Ursinus Sidney Bateman (1856-1935)

From the Sante Fe New Mexican, March 20, 1901.

  New Mexico is another state that has been seldom featured here, and that meager political representation consists of just two previous articles, state representative Candelario Vigil (profiled in December 2012) and Woodlan P. Saunders in September of this year. With these facts in mind, the recent discovery of the name Ursinus Sidney Bateman (a two-term territorial representative) comes as a welcome surprise. A native of Texas, Bateman had previous political experience in that state prior to his removal to the New Mexico Territory, serving two terms as mayor of Jewett in Leon County.

  Born in Rush County, Texas in February 1856, Ursinus Sidney Bateman was the son of Micajah and Mary Agnes (McArthur) Bateman. Left fatherless at the age of four, Bateman's formative years were spent on a farm with his mother and would attend the public schools of Rush County. They would later remove to Jewett, Texas, where Bateman made his first foray into newspaper work, becoming editor and publisher of the Jewett Advance in the late 1870s. Bateman's work in that field would later be abandoned, as he decided to go into the mercantile business, where he continued until he resettled in Potter County, Texas in 1887. Bateman's previous residency in Jewett saw him elected to two terms as that town's mayor (his exact dates of service being unknown) and was also selected by Texas Governor John Ireland as one of that state's commissioners to the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition held in New Orleans from 1884-85.

  After returning to Jewett in the late 1880s, Bateman made preparations for removal to the New Mexico Territory. After establishing himself in the still-young city of Carlsbad in Eddy County, Bateman was admitted to practice law and also made a name for himself in local politics, winning election as city attorney of Carlsbad and from 1896-97 was a member of the board of county commissioners. 

  In November 1896 Bateman was elected as a Democrat to the New Mexico Territorial House of Representatives for the counties of Chaves, Eddy, and Lincoln. The 1897-99 session saw him serve as chairman of the Committee on Finance, as well as serving on the Irrigation and Rules committees. In November 1900 Bateman won a second term in the legislature, and during the 1901-03 session sat as a member of the committees on Education, Insurance, the Judiciary, Municipal Corporations, Public Institutions, and Rules. His two terms saw him acknowledged as "an active and watchful representative", and was a "man not blinded by partisanship."

  During his second term, Bateman married to Mary V. McCord (1872-1955), a widow with two children from a prior marriage. The couple were wed until Ursinus' death in 1935 and had at least two children, Ursinus Sidney Jr. (1912-1995) and an infant who died in 1911. Bateman and his family later relocated to California, where he continued in the practice of law. Ursinus Sidney Bateman died at a Pomona hospital on August 18, 1935, aged 79. He was survived by his wife and son and was interred at the Montecito Memorial Park in Colton, California.

From the San Bernardino Daily Sun, August 21, 1935.