Basic Information
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Langdon Doyle Bates |
| Birth | c. July 28, 1900 or 1901 |
| Death | March 6, 1989 |
| Place of birth | Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee |
| Last known residence | Los Angeles County area, reported Culver City |
| Occupation | Mechanical engineer |
| Military styling | LCDR reported in memorial records |
| Spouse or spouses | Adrienne Marguerite Boutall (m. 1928, reported); Bertye Kathleen Talbert or Talbert variant (m. c. 1932) |
| Children | Beverly or Beverley Anne Bates; Patricia M. Bates; Mary S. Bates; Kathleen Doyle Bates (Kathy Bates, b. June 28, 1948) |
| Father | Finis Langdon Bates |
| Mother | Madge Young Doyle |
| Date of death record | March 6, 1989 recorded in cemetery and index entries |
Family Background and Early Life
Langdon Doyle Bates was born at the turn of the 20th century into a family whose name carried a literary echo through his father, Finis Langdon Bates. The household combined New South roots with an inclination toward inquiry. He grew up in Memphis and in the shadow of a complicated century, an era of factories, of mechanical invention, and of the steady expansion of American industry. The years around 1900 to 1910 were a time of numbered strides: automobiles increasing from dozens to thousands, and engineering becoming a language of measurable progress. Langdon’s formation took place against that counted rhythm.
He came of age when bearings and boilers, gears and pistons, were the visible poetry of progress. That mechanical world shaped his chosen path. Known publicly as a mechanical engineer, his life followed a practical, problem solving arc rather than a career carved in headlines.
Marriages and Children
Family relationships and census records document Langdon’s adult life. Genealogical sources link the first marriage to Adrienne Marguerite Boutall on September 12, 1928, to a daughter named Beverly or Beverley Anne. As marriages happen occasionally in the middle decades, that partnership eventually terminated.
A subsequent union with Bertye Kathleen Talbert, around 1932, served as a new generation’s domestic anchor. Children from that marriage would go on to carry the family name into the public eye. Born on June 28, 1948, Kathleen Doyle Bates, the youngest daughter, became the actress known by her stage name, Kathy Bates. Patricia M. and Mary S. Bates are siblings. Together, they make up a sibling group that is frequently referred to as three daughters, with the youngest being born in 1948.
Langdon’s major terrain continued to be family life, with its customs and unique pressures. The ledger is marked with names and dates, but the years between those entries, in classrooms and kitchens, and in the patient architecture of childrearing, reveal the texture of familial ties.
Career, Rank, and Financial Profile
Summaries that are accessible to the public portray Langdon Doyle Bates as a mechanical engineer. Technical training and working with machinery, systems, or manufacturing processes are implied by the title. In the middle of the 20th century, engineers could be found working in private business, municipal utilities, defense contracts, or factories.
The abbreviation LCDR is occasionally used to style him in memorial listings. In naval practice, that styling suggests a Lieutenant Commander rank and suggests either a tie to the naval reserve or wartime duty. His identification is further enhanced by a military-styled appearance, which links him to organized duty in addition to being a technician.
There is no public record that lists a public net worth, corporate leadership positions, or patents. His life does not resemble a ledger of successful public commercial ventures. Rather, it reads like a craftsman whose accomplishments are woven into the work rather than the press releases, a consistent professional practice. If success were a mountain, it would have a long, gradual slope instead of an abrupt peak.
Public Mentions and Legacy
Langdon’s name appears most often in the context of family biography, especially in relation to his daughter Kathy Bates. Public mentions in the late 20th and early 21st centuries are largely genealogical or commemorative, posted by family historians or social communities remembering birthdays and milestones. He is the quiet root beneath a tree that later cast a long entertainment shadow.
The legacy is therefore relational. It travels through daughters and through remembered dates. His death on March 6, 1989 closes the recorded chapter, yet the family names he helped raise continue to be the living indexes that bring his life back into view.
Extended Timeline
| Year or Date | Event |
|---|---|
| c. July 28, 1900 or 1901 | Birth in Memphis, Tennessee |
| September 12, 1928 | Reported marriage to Adrienne Marguerite Boutall |
| 1929 to 1931 | Birth period for daughter Beverly or Beverley Anne from first reported marriage, date variants in records |
| c. 1932 | Reported marriage to Bertye Kathleen Talbert |
| 1930s to 1940s | Household and work years; recorded as mechanical engineer in public summaries |
| June 28, 1948 | Birth of daughter Kathleen Doyle Bates |
| March 6, 1989 | Death recorded in cemetery and social indexes |
This timeline reads like a series of anchors. Each date is a waypoint in a life that moved steadily from the engine rooms of the early century to the suburban sprawl of postwar America.
Family Members: Names and Short Introductions
| Name | Relationship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Finis Langdon Bates | Father | Born 1848, died 1923, literary and legal presence in family history. |
| Madge Young Doyle | Mother | Recorded in genealogies as Langdon’s mother. |
| Adrienne Marguerite Boutall | Reported first spouse | Married 1928, connected to daughter Beverly or Beverley Anne. |
| Bertye Kathleen Talbert | Reported spouse | Married c. 1932, listed as mother of Kathy Bates and wife until later years. |
| Beverly or Beverley Anne Bates | Daughter | Reported daughter from first marriage; records show variant spellings. |
| Patricia M. Bates | Daughter | Older daughter appearing in family records. |
| Mary S. Bates | Daughter | Older daughter appearing in family records. |
| Kathleen Doyle Bates | Daughter | Born June 28, 1948, known professionally as Kathy Bates, the most publicly visible member of the family. |
Each name is a thread in a woven cloth. Together they create a pattern that is family more than fame.
FAQ
Who was Langdon Doyle Bates?
Langdon Doyle Bates was a mechanical engineer born around July 28, 1900 or 1901, known in public records primarily as the father of actress Kathy Bates.
Where and when was he born?
He was born in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee around July 28, 1900 or 1901.
When did he die?
His death is recorded as March 6, 1989.
Who were his spouses?
Public records report marriages to Adrienne Marguerite Boutall in 1928 and to Bertye Kathleen Talbert around 1932.
How many children did he have?
Available family records list four daughters including Beverly or Beverley Anne, Patricia, Mary, and Kathleen Doyle Bates born June 28, 1948.
What was his occupation?
He is recorded as a mechanical engineer and is styled in memorial records with the abbreviation LCDR suggesting a naval connection.
Are there public records of his achievements or wealth?
There are no widely available public records that list patents, corporate leadership, or verified net worth tied to his name.
How is he remembered today?
He is remembered mainly through family histories and through his children, especially Kathy Bates, with mentions appearing in genealogical summaries and commemorative posts.
