Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria County Pennsylvania, p.125

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OF CAMBRIA COUNTY. 125

superintendent of the Novelty Works at Clearfield, Pennsylvania; Nathan, deceased; Levi, deceased; Isaac, deceased; Matilda, the wife of Daniel Louffer; Joel, late of White township; William, located at Lyson, Blair county, Pennsylvania.
    Isaac Gates, father, was born in Berks county on September 7, 1818, and died on his farm in White township, September 26, 1876. He had led a very active life, begin engaged in farming and lumbering many years. He was quite an extensive farmer, and owned a tract of land containing nineteen hundred acres of farm and timber territory, lying in White and Chest townships. He was extensively engaged in the lumber business, owning and operating a saw-mill, besides sending large quantities of lumber by raft and floats to Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He was a careful and successful business man, and had accumulated quite a competency.
    In political faith he was a republican, and in religious belief a member of the United Brethren church, of which he was a liberal supporter; however, he did not confine his liberality to this church, but was deeply interested and very active in everything that was for the benefit of the community in which he lived.
    His union with Miss Mary, a daughter of John Troxell, a farmer of Reade township, this county, resulted in the birth of eight children, five sons and three daughters: Elizabeth, the wife of Rev. Daniel Strayer, of the United Brethren church of White township; John C., whose sketch appears elsewhere in this book; Lafayette M., a farmer, of Muscatine county, Iowa, who is also a local minister in the United Brethren church; Joel A.; Isaac W., a farmer, residing in Coalport, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania; Perry C., also a farmer, residing in Coalport; Mary M., the wife of J. S. McKee, a farmer of White township, and Hannah, who died in childhood.
    Joel A. Gates was reared on a farm, and received his early education in the local schools of Reade township and Normal schools of Blair and Centre counties, and prepared himself for a business career by a course in the Iron City Business College, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1869. After leaving school he, in company with his father and brother, J. C. Gates, under the firm name of Gates, Son & Co., opened a general store in Glendale, this county, and for a number of years conducted an extensive and remunerative business. He was also assistant postmaster of Glendale, aggregating seventeen years. On the death of his father the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Gates was connected with G. L. Glasgow, of Glasgow, this county, under the firm name of G. L. Glasgow & Co.; he was also a member of the firm known as Gates, Glasgow & Co., merchants, of Fallen Timber. During the last fifteen years he has been engaged in the lumber business, and has handled immense quantities of lumber. For five years he has been superintendent and bookkeeper for J. M. Troxell, a lumber dealer in Cambria and Clearfield counties.
    In political circles he is prominently identified with the Republican party, and is at present serving his third term as justice of the peace, yet holding his fourth commission -- one being for but one year by appointment, and in 1880 was appointed census enumerator for the sub-district composed of Dean, Reade and White townships. Fraternally he is a member of Coalport Lodge, No. 574, F. and A. M., of Coalport, and of Flinton Grange, No. 1129. He is a consistent member of the Lutheran church of Glasgow.

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