Tate, James

TATE

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 9/30/2008 at 13:55:07

James Tate

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.181, Minden Twp.)
James Tate, farming, P. O. Minden, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, on the 13th of July 1814; his father, John Tate, born in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, in 1758, and removing to Ireland in 1770, was married to Ann Erwin in 1794. In 1817, our subject, then a boy of three summers, came to Canada with his parents, who settled in Newcastle District, Clark Township. His early education was much neglected. The school was very poor, "the master having more whip than brains." But the active mind of the youth drew a wonderful culture from nature itself, and a seemingtly immaculate inspiration was drawn even from that old spelling book in the log-cabin choolhouse. Mr. Tate remained with his parents till his father's death, in 1834, and spending two more years on the farm, then entered the army, under Capt. Wilmot, to put down Papineau and Mackenzie's rebellion. He remained there but three months, when he took his leave, and moving to Haldimand County, was engaged in the lumber business for the next four years. On the 18th of March, 1840, James Tate was mrried to Ann Evans. She was the daughter of Edward and R. J. Evans, and niece to the founder of Evansville, Ind., on the Ohio, and was born in County Wicklow, Ireland, May 17, 1815. Mr. Tate prosecuted his industries as lumberman and farmer in Canada until 1856, when he removed with his wife and six children to the United States and settled in Winneshiek County, Iowa, where he again resumed his occupation as a farmer. There he labored on judiciously in his little home as fortune looked with favor upon them. Two more children were added to the number as time went on, and the little home improved. The clay fields gave forth their reward for his diligent labor. He met with no reverse of fortune until about 1869, when his barn was burned. On the 23d of March, 1871, his wife died, after a long sickness, and broke the union of a happy home. But heavy as was the blow, it did not break that spirit which had a hope in heaven. The ties of friendship and love which had been woven in the home held together. At Postville, December 15, 1872, Mr. Tate was married to his second wife - Miss B. Cooper. She is the daughter of John and Mary Cooper, and was born in Canada on the 23d of December, 1847. The following winter, Mr. Tate met with a heavy loss by the burning of his house and some considerable household goods. This was repaired as best it could be. He remained there till the spring of 1874, when he removed with his wife and family to his present home, in Pottawattamie County, having obtained a location the previous year. His buildings were the first erected in the fertile valley of the Middle Silver, which winds its way through happy fields towards the southwest.