He moved to Lewiston, Maine, which was considered a pivotal moment in his life as "the third reincarnation of the Bates man". He went on to found the Lewiston Water Company, and the Bates Mill which was the largest Mill in the city. Bates' practices with the mill dominated the mill industry and was one of the first great U.S. business trusts. He initially gained wealth and influence from manufacturing textiles and estate development with correspondence to the mills. His mills extended from the Androscoggin River to northern Lewiston. Under Bates’ supervision, during the Civil War, the mill produced textiles to the Union Army. His mills generated employment for thousands of Canadians, and immigrants from Europe. The mill was Maine's largest employer for three decade. Bates bought an unprecedented amount of cotton prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. During the War, Bates was able to produce uniforms for the Union Army as well as other textiles. His efforts concluded numerous periodic shortages of textiles through the war to be quelled, he was dubbed, the "supplier of movement." His capitalization of this, saw to great levels of profit for his firms and companies, and caused dozens of mills to be closed due to overwhelming competition. His business pursuits stemmed into the railroad industry, and he went on to control 15% of all railroads in Maine.Mercer pp. 27 Bates was drawn to the newly conceptualized Maine State Seminary in central Lewiston, and asked its founder and one of his good friends Oren Burbank Cheney to be involved, which would become his crowning achievement.Mercer, pp. 30
