mother died soon after their arrival. The father kept the children together for a few years but they later separated, as one after another started out in business life. The father continued his residence in Canada until his death, which occurred in 1869. The five children of the family are : John, who died in Cedar Rapids, Iowa ; Margaret, who died in Los Angeles, California; Jennie, the widow of Dr. IS. H. Akin and a resident of Oakland, California; William, of this review; and Maria, the widow of William Taber, of Minneapolis.
William Gates was only three years of age when brought by his parents to the new world. He resided at Niagara, Canada, until twelve years of age, when he took up his abode in the vicinity of Hamilton, where he resided until the spring of 1865. In that year he came direct to Nevada where he has resided continuously since. At twelve years of age he began learning the blacksmith trade which he followed until January 1, 1900, and has worked to some extent at the trade since that time in connection with his sons who succeeded him to the business here. In 1895 he built a brick shop forty by sixty feet and two stories in height. For many years he carried on a very extensive business because of his expert workmanship and his honorable dealing. He now owns two hundred and eighty acres of valuable land four miles southwest of Nevada, which he has improved and from which he derives a substantial annual income, his farm being the visible evidence of his life of well directed energy and thrift.
In 1864 Mr. Gates was married at Hamilton, Ontario, to Miss Agnes Malloy, a native of Scotland born November 1, 1844. With her parents she went to Canada in her girlhood days. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gates there were born two children while residents of Canada while two others were added to the family after the removal to Iowa. The eldest, Janette, died at the age of one year and five months. W.R. is conducting the blacksmith shop at this place. Mabel J. is a school teacher at Longmont, Colorado, and Fred E. is a blacksmith of Beech, North Dakota. The two sons learned their trade with their father and Fred followed blacksmithing in Nevada until February, 1910, when he removed to his present place of residence.
Mr. Gates is a stalwart advocate of republican principles, supporting the party since he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. He has served as township trustee of Nevada township for several terms and was called to more important office in his election as mayor of the city. He is now serving for the fifth term in this capacity and has made a splendid record. Continued reelection is an indication of the confidence and trust reposed in an individual and of his fidelity to that trust. Abraham Lincoln said: "You may fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time." The truth of this is nowhere so strongly manifest as in politics, for untrustworthiness and lack of ability will surely be found out and will awaken opposition. That Mr. Gates has been again and again elected to the office of chief executive proves that he has given to the city