William H. Cate

William Henderson Cate (November 11, 1839 – August 23, 1899) was an American politician, a judge, and a U.S. Representative from Arkansas.

William Henderson Cate
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas's 1st district
In office March 4, 1889 – March 5, 1890
Preceded by	Poindexter Dunn
Succeeded by	Lewis P. Featherstone
In office March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893
Preceded by	Lewis P. Featherstone
Succeeded by	Philip McCulloch
Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
In office 1871-1873 1874
Personal details
Born	November 11, 1839 (1839-11-11) Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Died	August 23, 1899 (1899-08-24) (aged 59) Toledo, Ohio
Citizenship	United States
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Virginia E. Warner Cate
Alma mater	University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Profession	teacher Attorney politician judge
Military service
Allegiance	Confederate States of America
Branch/service	Confederate States Army
Rank	Captain
Battles/wars	Civil War

Biography

Cate was born near Murfreesboro, Tennessee son of Noah Cate, who was a Baptist minister, and his wife Margaret M. (Henderson) Cate. He attended the common schools, as well as an academy at Abingdon, Virginia. He ultimately graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 1857. In 1868, he married Virginia E. Warner of Craighead County, and the couple had one son.[1]

Career

Cate taught school while studying law until the Civil War. He served in the Confederate States Army where he rose to the rank of captain.

After a move to Jonesboro, Arkansas in 1865, Cate studied law, and was admitted to the bar in Arkansas in 1866 and commenced the practice of law. He served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives 1871-1873 and during the extra session of 1874. He was elected prosecuting attorney in 1878, and was later appointed and subsequently elected judge of the second judicial circuit of Arkansas in 1884. He organized the Bank of Jonesboro in 1887.[2]

Cate presented credentials as a Democratic member-elect to the Fifty-first Congress where he served from March 4, 1889 until March 5, 1890 when he was succeeded by Lewis P. Featherstone. Featherstone had contested the election after having been put up as a candidate to oppose Cate by The Agricultural Wheel. In an agreement between The Wheel and the Republican Party, the Republicans agreed to support Featherstone against Cate. In return "The Wheel" agreed to support John M. Clayton against Clifton R. Breckinridge. The House Committee on Elections decided in favor of Featherstone, ruling that he won by 86 votes.[3]

Cate was elected to the Fifty-second Congress which ran from March 4, 1891 until March 3, 1893.[4] He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1892 to the Fifty-third Congress. He later resumed the practice of law in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Death

While on a visit in Toledo, Ohio, Cate died of cancer on August 23, 1899 (age 59 years, 285 days). He is interred at the City Cemetery in Jonesboro, Arkansas.[5]

References

1. "William H. Cate". The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
2. "William H. Cate". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
3. "The way is now clear for the House Committee on Elections to begin the work of purging the roll of the House of the names...". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. 1890-02-15. p. 9. ProQuest 174425625.
4. "William H. Cate". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
5. "William H. Cate". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 19 June 2013.

External links

• United States Congress. "William H. Cate (id: C000249)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• William H. Cate at Find a Grave

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Poindexter Dunn	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas's 1st congressional district 1889–1890	Succeeded by Lewis P. Featherstone
Preceded by Lewis P. Featherstone	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas's 1st congressional district 1891–1893	Succeeded by Philip McCulloch