the first Seventh Day Adventist Camp Meeting was held. -
Joseph's wife dies.
It was extremely hard for Joseph when his beloved wife, Prudence, died. -
Joseph Bates dies.
On this date, Joseph Bates dies, around the age of 80 years old.