Homer Martin TATE

Notes:

Homer was an artisan of fabricating oddities for carnivals and sideshows. The following website showcases his works.

http://grindshow.com/GrindShow/Shrine_Of_Homer_Tate.html

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Excerpt from the Tate Families of Southern States, Volume II, Laura Metzel and Ethel Speer Updike, 1984

He was a Sherriff of Graham County, AZ 1924 - 1929, a farmer. Many may remember Homer as the practical joker of the town. He moved to Central in the late summer of 1898 with his father, Martin Van Buren Tate from Spanish Fork, UT at the age of thirteen.

It seems Homer attended school in Central only a very short time. He worked at odd jobs on the farms until he was seventeen years old, when he began working in the mines. He found work at such places as Pierce, Bisbee, Glove, AZ and in Cananea, Mexico.

Emma Pearl Coombs was born in Central, AZ, the eighth child of George and Pauline Gulbransen Coombs, Jr. All Emma's formal education was received in the Central schools.

Homer was working at Globe, AZ in 1906-07. At this time, Emma left Central and went to work for the Tate's Boarding House in Globe. During this time a courtship blossomed into marriage, which took place in October of 1907. Homer and Emma began their married life at the new town site of Copper Hill, which consisted of a few 10 x 12 foot tents, boarded up on three sides. Here they lived for about three years while both Homer and Emma continued working, until very early in 1911. Emma returned to Central early in 1911 as the first born of the family was expected.

The Tates' first child, Martin Coombs Tate was born March 5, 1911. Since Central was a farming community, jobs were very scarce and about the only work available was helping on individual farms on a day or two, basis. So, in the early part of 1915, Homer felt he should procure work that would provide a better means of support for the family which now had an additional member, daughter Pearl. Homer went alone to Bisbee where he secured employment in the mines. Emma and their two chldren followed later after housing was secured.

In 1916, the Tates were back in Central, a mining town was not the best place to rear a family. Homer felt he should try farming as a means of providing for his family, now consisting of three children, as a second son, Goerge Vining, was born in July of 1916.

The Tates secured a house and small acreage immediately west of the railroad tracks on the old highway, known as the Thomas place. Homer farmed in Central and Pima until 1921. At this time, Homer was appointed by the Governor, G. W. P. Hunt, to the position of Detail Officer at the Boys Reformatory at Fort Grant. Emma served as Matron of the girls dormitory, located on the same site with separate facilities.

After spending a year at Ft. Grant, the Tates moved back to Central and purchased what was called the Thurman Place in the Northwest part of town. There were only about eight acres under cultivation. Alfalfa, vegetables and melons were the main crops raised. Homer was Constable of Central until December 7, 1924. During the elections of the fall of 1924, Homer was elected Sheriff of Graham County.

During the summer of 1922-1923, Homer, accompanied by a dozen Boy Scouts, climbed Mt. Graham for a week of encampment. Homer spent a good portion of the time testing the bravery of the boys, mainly by concocting ways to scare them. On one occasion after visiting the old sawmill and on their return hike to camp on Soldier Creek, Homer slipped ahead and concealed himself in a rather dense thicket. Previously he had told the boys that one of the men at the mill had wounded a bear, and that a wounded bear could be pretty mean. From a thicket, Homer made sounds of a wounded bear just as the boys came by in a single file. Some track stars were born, all except for Morgan Taylor. Fear set in, along with exhaustion, and after a short sprint, Morgan yelled, "For Hell's sake Homer, wait!!", thinking that Homer was farther up the trail. About this time the "wounded" bear came out of the thicket.

The Tates moved to Safford, AZ in December, 1925 where Homer assumed the duties of Sheriff.

Buried:
Grave location and tombstone photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=tate&GSiman=1&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=5&GScnty=172&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=75689780&df=all&

Homer married Emma Pearl Coombs 10 Oct 1907, Arizona. Emma was born 23 Feb 1888, Central, Graham Co. AZ; died 09 Sep 1983, Phoenix, Maricopa Co. AZ; was buried , Central Cemetery Central, Graham, Co AZ. [Group Sheet]

Homer married Patricia Irene BOETTECHER 15 Jan 1953, Arizona. Patricia was born 12 May 1895. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Buried:
Grave location and tombstone photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=tate&GSiman=1&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=5&GScnty=172&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=75689427&df=all&

Martin married Leonora Clifford. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Buried:
Grave location and tombstone photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=tate&GSiman=1&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=5&GScnty=172&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=27259365&df=all&

Notes:

Buried:
Grave location and tombstone photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=tate&GSiman=1&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=5&GScnty=172&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=27259165&df=all&

Marlene married Richard Dick. [Group Sheet]