Reuben A. Cates, the fourth child of John and Susan (Box) Cates, was born December 3, l837, in Lake County, was raised on a farm and was well educated. After the country schools he went to the college at McKenzie, and then attended a commercial college at Keokuk, Iowa; after this he went to Texas for a while and then returned to Tennessee.
In 1881 he married Lula Craig, who was born January 23, 1863, and they have two children: Opal and John O. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Cates belong to any church. In politics he is a democrat. Soon after he married, Mr. Cates commenced farming, owning 775 acres of land. Like his brother, Council, he is exceedingly fond of hunting, the two, being recognized as the finest marksmen in the country, and every year they spend from two to five weeks on the lake hunting and fishing, and he also takes a great interest in baseball, being a member of the Star Club at Tiptonville. Mr. Cates has lived in Lake County for eighteen years, and has many friends.