Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 471.
 
WILLIAM TATE

     one of the prosperous and solid citizen farmers of Sherman county after an
extended tour in many of the states of the union, has decided that his present
location three miles south of Rufus, is one of the best he has seen in all his
journeyings. He was born in Ireland, April 25, 1830, the son of John and
Elizabeth (Steele) Tate, both natives of Ireland, where they died, in County
Armagh. The father was a farmer.
     In 1851 our subject came to the United States and at first located in
Chicago where he remained two years engaged in the carpenter trade.  In 1853 he
crossed the plains to Plumas county, California, thus becoming one of the early
Argonauts to the Golden State. Here, for a period of three years, he followed
mining prospecting and farming, and then went back to Chicago. Between 1856 and
1876 Mr. Tate divided his time between Chicago and California, and was, also
four months in the Willamette valley. In 1876 he was induced to settle in
Nebraska, in York county, but the immense and devastating swarms of grasshoppers
there drove him out of the country, and he returned to Chicago. Remaining there
a few months he went back to California and for three years was in San. Luis
Obispo county. Thence he came to Sherman county.  This was in 1886, and he
located the place where he and his son, Worth A., reside. Here he secured half a
section of land, and purchased more from the railroad company. He had at the
time a small capital and with this he improved the place, occasionally working
out. He now possesses a section of fine land, practically all tillable.
     At Chicago, in 1859, our subject was united in marriage to Elizabeth
Steele, born in Joliet, Illinois. She is the daughter of Hugh and Mary A. (Cole)
Steele, both natives of Ireland. They emigrated at first to Canada, and later to
Illinois. Her father was a stone mason by trade.
     Our subject, William Tate, has two brothers and two sisters; Alexander and
Frank, in San Luis Obispo, California; Mary, widow of E. D Hosselkoss, late of
Plumas county, California and Elizabeth, widow of Wilson Reed, residing near our
subject. Mrs. Tate has one brother and one sister living; Charles Steele, of
Chicago; and Jane, widow of Richard Thompson, also of Chicago. Our subject has
four boys and one girl; Walter, a carpenter in Wasco; Ernest, postmaster of
Wasco; Frank, in Chicago; Worth A., at home; and Mollie, single, living in
Chicago.
     Both Mr. and Mrs. Tate were reared in the Presbyterian faith. Politically,
he is a Republican, although by no means a strong partisan worker.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2010 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.