I'm looking for information on Goodwin Cate and Martha G. Cates. This is a
sketch of what my research has uncovered to date:
Robert D. Cates married Margaret Carrigan, 13 Sep 1810, Orange County NC?
Dr. Banks Cates has confirmed that this was the family who lived in Weakley
County TN (1840f.). There was a power of attorney (verified by Dr. Cates
that he has seen it but not in his possession!) from Margaret, of Weakley
County TN, when her father John Carrigan died in Orange County. Robert D.
Cates appeared in the 1840 Weakley County TN census. He apparently died
before the 1850 Weakley County TN census because wife Margaret and several of
her daughters are censused without husband/father. One of the daughters was
Nancy who married (26 Nov 1854) William Anderson from Muhlenberg County KY
(Nancy's DC lists her father as Robert Cates).
It is in Muhlenberg County that our Cate/Cates family lived out their lives.
Goodwin Cate (know nothing about her) married Peter Lamb ca. 1820 in NC
(place n/n). Peter first shows up in Maury County TN in 1824 where he
remains until ca. 1842. He then moves northward, first to Christian County,
KY, then to Muhlenberg County KY in 1851. Peter's oldest son was Elijah
Lamb; he married Martha G. Cates in Polk County MO, 1844. Why MO? At any
rate, Martha Cates Lamb and Nancy Cates Anderson lived close geographically
in Muhlenberg County and belonged to the same church, and buried their young
children in the same cemetery. There has to be a relationship. Martha died
in 1905 and we cannot get DCs before 1911! Martha could be a d/o Robert and
Margaret.
Also living in Muhlenberg County KY was Wilson G. Cates (b.17 Mar 1811 NC; d.
07 Jan 1884). He moved there ca. 1836. In the 1880 Muhlenberg County
census, one Margaret Cates, correct age, was listed as mother in Wilson's
home. There was a close relationship between Wilson and Elijah Lamb
(business dealings) and Wilson's daughter Margaret was married in a double
wedding with Elijah's sister at Peter Lamb's home. One of Elijah Lam's son
was named James Wilson Cates Lamb. I'm going into a lot of details that seem
to mesh but none of these things constitute proof that Nancy, Martha and
Wilson were siblings!
A son of Wilson G. Cates later contributed data to a reliable county
biographical history. In it he stated that Wilson's father was Robert D.
Cates of Shelbyville TN, grandfather was James F. Cates of SC, and
great-grandfather Robert Cates of England. Robert D. Cates was censused in
1830 in Bedford County before moving on to Weakley County in 1840. Is there
anyone out there working on any of these names/places?
Dr. Cates has proposed (1) that Robert D. Cates might be the s/o Charles
Cate, s/o Joseph and Ann, s/o Capt. Robert, s/o Robert d. 1729; or (2) he
might be the s/o Richard and Emelia, s/o Capt. Robert, s/o Robert d. 1729.
Robert would fit into the following situation:
Kates Kin, published by Anna Kates Gardner, quoted an unverified article by
Harriet Hardaway, from a column in a genealogical magazine about Joseph
Barnard Cates who had sons Charles, Barnard and Stephen. Charles had 8
children: Robert, Rebecca, Mary, Charles, Jr., Martha, Joseph, Nancy and
Reuben. Dr. Cates pointed out that the article obviously erred in that
Joseph Cates s/o Barnard was confused with the much older Joseph Cates who
had sons Charles and Stephen but not a son Barnard. Robert D. would fit
into this Charles' family.
Several of these eight children/grandchildren had ties with Polk County MO.
Charles' daughters Rebecca m. Jeremiah Acuff and moved to Polk County MO ca.
1835. Charles Jr. had a daughter Martha who married James M. Kinder and
moved to Polk County MO. Having relatives in Polk County might be why our
Martha Cates was in MO and why her husband to be had to go there to marry
her.
Can anyone shed any light on any of this?
Dorann Lam - DoubLam(a)aol.com