joseph bates was born in rochester, massachusetts on july 8, 1792. his father, also named joseph, was a volunteer in the revolutionary war and his mother was the daughter of barnabas nye of sandwich, massachusetts. in 1793, bates' family moved to the part of new bedford, massachusetts that would become the township of fairhaven in 1812. in june 1807, bates sailed as cabin boy on the new ship commanded by elias terry, called the "fanny", to london via new york city. this was the commencement of bates' sailing career.