GATES-SCOTT-THOMAS-BEVANS
By Cecil Raymond Gates, Jr.

We find J. Windel and J. William Gates on payroll of B&O Railroad in 1854. They were born in Hessen, Germany and came to America with their parents in 1830. We have not been able to find where they were living between 1830 arrival and the 1860 census. Parents are Johann Wilhelm Gotz/Goetz and Maria Margaretha Merz Gotz. There is a missing link/generation between Johann Wilhelm and grandson Daniel William Gates. Family information has always said that Johann had a daughter Mary Gates/Gaits in addition to Windel and William and that she had an illegitimate child, Daniel William. But other information says that it was Mary Albright who had a child by John Gates. Have never found a Mary as daughter in household of Wilhelm and Maria Gotz.

Daniel William Gates was born in 1852 at Magnolia West Virginia and married in 1883 to Elizabeth Thomas, daughter of Michael and Esther Coffman Thomas. The Thomas family had a farm in the Green Ridge area. Esther Coffman Thomas died in 1889 and is buried at Cross Roads Church Cemetery.

Daniel William and Elizabeth Thomas Gates had son Cecil Raymond Gates born 1891 at Cherry Run, West Virginia. He married Margaret Alexander Scott. She is the daughter of John Bevans and Margaret Ann Catlett. John and Margaret C. Bevans are buried in Little Orleans, Maryland.

Daniel William Gates bought a farm near Sleepy Creek. Tomatoes, corn and wheat were raised on the farm. A number of factories were set up in the county for canning of tomatoes, which was to be a good cash crop for the farmers. Tomatoes first sold for 18 cents a bushel and later for 25 cents a bushel. A new barn was built in 1897 and all the farm work was mortise and tennon; all carpentry was done at $1 a day.

The family was of the United Evangelical faith and attended at old Mt Trimble and Cross Roads Church. Daniel William Gates was often appointed a trustee of the area school. He died February 1, 1919.

Cecil Raymond Gates graduated from Shepherdstown College and taught in several school districts. He retired as Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Monongalia County. He died in 1977 at Westover, West Virginia.