Albertis Worth Spates was born in Howard County Maryland on February 14, 1847. After being educated in private schools in Leesburg, Vir­ginia and Baltimore, Mary­land, he studied law in Washington, D.C. He entered politics at 18 and was active in the Republican Party. On January 7, 1879 he was appointed secretary of Wyoming Territory by President Hayes and served until April 1, 1880. Spates was removed from office following a controversy over accusations of involvement with a fraudulent mining company in Colorado and an illegal lottery in Cheyenne. He visited Washington, DC, and wrote many appeals to the President for reappointment but was unsuccessful.

Additional Resources

• "Secretary Spates, A Wyoming Officeholder Who Protests Against Being Removed" Chicago Tribune 1/1/1880 p6 (accessed June 2015)