The Biographical Dictionary of America/Bates, Barnabas

​BATES, Barnabas, postal reformer, was born at Edmonton, England, in 1785, and at a very early age was brought to America. Here he studied for the ministry, and became connected with the Baptist denomination, changing his views shortly afterwards to those of the Unitarians. He received the appointment, through President J.Q. Adams, of collector of the port of Bristol, R.I. In 1825 he established a Unitarian journal in New York called the Christian Inquirer, which was published weekly. He was ​acting postmaster in the New York postoffice, under President Jackson, and it was while occupying this position that he first became interested in the subject of postage. He gave careful attention to the rates of postage in other countries, and by means of newspaper and magazine articles, lectures and pamphlets, he succeeded in calling public attention to the disadvantage of high postal rates. The land postage was reduced, but he died before accomplishing what he had hoped for in regard to ocean rates. His death occurred Oct. 11, 1853.