The three above named, together with their sister, Mrs. P.P.R. Collom, are the children of Charles Cates, who died in Tennessee at the age of 45, and Narcissa Cates, familiarly known as Aunt "Ciss", a sterling inhabitant of the prolonged period of pioneer life. Their children were left without a father during their early youth, and were forced in poverty to battle for subsistence among the barren hills of Eastern Tennessee.
Charles Cates, Sr., and Narcissa were born on the French Brood River, in upper East Tennessee, in 1804 and 1808, respectively, and spent most of their lives in Bradley County.
The husband was active as trader and speculator, accumulating some property which was afterwards lost to him. His death followed, and the double blow fell hard on the widow and eight children, who managed to eke out a miserable existence on a farm.
In the fall of 1854 the family came overland to Collin County, Texas, and the next year came on to Wise County, settling three miles south of Decatur, where the hard battle of life was renewed.
Charles D. Cates was born January 7, 1839, near Cleveland, Bradley County, Tennessee. His father died during the sixth year of his age, and the first fifteen years of his life were engaged in the struggle above described. Opportunities for achieving the rudiments of an education hardly existed, and throughout his life this blessing, by virtue of the keenest adverse circumstances, was denied him. Arriving in Wise county in 1855, he assisted his mother in opening up a farm; he then came to Decatur on the location of that town in 1857, and entered the store of his brother and brother-in-law, Dave Cates and P.P.R. Collom, staying there until his brother's health failed. He then took his brother to Matagorda Bay, and finding no relief for him returned to Wise County, where his brother died. Mr. Cates then entered the firm of Bishop & Blythe for three years, at the end of which time he was appointed War Tax Collector in the Confererate Service, his district extending over ten large counties, his office ranking as Colonel. This adventurous service, bringing him in contact with various dangerous experiences and situations, strengthened and developed him and he retired at the end of the war, fully capable of striking out for himself.
At the end of the war he engaged in the mercantile business with J.C. Carpenter, buying goods and selling them for cattle, which were driven to New Orleans and Kansas markets. He was next associated one year each with Major Wharton and Judge W.W. Brady, after which he formed a co-partnership with Cephus W. Woods, under the firm name of Cates & Woods, conducting a general mercantile business for eight years, terminating in the death of Mr. Woods. After eight more years of mercantile life, Mr. Cates grew tired and sold out. During the latter part of his business life he had become a trader and speculator in other lines, principally real estate and stock. He accumulated considerable property---generally owned from one to five farms, and at one time owned a ranch of 12,000 acres in West Texas, stocked with 250 head of horses.
At an early date he conceived the idea of building a toll bridge across the West Fork river (of the Trinity) at old Bridgeport, which he did at a cost of $6,000. At one end of the bridge, he put up a store and built a saw and grist mill with cotton gin attachments. He then laid out the town of old Bridgeport, and on having a well dug discovered the Bridgeport vein of coal.The present (1907) Wise County Coal Company was organized and chartered, an institution in which he presently (1907) retains an interest.
Mr. Cates became identified with Indian Depredation Claims in 1878. He sued the U.S. Government for about $300,000 in behalf of himself and pioneer neighbors, and after about ten years of litigation succeeded in collecting the most of this amount.
On March 12, 1868, Mr. Cates was married to Rowena T. Hale, the only daughter of Capt. John C. Hale. Preparatory to his marriage he had bought a small home in Decatur, in which he located the same year, and in which all his children were born. Mr. and Mrs. Cates lived in this house for 39 years, enlarging the house as the family grew. Mrs. Cates was born in Red River County, September 17, 1850, at a village called Halesboro. she was brought to the frontier of Wise County when about three years of age, and has spent her life here. (In 1907) The living children of Mr.and Mrs. Charles D. Cates are Charles C., Jr., married Lorena Kimbrough, resides in Dallas, Texas; Joh H. Cates, married Opal Kenny, resides in Decatur; Cliff D. Cates, ada N. Cates, Archie B. Cates and Mary E. Cates, of Decatur. Mr. and Mrs Cates presently (1907) reside in a modern home on their farm, three miles north of Decatur.
The conspicuous part played by D.C. "Clabe" Cates in the ranger service of the State has been heretofore referred to. He was born in Bradley County, Tennessee, February 5, 1842. His early life was greatly restricted, akin to that described as appertaining to his brother, Charles D. Cates. On coming to Wise County he was in later years absorbed in a manly defense of the people against the eneroachments of the Indians, following which he was inducted into the Confederate service, in which he fought throughout the war, his most valliant defense being to assist the First Texas Cavalry in keeping General Banks from entering Texas with large Federal forces......
In November 1867, he was married to Mrs W.H. Portwood, of Hopkins County, Texas, and has reared a large and interesting family of children. Mrs. Cates, whose girlhood name was Elizabeth Lindly, was born in Dade County, Kentucky, February 16, 1841. Her father's name was Eli Lindly, of Hopkins County, Kentucky. He came to Hopkins County, Texas at an early date amd established a ranch and grew to be wealthy in cattle and lands. He was also one of the early wealthy ranchmen of Wise and Jack Counties.
On her mother's side, Mrs Cates is a descendant of the Crisps, in which a group was numbered Senator Crisp of Missouri, and speaker Crisp of Georgia. In her youth Mrs. Cates attended the old McKinzie Institute in East Texas, and Sylvan Academy at Dangerfield, Texas. In 1856 she was married to Capt. W. H. Portwood, who was wounded in the Civil War and died from the effects. To this union two children were born, W.H. Portwood, a wealthy cattleman of Baylor County, who married Dotty, daughter of Mr. & Mrs J.C. Carpenter, and Beulah Portwood, who married Clabe Lindly. Mrs. Cates came to Wise County in 1866, and in 1867, was married to D. C. Cates, and to them have been born six children, as follows: Estella J., married to Ben F. Allen, Vernon, Texas; C. Mack Cates, of Fort Worth, married Ethel Jones, of Decatur; Charles Orville, married, wife deceased; Joseph M., a student of medicine; Ethel, wife of Dr. A. B. Leeds, of Chickasha, Oklahoma; Piner Cates, at home. Mr and Mrs. D. C. Cates presently (in 1907) reside in Decatur, where they have large property interest.
...,Robert G. Cates played an important part in the settlement of Wise County. He acted as the county's Sheriff for eleven successive years, taking a place in the second administration and retaining it until after the war. He was born in McMinn County, Tennessee, January 8, 1836. ....being very successful he has reared and provided comforts for a large family. He married Miss Elizabeth Taylor, daughter of Judge Frank Taylor, one of the early Chief Justices of Wise County. The names of their children are: Frank, married Lucy Ewing; Clabe, deceased; William, married Florence Davis, recently (1907) elected sheriff of Stephens County, Oklahoma; Perry, married Edith Evans; Joe, married Lillian Gentry, deceased; Bobbie, deceased; Ella, wife of Charles Davis, Wise County; Dick, married Minnie Evans; Ed, married Eva Caver; Bob, married Anna Davis. return to Family