My ancestors arrived in Fannin County early 1886 after marring in Monroe County, TN December 1885. They are U. J. 'Riley Cates and Addy 'Callie' Watson. The surname was originally CATE, but Riley allowed it to evolve to CATES because most people pronounced it with an 'S'. 1 U. J. 'Riley' CATE(S) - -------------------------------------- Birth: 23 Sep 1865, McMinn County, Tennessee Burial: Apr 1931, Whitewright, Texas Death: 21 Apr 1931, Whitewright, Texas Father: Christopher C. CATE (~1837-) Mother: Lutitia "Low" RUSSELL (1836-<1885) Spouse: Addy 'Callie' WATSON Birth: 26 Aug 1868, Madisonville, Tennessee Death: 13 Nov 1900, Fannin County, Texas Father: Andrew Jackson "Jack" WATSON (1847-1908) Mother: Martha A. HICKS (1844-1881) Marr: 9 Dec 1885, Monroe County, Tennessee Children: Jackson Ray (1886-1962) Charlie Columbus (1888-1954) Mary A. (1890-) Robert. L. (Bob) (1892-1977) James Afton (1895-) Other Spouses Phoebe Ellis MAYO 1.1 Charlie Columbus CATES - -------------------------------------- Birth: 29 Mar 1888, Orangeville, Texas Burial: Apr 1954, Whitewright, Texas Death: 26 Apr 1954, Sherman, Texas Reli: Church of Christ Spouse: Mattie SKIPWORTH Birth: 28 Aug 1892, Texas Death: 24 Oct 1990, Dallas, Texas Father: Ausman B. SKIPWORTH (1852-1904) Mother: Martha Ann BURNETT (1851-1941) Marr: 5 Jul 1908, Texas Children: Velma Lee (1911-) Martha Lois (1909-) J. B. (1916-1955) U. J. 'Riley' first worked at the Davis Brothers Gins. He converted the gin between Orangeville and Whitewright from ox to steam driven. Later he was a foreman at the Whitewright oil mill and his last job was with the City of Whitewright at the Water Department. Riley lived in the Orangeville-Whitewright area for 45 years. He and Callie Watson Cates, his first wife, had five children. Jackson Ray, Charlie C. Mary, Robert L. 'Bob', and James Afton. Callie died in 1900 of tuberculosis and is buried in Porter Cemetery. Riley married again in 1910 to Phoebe Ellis 'Bitsey' Mayo. They did not have children. Riley and Bitsey are buried in City Cemetery at Whitewright. Between their headstones is a flat marker engraved "BABY." I wonder what family the baby belongs to. Charlie C. Cates married Mattie Skipworth, they are my grandparents. Both are also buried in City Cemetery as well as Jackson Ray Cates and his wife, Hettie Lee Dollar. Both Charlie and Ray worked for the City of Whitewright at the Water Department. Ray Cates was the Superintendent. One newspaper article was titled "Whitewright's Assistant mayor Keeps Things Going." It mentions "Whenever the mayor, F. M. Echols, gets stumped by a problem, he calls on his right hand man, Assistant Mayor Ray Cates." The article mentions that the Cates brothers had 45 years of combined service to the City. That does not include the 15 years their father, Riley, worked for the City. My father, J. B. Cates was born in Whitewright 1916. I have a photo of him at about 14 with a friend David Smith. Does anyone know a David Smith? My father graduated from the Whitewright High School 1934, worked at a restaurant in Mineral Wells for a while and joined the Army Air Corps in 1941. He, had two sisters, Velma Lee and Martha Lois, he married my mother in Wichita Falls Texas in 1944, and he died in 1955. I would appreciate any information you have about my family. Personal stories, photos, or whatever. In particular I would like a photo of my great grandmother, Callie Watson Cates. As a side note if anyone knows of Weldon Anthony I would like to have information about him. He is the father of my cousin Clara Joan Anthony. Weldon and my aunt Velma Lee Cates married in Durant Oklahoma 1931. Thank you, David L. Cates