S. E. GATES.

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         One of the prominent and affluent citizens of Oakville is S. E. Gates, who is now living retired. He was born in Mercer county, Illinois, on the 9th of May, 1850, a son of Seth and Lydia (Andres) Gates. The father was a native of the state of New York, and the mother of Massachusetts. They were among the pioneer settlers of western Illinois, having located in Mercer county in 1846. There the father passed away in 1876 and in 1878 the mother removed to Missouri, where she continues to reside at the age of eighty-six years. Of the nine children born to them six are still living.

         Educated in the public schools and reared in the country, S. E. Gates remained a member of the paternal household and assisted in the work of the farm until he was married. Subsequent to this event he came to Iowa, settling in Louisa county in 1871 when his earthly possessions consisted of seventy-five dollars, and here he continued to reside for five years. At the expiration of that period he returned to Mercer county, where he remained until 1888, when he removed to Des Moines county. Here he continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits, in which he met with most gratifying success, acquiring one thousand acres of land. He continued to reside upon his farm in Des Moines county until 1896, when he retired and removed to Oakville, where he has continuously resided with the exception of six months which he spent in Des Moines. Mr. Gates has been extensively engaged in the real-estate business and has large land interests, owning two hundred and twenty acres of land in Des Moines county, a similar amount in Indiana, three hundred and twenty acres in Minnesota and four thousand and twenty acres in Texas, in addition to which he has a brick business building and two residences in Oakville and is one of the stockholders and directors of the Oakville State Savings Bank. He has made twenty-six trips to Texas and in September, 1908, chartered a whole train for the purpose of taking land seekers to that state. The Oakville band accompanied the excursion, which cost Mr. Gates and those associated with him over five thousand dollars, but they sold seventeen thousand and two hundred acres of land and one hundred and ninety-six town lots.

View Portrait of S. E. Gates ~ Pg 11

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         Mr. Gates has been married twice, his first wife being Miss Mary E. Ogle, of Keithsburg, Illinois, their wedding being celebrated in June 1871. They were the parents of five daughters: Zoie E., who married Allen Russell, of Louisa county; Estella, the wife of William Williams, of Missouri; Cordie, who married James O. Waterhouse, of Oakville; Bessie, the wife of Edward C. Waterhouse, also of Oakville; and Fernie, who is deceased. Mrs. Gates passed away on the 16th of January, 1898, and on the 22d of July, 1903, Mr. Gates was united in marriage to Mrs. Edith (Wycoff) Cowan, a native of Adair county, Iowa. By this union has been born two daughters: Lillian C. and Everetta Uvista.

         Mr. Gates always casts his ballot for the men and measures of the democratic party and has held several township offices. Both he and Mrs. Gates are members of the Presbyterian church, and fraternally he is identified with the Odd Fellows, being affiliated with Keithsburg (Illinois) Lodge, No. 182, I.O.O.F. A man possessing more than average business acumen, Mr. Gates has by his judicious direction and keen judgment been able to not only avail himself of opportunities but to create them, and by this means has attained the position he holds today in the community where he is residing.