Submitted
by: Ken Gates
William Henry (Papa) Gates was born June
5, 1883 near Old Charter Corner, Old Harde Harrison Place, which is near
Thomasville, Clarke County, Alabama & Choctaw Corner. At the age of 2
his family moved to the old Gates home near Syrene (now Dickinson) Alabama. His
father was John Nathaniel Gates and mother Margaret Ann White Gates. He
was the 3rd child of 5 born to this union.
He farmed with his parents until the
spring of 1908 when he went to work for a Livery Stable and traveled to all
parts of Texas. He then went work for the Chilton, Texas Livery Stable
where he met and married Minnie Bell Cooley on September 5, 1909 at the Baptist
parsonage in Chilton.
William was employed by the Humble Oil
Company for 29 years at the Chilton Pump Station until his retirement in
1948. The family lived in Chilton until
their two youngest children entered Baylor University at which time they moved
to Waco.
William died February 19, 1953 at his
home in Waco, McLennan County, Texas and is buried in Rosemound
Cemetery, Waco, McLennan County, Texas.
Children of this union were Minnie
Lucille (Gates) Mitchell, born June 17, 1910, John Wilson Gates, born September
20, 1912, Jewell Mae (Gates) Garner, born December 17, 1918, Charles Emmitt
Gates born November 20, 1920 and Elmer Vincent Gates born June 17, 1916 and
died February 1, 1918. As of January
2004 the only living child is Jewell Garner.
