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Anna Ruth (Harbaugh) Bates
(1928 - )

Anna Ruth (Harbaugh) Bates was born in 1928 in Confluence, Somerset County, PA, the third of 7 children born to William Elliot and Ethel Irene (Ream) Harbaugh.

The photo of Anna seen here was taken when she was about 6 months of age on their farm in Confluence.

In 1937, when Anna Ruth was a young girl, her parents moved to a new farm in Clarksville, Washington County, PA. There, her family raised horses, chickens, pigs and dairy cows.

As a child, Anna Ruth and her siblings would walk to school and back home. The boys would work in the fields and the girls had house chores. They also had to care for the chickens and pigs.

Because her father never learned to drive, Anna learned to drive by means of their tractor in the fields while her father and brothers bailed hay. She did not get her driver’s license until much later when her oldest daughter Janet was a year old.

Her father Elliot worked as a miner for the Jones Laughlin Steel Corporation Vesta No. 5 Mine. Her mother Ethel baked bread, pies and cooked to feed her family.

Her mother and father celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary on Nov. 9, 1972. Anna Ruth is pictured here with her parents and sisters and brothers on the farm at Clarksville.

From left to right are: William Alfred Harbaugh, Marshall Lester Harbaugh, Sara Elizabeth (Harbaugh) Scott, Eunice “Dolly” Elleen (Harbaugh) Marz, Tedford “Ted” Frantz Harbaugh, Ethel Irene (Ream) Harbaugh, Anna Ruth (Harbaugh) Bates, William “Elliot” Harbaugh and Wilma Marie Harbaugh).

Above, Anna Ruth at age 18 on a date with her future husband at Ohiopyle, PA

Seen at right is a picture of Anna and Francis together at his sister's home in New Salem, Fayette County, PA.

Anna worked at a dry cleaner in Fredericktown, Washington County. She was paid $17.00 per week, which she used to help her family, funds that in turn paid the electric bill for the household. As a child Anna attended Sunday school at the Mt. Zion Church (seen here, at left) in Fredericktown.

At the age of 21, Anna married Francis Waldo Bates on September 3, 1949. The ceremony was held at the Mt. Zion Church in Fredericktown. Francis was born in Clarksburg, PA on November 17, 1925, the son of Albert G. and Birdie (Piper) Bates.

Prior to marriage, Francis served in the US Army as a paratrooper in World War II. The photo seen at right was taken in Atlantic, GA, with buddy Melvin Cole. Francis (at left) and Melvin were both just 18 years old at the time.

The Bates had 5 children – Janet Lynn (Bates) Forester was born in Brownsville, Fayette County, PA; and Peggy Ann (Bates) Mountcastle was born in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA. Then the Bates moved to Canton, Stark County, OH, where Randy Francis Bates was born. Donna Jean (Bates) Ogrisseg was born in Canton, as was the youngest Lesa Marie (Bates) Pacelli.

As a family, the Bates attended many of the Harbaugh reunions. At the 28th reunion, held Sun., Aug. 11, 1957 at the Odd Fellows Hall (Grove) near Kingwood, PA, Randy Bates was recorded as the youngest child at 4 ½ months.

The photo of the Bates’ family (seen here) was taken in the farmhouse at Clarksville.

Anna Ruth lost her husband Francis W. Bates on April 30, 1996 at age 70 to diabetes. He is buried at Sunset Hills Memory Gardens in Canton.

For more information, contact daughter Donna (Bates) Ogrisseg.