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Robert Spencer Cates

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Robert Spencer Cates

Birth	:	26 Jul 1848 Fairbury, Livingston County, Illinois, USA
Death	:	8 Apr 1923 Kingman, Kingman County, Kansas, USA
Burial	:	Walnut Hill Cemetery, Kingman, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate	:	37.6516991, -98.0967026
Description	:	Robert S. Cates, pioneer and honored citizen of Kingman, passed away at noon Sunday while sleeping in his chair. Death came exactly as he had often wished that he might "just quietly go to sleep." Mr. Cates arose as usual Sunday morning, dressed and went down to breakfast. After breakfast he read the morning paper and about eleven o'clock went to his room to rest for a while before dinner. When his son, Elta, called him to dinner he failed to get a response. He went to his room and found him apparently sleeping in his chair, but life was... Read More	Robert S. Cates, pioneer and honored citizen of Kingman, passed away at noon Sunday while sleeping in his chair. Death came exactly as he had often wished that he might "just quietly go to sleep." Mr. Cates arose as usual Sunday morning, dressed and went down to breakfast. After breakfast he read the morning paper and about eleven o'clock went to his room to rest for a while before dinner. When his son, Elta, called him to dinner he failed to get a response. He went to his room and found him apparently sleeping in his chair, but life was gone. The family had heard him stirring about the room only a few minutes before. His other sons, Robert of this city, Lee of Hoosier Township, Clair of Wichita and Leonard of Herrington were all notified and arrived in a few hours. The funeral services were conducted from the Baptist Church at 2:30 Tuesday in charge of Elder J.B. Hardy of the Primitive Baptist Church, of which Mr. Cates was a devoted member. After which the body was laid to rest in Walnut Hill cemetery. The body of his faithful companion, who was buried at Cleveland, will be removed to Walnut Hill in the near future. The three score and fourteen years which filled the span of his life were filled with many adventures such as few have experienced. During a period of thirteen years he crossed overland from Missouri to Oregon four times, and each time in company with federal troops or guards. Robert Spencer Cates, son of Spencer and Phebe Cates, was born near Fairbury, Ill., on July 26, 1848. At the age of 17 he with his parents, joined an immigrant train of a hundred wagons, and accompanied by federal troops they crossed the plains and mountains to their new home in Oregon. That was in 1865. Five years later, he returned to Missouri for is bride, Miss Amanda Virginia Hess. They were married on Dec. 7, 1870. The following spring they returned to Oregon and lived there until 1878, when with their three oldest sons, Lee, Robert and Elta, they came to Hutchinson, arriving there August lst. That was during the Indian wars in Idaho and Utah and it was considered a very dangerous trip at that time. Mr. Cates could speak the Indian language as fluently as English and he had no trouble. His son, Lee can remember well the trip, and how the Indians were camped along the way. In the fall after arriving in Hutchinson, Mr. Cates filed on a claim a mile and a half southwest of Cleveland close by the claim of his father-in-law, Levi Hess. Mr. Hess, his son,C.T. Hess and his four sons-in-law, G.W. Williams, Geo. Conley, John Travis and Riley Bliss, all had claims within a few miles of each other. Mr. Cates, being a business man, stayed on the claim only a few years and then went to Wichita, where during the boom days he worked with the Davison Investment Company. During his stay in Wichita he made considerable money and is said to have returned to Kingman with $150,000, but during the boom days here financial reverses came and he lost heavily. He purchased the home when he first came to Kingman where he passed away Sunday. He lost the home when failure came but he continued to lease it until two years ago, when it was again bought by his son, Leonard, that his father might spend his last days in the home he loved so much. During the early days and for many years Mr. Cates was engaged as a businessman but the past few years he had retired from active business life. After the death of Mrs. Cates in November four years ago, he began to fail and he never became reconciled to her death. He was most devoted to her and it seemed he was unable to throw off his grief. Mr. Cates was of a quiet disposition and while he did not mix with the public as many men do, yet he held the esteem and friendship of all who knew him. And in his passing Kingman loses another from the rapidly thinning ranks of the pioneer men. He will be greatly missed by a host of friends. Beside his sons and their families, Mr. Cates is survived by two brothers in Oregon. April 13, 1923; The Kingman Journal, Kingman, Kingman County, Kansas.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Robert Spencer Cates's memorial?
Robert Spencer Cates's memorial is located at: Walnut Hill Cemetery, Kingman, Kingman County, USA.
When did Robert Spencer Cates death?
Robert Spencer Cates death on 8 Apr 1923 in Kingman, Kingman County, Kansas, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Robert Spencer Cates's memorial?
Latitude: 37.6516991
Longitude: -98.0967026

Family Members:

Parent

Spouse

Amanda Virginia “Jennie” Hess Cates

(1851 - 1918)

Siblings

William Asro Cates

(1850 - 1925)

Children

Levi Spencer “Lee” Cates

(1871 - 1943)

Robert Luther Cates

(1877 - 1942)

Ellis Elton “Eltie” Cates

(1878 - 1948)

Leonard Locke Cates

(1884 - 1964)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Walnut Hill Cemetery
Kingman, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.6516991, -98.0967026

2. Hoosier Cemetery
Kingman, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.6674995, -98.1707993

3. Schooley Cemetery
Reno County, USA
Coordinate: 37.7332993, -98.0828018

4. Bethany Mennonite Cemetery
Kingman, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.5898490, -98.0182050

5. Bethany Cemetery
Alameda, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.5891991, -98.0177994

6. Cleveland Cemetery
Cleveland, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.5532990, -98.1528015

7. Lebanon Cemetery
Waterloo, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.7047600, -97.9730400

8. Greenwood Cemetery
Belmont, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.5602989, -97.9894028

9. Saint Louis Cemetery
Waterloo, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.6814003, -97.9364014

10. Waterloo Cemetery
Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.6828003, -97.9364014

11. Fairview Cemetery
Pretty Prairie, Reno County, USA
Coordinate: 37.7633790, -98.0102210

12. Murdock Cemetery
Murdock, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.6231003, -97.9349976

13. Hunt Cemetery
Kingman, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.5046997, -98.0618973

14. Sego Cemetery
Pretty Prairie, Reno County, USA
Coordinate: 37.7919006, -98.1639023

15. First Mennonite Church Cemetery
Pretty Prairie, Reno County, USA
Coordinate: 37.7785920, -97.9639630

16. Lone Star Cemetery
Pretty Prairie, Reno County, USA
Coordinate: 37.8074989, -97.9822006

17. Pleasant Hill Cemetery
Langdon, Reno County, USA
Coordinate: 37.8058550, -98.2345080

18. Vinita Cemetery
Lansdowne, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.6157990, -97.8610992

19. Rago Cemetery
Rago, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.4587600, -98.0743900

20. Lerado Cemetery
Reno County, USA
Coordinate: 37.7822383, -98.2814576

21. Baker Cemetery
Partridge, Reno County, USA
Coordinate: 37.8539920, -98.0771100

22. Saint Agnes Cemetery
Reno County, USA
Coordinate: 37.8325005, -97.9792023

23. Saint Rose Cemetery
Mount Vernon, Kingman County, USA
Coordinate: 37.7175598, -97.8449936

24. Pleasant Hill Cemetery
Reno County, USA
Coordinate: 37.7569008, -97.8621979