James Striegel TATE

Notes:

James Striegel Tate's work was building buildings for contractors all over the country. He was particularly proud of the Republic National Bank Building in Dallas, TX and The City Hall in Boston, MA. After he retired he got involved in genealogy because of curiosity about his great grandfather.

He collected, analyzed and produced, approximately 2000 pages of his work. Upon his death the documents were donated to the Tennessee State Library in the hope they would benefit future genealogists. They are known as the James Striegel Tate Papers, 1742 - 1980. He was a contributor to the Ethel Updike book, Tate Families of the Southern States, Volume II, (this, while containing some errors, is considered by many as the definitive work for this line of Tates) as evidenced by the numerous letters between he and Mrs. Updike. His work is precise, detailed, organized and thorough.


James Striegel Tate Papers, Tennessee State Library and Archives 1742 - 1980

On Dec. 13, 1774 surveyors for Finncastle County Virginia surveyed a tract of 174 acres on Moccasin Creek in what is now Russell County, Virginia This tract was granted to Robert Tate, my great great-great grandfather. I know nothing of his ancestry or that of his wife Mary, and this grant remains my earliest knowledge of the family to date (1979).

On Dec. 12, 1774 John Tate received a grant of 145 acres on Moccasin Creek about three miles from the land grant of Robert Tate.

On May 1, 1782 Washington County Virginia issued land grants of 250 acres to Robert Tate and 100 acres to John Tate, both on Moccasin Creek. On February 20, 1793 William Tate bought 145 acres on Moccasin Creek adjoining the 424 acres granted to Robert Tate.

Some in the family, believe their Robert, John, and William Tate were brothers. No proof has been found, but the inter-family relationships are supportive. I strongly urged all researchers to examine this grouping if encountered.

Robert and John were active in County militia and government affairs from 1781 to their deaths. William can find himself to farming. William died testate on Sept. 15, 1803. The two of Roberts and one of John sons were witnesses to his will. He named the widow, four sons and a daughter. Robert junior. It was named executor.

Moccasin Creek was located in Boutetort County prior to 1773; in Finncastle County from January 1773 to January 1777; in Washington County from 1777 to May 1786; in Russell County May from 1786 to present.

We are largely ignorant of the activities of the five brothers from their arrival in Tennessee until about 1850. The primary causes are:

1) the division of Warren County in 1844 to create Grundy County. The splitting of records.

2) fires in the late 1840s in the courthouses of both counties with resultant loss of numerous public records that are critical to a genealogical researcher.

3) the low level of literacy with consequent lack of personal records.

4) the critical need to firmly establish a government and economy in an area that had a few short years before, been " Indian lands." They were concerned with "making a living" rather than telling about it.

Robert Tate died testate July 24, 1806. John's son Isaac was a witness to the will as were two of Robert?s owns sons. He named Mary, his widow and the children in the following order:

Joseph Tate, Alexander Tate, Aaron Tate, Polly (Mary) Tate, John Tate, James Tate and Robert Tate (Jr.). the will was dated July 29, 1790. It was admitted to probate on February 3, 1807.

Except for Joseph, born Sept. 11, 1778, we don't know the birth dates of any of Robert?s children, but ages shown on Tennessee and Alabama census returns for 1820 to 1850 refute the possible believe that the order of listing was the order of birth. It was not.

I have wondered why there was so much time (over six months) between Robert's death and the processing of the Will for probate. My own belief is that a number of the heirs were in Tennessee looking for place to which they would migrate. I cite:

1) Henry Hill, the first settler at Hills Creek on Collins River in Warren County Tennessee " hunted the area in 1801 to 1802 accompanied by men who later settled the area, among them Tates."

2) John Tate of Russell Connie, Virginia was not on the tax rolls of Russell Connie after 1795, but Joseph, James and Robert Jr. were.

3) James and Ruth sold their Virginia lands between 1801 and 1805. (To go to Tennessee? -- who knows?).

4) John and dicey sold their Virginia lands between July 1807 and October 1809. (Heady been in Tennessee prior to Roberts death?)

5) White County, Tennessee was formed from "Indian lands" in 1806. It includes the area later named Warren County.

6) On Aug. 6, 1806 (13 days after Robert staff) a petition signed by 313 men asked that a county be established from White County. Warren County was formed from White County and 1807. John, James, Robert and Joseph (had Joseph also gone to Tennessee looking for lands, a search that became unnecessary after his father died?)

7) The White County court record for 1806 shows Robert Tate to be a resident of the county.

8) Two of Roberts sons, John and Robert Jr., were witnesses to his well and had to return to Virginia to prove the will for probate. The other heirs also appear to have returned to Virginia to settle the estate.

At some date, after February 3, 1807, Robert's widow, Mary and all their children, except Joseph, moved to Warren County, Tennessee. They were all listed on the tax rolls of Warren County TN for the year 1812.

On October 14, 1816, all of the children sold their inherited interest in 177 acres of land to their brother Joseph, who stayed on the family home place in Virginia. Their mother relinquished her dower rights on the same date. This action is the last record we have a Polly Tate and her husband, Meredith Price and of Mary Tate, their mother. The remaining children, Alexander, Aaron, John, James and Robert (H.) Jr., all continue to appear in the public records of Warren County, Tennessee and of Grundy County, Tennessee which was founded from Warren County in 1844.

We do know that:

1) The earliest settlement in Warren County was at the junction of Hills Creek and Collins River near present-day Irvine college. Alexander and John lived there on Dry Creek which is a tributary to Hills Creek. They remained residents of Warren County.

2) Aaron lived on Wanamaker's Branch very near the future Grundy County line. After his last child was born in Warren County, Tennessee, in 1833, Aaron moved his family into the newly opened "Indian lands" that are now in DeKalb County, Alabama with which he is hereafter associated.

3) James and Robert H. lived on Taylor's Creek near to Mt. Olive and Philadelphia Church where James is buried. The formation of Grundy County in 1844 left them residents thereof and they remained as afterward.

John died intestate in 1845 and Warren County. Very little is known of him or his progeny. His widow, Dicey (Leodicia Hogg Tate) survived him. She was made administrator in October, 1845. The date of her death is unknown and the burial place of both are also unknown.

Alexander died in testate about 1847 in Warren County. He had children, Douglas, Elgan, and Sophronia. All three migrated to Missouri. U.S. census records for Texas County, Missouri show the families of Douglas and Algan to 1888 which time I have lost trace. I never found any record of marriage or progeny for Sophronia.

James died testate in Grundy County on April 19, 1849. His first wife was Ruth by whom he had 13 children. They were divorced about 1827 -- 28 and on February 23, 1829, he married Elizabeth Smith, a much younger woman. They had five children, the oldest of which was apparently born out of wedlock. I, in common with most of the Tates of Grundy County, am a descendant of James and Ruth Tate. He left more records of himself than any of the others.

Robert H. died testate in Grundy County in 1867. His burial place is unknown. He also had two wives. Nothing is known of Susannah (the first). She signed the deed to Joseph in 1816 as Robert's wife. The second wife, Cintha, is also unknown to us. She survived Robert in 1867, and jointly inherited his estate with Aaron, a son of Robert and Susannah's. After Aarons death, in 1907, a suit was instituted to make possible the final settlement of Robert' estate. The suit named the children of Robert and Susannah. No clear records have been found in to identify the children of Robert and Cintha. They were not involved in the suit.

Louie married Anna Clyde STRIEGEL 23 Dec 1908, Decatur Co. TN. Anna was born 08 Jul 1890, Tennessee. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Excerpt from Goodspeed's History of Tennessee, Early Decatur County Settlers and Biographies:

Tate Family

"James H. engaged in the mercantile business in partnership with his brother, John Lee. In 1884, he went to Perryville, TN and engaged in business there until May 6, 1885, when he lost a large part of his property by fire. He then returned to Decaturville. James was born in Dekalb County, September 30, 1855 and married Emma Jones, daughter of Dr. T. W. Jones of Decaturville, on December 21, 1875. She bore five children, Emma Myrtle, deceased, Jesse, Allie, Lewis L. and James F."

Buried:
Grave location:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=tate&GSiman=1&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=45&GScnty=2444&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=39244391&df=all&

James married Emma Jones 21 Dec 1875, Decaturville, Grundy Co. TN. Emma was born 19 Jun 1859, Decaturville, Decatur Co. TN; died 15 Jun 1922, Decaturville, Decatur Co. TN; was buried , Decaturville City Cemetery, Decaturville, Decatur Co. TN. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Buried:
Grave location:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=tate&GSiman=1&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=45&GScnty=2444&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=39244404&df=all&

Notes:

Excerpt from Goodspeed's History of Tennessee, Early Decatur County Settlers and Biographies:

Tate Family

"Elon Tate was born in Grundy County, TN, October 15, 1817. He moved to Decatur County on August 12, 1870. He located at Decaturville, Grundy County, TN until his death on December 19, 1879. Elon was a Democrat. His wife, Jane (Turner) Tate died on May 8, 1865. Their family consisted of five children, 2 died in infancy, George was killed at Decaturville on November 30, 1877, John L and James H."

Excerpt from "Tate Families of Southern States", Metzel and Updike, 1984

He kept the Old Family Bible of the births of his siblings, called "That Book". Though he was of the first family of James Tate, (and Ruth), he was very fond of the second family. After his wife, Jane died, when she was only 45 years old, (and was buried in Shiloh Cemetery, Warren County) Elan moved to Decatur County in 1870. It is assumed that Elan and his family went and lived in Decatur County because Elizabeth (James second wife) went there to live with the Bost family in her later years. He died leaving two sons and four grand children, the oldest was an orphaned girl less than four years old.

References: Burials in Decatur County, TN City Cemetery, James Striegel Tate, Family records, Federal Census 1850 Grundy County, TN, page 723-16; Federal Census 1860 Grundy County, TN, page 15-3.

Warren County, TN Platt Book, Volume 3 1835 - 1839 Page 174.

Surveyed May 2, 1837 for Elon Tate, 5000 acres by entry dated May 1, 1837, No. 4434 on the waters of Collins River, mouth of Tarpin Branch, NE corner of a 5000 acre survey of James Tate, also the SE corner of 5000 acres survey of Merday Tate's crossed the middle fork of Collins River, cross the left hand fork of said river, excluding 62 1/2 acres of older title. Robert Tate and John Dykes, CC. Isaac Hill, DS. May 3, 1837. Sent on May 20, 1837 by J. B. McComack.

Elan H. Tate was living with his son John L. at Elan's death. Elan's papers passed through John L's family ownership into the hands of Martha Angie Raspbury of Hohenwald, TN. Mrs. Raspbury confirmed the information on the issue of James and Ruth and has been a close collaborator of James Striegel Tate in the compiling of my family story.

From the James Striegel Tate Papers, 1742 - 1980, Tennessee State Library and Archives

Buried:
Grave location:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=tate&GSiman=1&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=45&GScnty=2444&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=39244267&df=all&

Elan married Jane Turner. Jane was born 1820, North Carolina; died 08 May 1865, Grundy Co. TN. [Group Sheet]