Council P. Cates, a substantial farmer of Lake County, is the son of John A. and Susan (Box) Cates; he was born February 6,1855, in what is now Lake County; was raised on a farm, and had the best educational advantages the State afforded, having completed his education at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. After leaving college he was for a while salesman at James Cronan’s store, but it was soon closed, and he commenced farming, but in a short time sold out and went to Texas, and after staying a year there he returned to Lake County. In 1878 he married Anna E. Darnall, born February 16, 1852, and they have two sons and two daughters. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Cates belong to any church. In politics he is a democrat.
For three years he has been a member of the county court, and was elected to fill out an unexpired term as sheriff; he is now school commissioner. A short time after his marriage Mr. Cates settled on the farm where he now lives; he has 160 acres of the finest land in the county, and is soliciting agent of The Mississippi Valley Transportation Company. He has been a resident of Lake County for thirty years, and is well known as an expert in bird hunting; he owns one of the finest guns in the country, and is without a rival as a marksman.