History of Merced
History of Merced County, California : with a
biographical review of the leading men and women of the county who have
been identified with its growth and development from the early days to
the present
Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic Record Co., 1925, 903 pgs. page 526
STEPHEN M. PATE-
Himself a pioneer of California, and the descendant of one of the
earliest settlers in this part of the State, Stephen M. Pate was born
on the Pate ranch , in Mariposa County, on February 19, 1859, the
youngest child born to his parents, Francis Marion and Lorinda
(Cornett) Pate. Francis Marion Pate was a native of Alabama, the
son of a planter; he entered the U. S. Army under Taylor, in the
Mexican War, and after the war continued on to California, reaching Los
Angeles in 1848, with his horse, saddle, and a few personal effects as
his only resources. On hearing the news of the gold discovery, he came
to this part of the State, and went into the Southern Mines, He
later joined the military company which ws responsible for the quelling
of the Yosemite Indian troubles, being stationed at Fort Miller.
his marriage, in 1852, at Aqua Fria, Mariposa County, united him with
Lorinda Cornett, nee Binge, who was born in Kentucky and married
in Missouri. Her first husband died in 18050, and she with her
two sons and a daughter, accompanied a party of immigrants across the
plains, in 1850, settling in Mariposa.
With his new family, the hardy pioneer settled on 160 acres of land in
Mariposa County; this land was not then surveyed, but i proved to be
the home place of the Pate family where Stephen M. was born. His
father built with rude tools the first home, a cabin on the land they
had chosen as a heritage; titles to land were questionable, but he
stayed, and own the right to his acreage. They had many bad
years, and making a livelihood ws very hard and strenuous for the
pioneers of that early day; stock as high was twenty dollars per steer
to the butcher; they made butter and sold eggs, and this brought the
only medium of exchange for many years. Mr. Pate, Sr.
made journeys to Stockton for supplies before the railway was put in
and these trips took seven days of hard traveling. He engaged in
livestock, sheep and wool growing, and in the fifties, started wit
grain raising, and single- handed and by remitting toil, strict
integrity, and keen foresight, he added to his holdings by subsequent
purchases until he owned 300 acres at the time of his death. He
was a staunch Republican, though born in the South, and was an active
participant in the building up of his community in the days when
each man had to stand on his own feet, or fail.
Stephen M. Pate received much of his schooling in private school, kept
usually in the home, and attended for a time the Cathey Valley district
school. Large for his age, much of his early life was spent in
the saddle on the stock range, and as soon as he became old enough he
followed the teaming and freighting business from Merced to Hornitos
and the mines for six years; he at one tim owned five ten-animal teams
all closely matched which were the pride of the young man; none on the
road at that time had better stock and his teams were conspicuous on
the highways, fine large mules, and large whit draft horses. He
conducted a stable, and owned his own blacksmith shop at Mt. Bullion,
and before he reached his majority he was employing at times as high as
twenty men. Mr. Pate later entered the stock and ranching
business on his father's ranch. Finally buying the home place, he
engaged in the cattle and hog-raising business. Cholera at one
time struck down 500 head of his hogs in a season. He branched
into extensive business, but never over-reached in he dealings, and was
always known to be hones and straightforward, all of which no doubt
contributed largely to his success. By subsequent purchases he
added lands until he owned 5000 acres, of which 2000 acres were farming
lands. He raised mules and horses for his own use, as well as for
the market, and he engaged for six years in the sheep and wool
business, as a breeder of Merino sheep.
In 1918, Mr. Pate moved to Le Grand, Merced County, after selling the
old Pate ranch in 1917, and here he owns a fine home, constructed on
the old Mission style of architecture, the property embracing eighty
acres on the edge of town. In the meantime he has invested in other
properties in Merced County, and his success has bee remarkable
He built up the well-known Lone Tree Dairy, which sold nine years ago
for $64,000. He owns 443 acres in the Merced Irrigation District
nine miles southwest of Merced which is being farmed by his son,
Harvey, who lives ther with hi sswife and two daughters. Of late years
Mr. Pate has become an extensive feeder of livestock for market, and
rents large land in Mariposa and Merced counties. One of the very
rarest incidents in his life occurred in 1917, when for a period of
twenty-four hours he was entirely out of business; had no employees,
etc, and it was the only like period in his entire business career of
over forty-six years. Many of the men whom he employed during
this long stretch of time have become successful, like himself, and
this is one of the greatest sources of gratification; to see other
prosper, too, and in building up their success, and in the upbuilding
of the district.
The first marriage of Mr. Pate, which occured in the Cathey Valley,
united him with Martha Andrews, a native of Illinois, her death occured
in June, 1906, survived by six children: Louis F., of Le Grand;
Mrs. Olive L. Latour, of Merced; Samuel M., of Visalia; Mrs. Edna Hurd,
of Oakland; Harvey W., of Merced; and Leota, now deceased.
On June 3, 1907, Mr. Pate's second marriage occurred, uniting him with
Lottie Wilson, born in Stockton, the seventh of eight children born to
Samuel and Malinda (Key) Wilson, natives of Kentucky who crossed the
plains in 1853, and settled near Stockton and engaged in ranching. They
moved to Merced in 1896, where both their deaths occurred. Their
property was a valuable ranch on the edge of Merced, the present group
of Merced High School buildings being now on a part of the property, it
having been aquired from the heirs of the estate a few years ago.
A staunch Democrat, Mr. Pate has never aspired to public office,
except as pertains to his business interest. He is a active
member and president of the California Cattle Men's Association, and
attends the meeting regularly, giving much of his time to the study of
cooperative problems. Fraternally he is a Past Grand of the Merced
Lodge No. 208, I..O.O.F.
transcribed by Carolyn Feroben
PATE CEMETERY INDEX
MARIPOSA FAMILY CHRONICLES
MARIPOSA COUNTY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY