Hi, I am a descendant of William J. Cates, b. 10 Feb 1821, who married Amanda Hamrick, b.
10 Nov 1825. Together they had 11 children: Mary Elizabeth, b. 1844; Mary, b. 1846;
Robert "Bob" W., b. 1848; Balsory, b.1852; Sarah Francis, b. 1854; Charles
Jackson, b. 1856; Warren Dekalb, b. 1859; William Lumas, b. 1862-3; John M. b. 1866, and
George W. b., 1872. Robert "Bob" is my direct line: He married Nancy Loucricia
Clay, b. 1847. They had 7 known children: William E. "Billy", b. 1868, is my
grandfather. He married Sarah Ann Stearns in 1907. Other siblings are Joel, b. 1870;
Charlie E. b. 1874; Amanda "Mandy" b. 1876; Ida b. 1878; Sarah Loucinda, b.
1880; and George b. 1883. Grandmother Sarah married another Mr. Cates first and had my
daddy's half brother Claude A. Cates enumerated under Sarah Cates, 1920 Alabama Census
for Blount County, My grandparents (Sarah and William "Billy" E.) had two
children together: Thomas Edison, b. 1910 in Blount Springs, Alabama, a!
nd Willie, b. about 1908 in Blount Springs. My father is Thomas Edison also known as
Tommy, who married Mary Lillian Sparks.
My gggrandfathr, William J. Cates and family are shown on the 1870 Census, Blount Springs,
Blount Co., AL. Family lore has it that he walked all the way from Cedatrown, GA to
Blount County where he worked as a farmer. My daddy and his brothers worked as coal
miners. I believe that my Cates line came from Virginia to Alabama via North Carolina and
Georgia, where his first two children were born. Willing to share information. Thank
you. Louise Cates Lee