Do you recognize anything in the following memorial for my great grandfather? The Family Bible says his parents names were John & Mary. MEMOIR JOHN PATE The subject of this memoir was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on the 20th day of August, 1836, and died at his home one mile South east of Seguin, on the 31st day of December, 1875, age 39 years 4 months and 11 days. Having lost his father when a small boy, and not being able to agree with his step father, he left Missouri at 10 years of age with a party goin [sic] to California, where he remained until in his 20th year, when he engaged in the life of a seaman and pursued it constantly for several years, during which time he visited several foreign countries, was in many sea ports, and learned a good deal of the maritime portion of the work. Then returned to California and engaged in mining which he pursued with his usual energy and industry until the late war between the Northern and Southern States; being born in the southern division, and a true sou'herner [sic] in principal, he left California with a few other determined and daring spirits, and worked his way on foot through Mexico to Texas where he volunteered in the Confederate Army in which he remained until the close of the war, and though affected with the Chronic diarrhea, he never asked for or accepted a furlough, and was always at his post when able to sit on his horse, and his comrades in arms bear witness that he was a brave, gallant soldier, as well as a true, noble and kind companion, foremost in the fight, and last at the bed of the sick or wounded. Being at Houston at the close of the war without money and broken down in health, he remained on the Brazos trying to make a living until the fall of 1866, when still without money or health he came among us finding a home and welcome among our people, until he felt able to go to work for wages, and make a regular hand as a labourer [sic], and on 9th day of October 1866 entered the employment of the undersigned in that capacity, and remained constantly with us, living in our house as one of the family, every day and every night unless absent on business for us, not losing a day from his work when obliged to perform it, being to us a son, to our children a brother, and to my family in my absence a devoted friend and firm protector. On the 22 of April 1869 he married Miss Kittie King, the niece of Majors John R. and W.G. King, and remained on and in charge of my farm (rangers home) until the end of that year, then came to Seguin with his wife and entered the service of this community as a day labourer [sic] or undertaker of job work, and in that capacity continued up to about the fall from the tree which caused his death and many are the persons for whom he labored, that are ready to bear cherful [sic] evidence of his honesty, integrity and gentlemanly conduct in all his intercourse with them and their families. He lived thirty five days after falling from the tree, during which time he suffered greatly, being most of the time perfectly rational, and when informed of his certain prospect of death, after several moments of reflection, remarked: "I have tried to do right all my life, and to live about right, except that I have been a wicked man, when I felt all the time I ought to be a Christian, and I have been more deeply impressed with this feeling of late that usual, and have been praying for forgiveness and believe that God will ultimately forgive me," and asked me to pray for, and with him, and in a day or two after this he informed me that he had experienced forgiveness and was at peace with God, and desired Rev. Buckner Harris to administer the ordnance of baptism to him and receive him into the Methodist Episcopal Church South which was done, and as he expressed no doubt of his acceptance with God up to the time of his death, we have every assurance that he is to-day with the blessed in the Kingdom of Heaven. He leaves an affectionate, devoted wife and three little sons to mourn the loss of a kind, affectionate, devoted husband and father, that understood and appreciated these relatives, and discharged the duties and responsibilities imposed by them in a manner that made him a worthy husband and father, and while all of this to them he was to his country a true patriot, a good neighbor, a faithful, truthful and honest man, and a true unyielding friend. Having lived with us so long, we had a better opportunity of knowing him under all the circumstances of practical life that any one else in this community and I am confident that I know but few if any, that possessed a higher sense of honor, strict integrity and sterling honesty than he did, and now he is gone his friend can with confident pride and great satisfaction point his children to the example of a worthy father and urge them to follow him. May God raise up as true friends to the widow and children as he was to those for whom he professed friendship and through them smooth the rugged path of life. Henry E. McCulloch [A friend, who was on of two brothers who were Confederate Generals. The other Brother was Benjamin McCulloch.] **Please note in the above, W. G. King & his wife Euphemia raised "Kittie" after her mother died. Euphemia or Phemie is the character in the book "TRUE WOMEN" by Janice Woods Windle. Kitty is the adopted daughter - adopted by her Aunt & Uncle - in the novel. About three years after John Pate's death "Kittie" married Wm G Kishbaugh - another character in the novel. I have an inlaid octagon table he made for my mother in the 1920s. I have never been able to document John Pate's parents or siblings. Does any of this sound familiar? Thanks, Grace Kayser In a message dated 1/12/03 3:02:47 PM Central Standard Time, PATE-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: > I have not been able to obtain any more on Anthony Pate in Jefferson County, > > Missouri, I am not a direct descendant of his for my Pate's settled in > Scott > County, MO, and St. Louis, MO. But if you want, and can refresh my memory I > > can always refresh the list members. {I lost the email, good bless little > boys who don't understand real mail and junk, {smile}. } >