My Genealogy Hound

R. R. PATE. The official position which one occupies, however unimportant, is always some evidence of his character as well as a tribute to his honesty and ability. This is so because a man will not suffer himself to be thrust into a position that is wholly distasteful to him and for which he has not the slightest qualification, nor is one’s fellow-citizens at all likely to do such a thing. The men who plod, who are capable of hard work and great endurance, who can do what others plan, who are steady in their habits, prompt at their posts, clean and neat in the mechanical execution of their work, always fill the clerical positions. Men of clear heads, strong wills, keen insight and great activity are usually to be found in offices where the duties are chiefly executive. And especially are these distinctions observed in this live, progressive Western country, where the prosperity of a town or community depends so largely upon the intelligence and executive ability of the man or men who are placed in executive positions.

R. R. Pate is the official head of the enterprising town of Orleans, Harlan county. He is an Indianian by birth, a descendant of two early settled families of the “Hoosier” State, and was born in Dearborn county. His father, John Pate, was also a native of that county and lived always in that and in the county of Ripley adjoining. He was an extensive stock man and cattle shipper, led an active, useful and successful life, and died where he had spent the most of his maturer years, in Ripley county, in 1874, having passed his forty-eighth year. Mr. Pate’s mother, who bore the maiden name of Susannah Jarvis, was born and reared in Ripley county and died there in January, 1884, at the age of fifty-eight. Besides the subject of this sketch, John and Susannah Pate were the parents of six other children, all of whom became grown and are now living and settled off in life. These are Jeremiah M., who is a Resident of Ripley county, Ind.; James E., of Harlan county, Nebr.; John R., of Furnas county, Nebr.; Virginia B., wife of John K. Arford, of Furnas county, Nebr.; Marvin L., wife of W. R. Wycoff, of Del Norte, Colo., and Mrs. Mattie McGee, widow of James A. McGee, of Orleans, Harlan county, Nebr.

Randell R., who is the third of the family of children alluded to, and who is the subject of this notice, was born February, 1851, and was reared in his native county. He received an ordinary common-school training, working on his father’s farm and going to school during the winter months. Taking kindly to books, he decided to have an education, and as soon as he could conveniently do so he sat about in the usual way to secure it: that is by teaching district schools and with the means so obtained paying his way through college. After completing his education Mr. Pate taught several terms, but finally abandoned school-room work and entered the mercantile business at Center Grove, Jefferson county, Ind. He left that county in the fall of 1878 and came to Nebraska, settling in Spring Grove township, Furnas county, where he took a homestead. Mr. Pate was a resident of Furnas county for five years and a half, moving in the spring of 1884 to Orleans, Harlan county, where he now resides. During the first two years of his residence in Orleans he was engaged in the coal business. Closing this out he went into real estate, loans and insurance, at which he is now engaged. He has served as justice of Orleans precinct for a number of terms, holding that office now; he has been mayor of the town of Orleans for two years past. Mr. Pate is a plain, straightforward, matter-of-fact business man, and is progressive in his views and liberal in his methods. He is for whatever is for the good of his community and lends a helping hand as far as lies in his power.

Mr. Pate was married in Jefferson county, Ind., in October, 1874, the lady on whom his choice fell being Miss Ellen E. Buchanan, a native of that county.

This union has been blessed with five children, four of whom are living, namely— Nellie, Walter, Merle, Holman. Evie died September, 1886, at three years of age.

Personally, Mr. Pate is a pleasant gentleman. He is deservedly popular with his fellow-citizens.