George W. Cate

George W. Cate
The Honorable; George W. Cate
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; from Wisconsin's 8th district
	In office; March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877
Preceded by	Alexander S. McDill
Succeeded by	Thaddeus C. Pound
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge; for the 7th Circuit
	In office; June 1, 1854 – March 4, 1875
Succeeded by	Gilbert L. Park
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly; from the Marathon and Portage district
	In office; January 1, 1852 – January 1, 1854
Preceded by	Thomas J. Morman
Succeeded by	Walter D. McIndoe
Personal details
Born	George Washington Cate; September 17, 1825; Montpelier, Vermont
Died	March 7, 1905 (aged 79); Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Resting place	Forest Cemetery; Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Levara Serena Brown; (m. 1851; died 1916);
Children	Albert George Cate; (b. 1851; died 1933); Lynn Boyd Cate; (b. 1854; died 1937); Ida Levara Cate; (b. 1856; died 1866); Annie Serena Cate; (b. 1859; died 1881); Carrie Levara (Cronyn); (b. 1864; died 1944); Henry Brown Cate; (b. 1870; died 1956); Ruth Gray Cate; (b. 1874; died 1955); Georgeana (Dahl); (b. 1879; died 1949);

George Washington Cate (September 17, 1825 – March 7, 1905) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district in the Forty-fourth Congress. He also served two terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly and 21 years as a Wisconsin Circuit Court judge.[1]

Biography

Born in Montpelier, Vermont, Cate attended the common schools. He studied law and was admitted to the bar at Montpelier in April 1844. He moved to Wisconsin Territory in 1845 and supported himself in the lumber industry until he began the practice of law in Plover, in Portage County, on January 1, 1848. He served as Deputy Postmaster, Register of Deeds, and Clerk to the Board of Supervisors that year. In 1849, he was elected District Attorney and served for two terms. He moved to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, in 1852, where he opened a law office. He served as member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1852 and 1853.

Cate was elected Wisconsin Circuit Court judge of the 7th judicial circuit in April 1854, defeating former Whig state senator James S. Alban. He was re-elected in 1860, 1866, and 1872. In 1874, he was a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, running as a Liberal Reformer. Democratic canvassers committed fraud to secure his election, though Judge Cate was not implicated in this act. His opponent, Dr. Alexander S. McDill, challenged the results, but died before the court could determine that he had been the victor. Thus Judge Cate was allowed to take office for the Forty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1875 – March 4, 1877).[2] While in office, he represented Wisconsin's 8th congressional district. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1876.

He resumed the practice of law in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and died there March 7, 1905. He is interred in Forest Cemetery, Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Family

On October 24, 1851, George W. Cate married Levara Serena Brown (1836–1916). They raised eight children: Albert George Cate (1851–1933), Lynn Boyd Cate (1854–1937), Ida Levara Cate (1856–1866), Annie Serena Cate (1859–1881), Carrie Levara Cate (1864–1944) married William Jerome Cronyn, M.D., LL.B., who helped to establish Marquette University,[3] Henry Brown Cate (1870–1956), Ruth Gray Cate (1874–1955), Georgeana Cate (1879–1949) married Gerhard Melvin Dahl, J.D., who was Vice President of Chase National Bank from 1917 to 1923 and then chairman of the Brooklyn Manhattan Transit Corp. in New York City from 1923 to 1943.[4]

Electoral history

U.S. House of Representatives, Wisconsin 8th District Election, 1874[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
General Election, November 3, 1874
	Reform	George W. Cate	9,446	50.01%
	Republican	Alexander S. McDill (incumbent)	9,444	49.99%
Total votes			'*18,890'*	'*100.0%'*
	Reform gain from Republican

U.S. House of Representatives, Wisconsin 8th District Election, 1876[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 7, 1876
	Republican	Thaddeus C. Pound	14,838	51.69%	+1.70%
	Democratic	George W. Cate (incumbent)	13,869	48.31%
Total votes			'*28,707'*	'*100.0%'*	+51.97%
	Republican gain from Democratic

References

George W. Cate, Wisconsin Historical Society
"The Prospects in Wisconsin", The New York Times, October 28, 1876
"History of Milwaukee, city and county, Vol. 2", pp. 658-662
"George Washington Cate", Pioneer Profiles, Stevens Point Area Genealogical Society
Bashford, R. M., ed. (1878). "Election statistics". The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 400. Retrieved October 16, 2019.

Sources

United States Congress. "George W. Cate (id: C000248)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Alexander S. McDill	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 8th congressional district March 4, 1875 – March 4, 1877	Succeeded by Thaddeus C. Pound

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[1] George W. Cate, Wisconsin Historical Society

[2] "The Prospects in Wisconsin", The New York Times, October 28, 1876

[3] "History of Milwaukee, city and county, Vol. 2", pp. 658-662

[4] "George Washington Cate", Pioneer Profiles, Stevens Point Area Genealogical Society

[bb1878-5] Bashford, R. M., ed. (1878). "Election statistics". The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 400. Retrieved October 16, 2019.