Article and Diary of Van Buren Tate

1837-1900

Abstracted from the "Centennial History of Baxter, County, Arkansas", published by the Moutain Home Chamber of Commerce. Article written by Mary Ann Messick, using the records of Rex Bayless, of Cotter, Arkansas-great grandson of Van Buren Tate. Only the genealogical parts were abstracted.

Van Buren Tate was born in Buncombe County, North Carolina, December 22, 1837, the son of Ezra and Evelyn Rhodes Tate, and was of Irish and scotch descent. Ezra Tate was a schoolteacher and Clerk of the court in Selma, Alabama and in July of 1852, moved to Yellville,Arkansas where he practiced law and taught school.

Van Buren Tate was appointed to West Point from the 2nd Congressional Arkansas District in 1855, buthe soon resigned from the school and returned home to Yellville to help his father on the farm. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he recruited a company for the Confederacy and saw much service. His brother, Jack Tate, was killed in a kirmish near Yellville in 1863.

Van Buren Tate married June 17, 1864 to Elizabeth Denton, daughter of Rev. William Denton and to this union eight children were born: Nora, Robert J., John Mann, Margaret Lucretia, Van McCall, Joe Allen, Sammy and Virginia, the last six were born in Baxter County.

In 1867, Van Buren Tate was licensed to preach in the Methodist Church and was ordained a Deacon in 1870 and and Elder in 1873.

Diary of V. B. Tate:

Foreward-

I was born in Buncombe County, North Carolina, 22nd December 1837, in the Swannanoe Valley about fourteern miles from Asheville, the county town.

Mt father was Ezra McCall Tate, son of David Tate of Burk County. My mother was Mary E. Rhodes, daughter of Joshua Rohodes and Jane Burks of Burk County. After their marriage in 1837, they moved to Buncombe County where I was born and where we lived until the spring of 1852 when we moved to the state of Arkansas. My mother had nine children, all are dead now, except the fourth, Robert, and myself.

Mother was consistant member of the Methodist E. C. Church South during my knowledge of her , up to her death July 24, 1865........I made no profession until the 25th of December, 1866, in Izard County where I had been teaching school.................................

I was licensed to preach on May 5th, 1867 and appointed to the Flatwoods Circuit and travelled during the year with the following results: 114 conversions, 68 bptised, collected $18 Conference money and for my self $105.............................................

Married to Margaret E. Denton on June 17, 1864 in Marion County, Arkansas. she mad a profession of religion at the Flatwoods Camp ground, October 20, 1868. Out two children were baptised in May of the same year........

Year of 1869: Our third child was born , named John Mann...[ apparently after Rev. John Mann who baptised the child.]

Year of 1870: Moved and settled in new place, in "Turkey Neck" of White River. [Gassville, Ar area}.

Year of 1871: Remained at our new home on "Turkey Neck". October 8th, 1871 our fourth child, Margaret Lucretia was born and bpatised by myself. Year's work was better, but I had sorrows and afflications. My father,[Ezra McCall Tate] died 24 May, aged 75. was buried with Masonic Honors by the Mountain Home Lodge..................waw buried near Hensley Smith on old military road.

1872 & 1873: My only brother, R. W. Tate living with me; was married to Elizabeth Ann Martin, December 1, 1872 by Rev. Eli C. Jones..................in Nov. 1872, Lydia rozier, an orphan girl came to live with us. She is a good, chritian girl and a big help to my wife. Duringn th winter of 182 & 73, the Legislature created Baxter County from a part of Marion, Searcy, Izard and Fulton. [counties]. I was elected Assesor for said county......Our 5th child, Van McCall Tate, born October 6, 1873 and was baptised by James Crews........

1875: Lydia Ann Rozier was married to Frank Lovett, by myself..... I have been bodily afflicted since quite a child, [heart disease] and for the last few years it has grown worse. ......god grant thet I may be able to bear up faithful until He shall say, Tis enough. My bodily afflications draw me nearer to the cross. On the 5th day of December our 6th child was born, Joseph Allen.

1876: [By now, he was living in Arvan Community].....elected to Ar. Legistature........ Brother Robert Tate's second child, a girl, Mary Isabel, was born in June 1876. Moved homself [robert] near the foot of Matney Knob on White River.

Dec. 22, 1876: Today I am thirty nine years old. god has been good and I have been spared and yet how little I have improved......expec to leave in a few days and maybe I shall never be with my little ones and wife again.......[going to Little Rock to attend sesion of Legisature].....

Dec. 28, 1876: Left home for Little Rock, to attend the session of Legislature. Arrived safely on January 4, 1877.........[note 5/6 days travle, about 150 miles].

March 11, 1877: Arrived home and found all is well. On Dec. 15, 1877, our seventh child, Sammy was born. Named him for Honorable Sam Davidson of Sharp County.

December 22, 1877: My 40th birthday. At home, wife was able to be at table with some neighbors...

December 22, 1878: My 41st birthday is very cold, snow on ground.....

Nov. 3, 1880: Had quite a heated campaign for re-election to the Legisature- ....votes- Tate 488, Russell 301 and white 214.......

1881: 3rd term in Legislature

1886 & 1887: Left home for Little Rock, Dec. 28th, 1886. My dear boy, John Mann, accompanying me-rough trip-part of the way on an open boat on White River...................During the day session, John was elected as page of the House from the 5th Central District.....We returned home April 2, 1887 and on the 16th, John was taken sick and after 26 days of painful illness died at 12:15 AM May 11, 1887. .......his remains were interred at Fairview Cemetery.....

1888: Made the race for State Senator from the 23rd District. Was beaten by W. E. Davidson The vote was Tate 2620 and Davidson 27265. many things working against me. particularly my compulsory education bill and the Rump Convention.

Dec. 22, 1888. I was 51 years old today.... Lee Denton and wife, and all children except Bob and Bant, ate dinner with us.....

1982: At the earnest solicitation of friends, made the race for the Leg., before the Democratic Primary again Jerry South, present incumbent. Was defeated-was the only time i ever lost the county in tenraces. To settle up and get straight I sold everything and with good mule team and Old Blaze, all the children but bob and started to Ellis County, Texas. made the trip in 21 days.

The last entry in the diary was at Trunbell, Texas in August of 1899. He died June 28, 1900 and was buried at Ferris, Texas.

The forward to the the diary reads: :For my own gratification and also for the benefit of a few interested friends, I have undertaken thsi Journal which will doubtless contain may imperfections and much uninteresting matter. I shall however present a truthful simple and I hope unpretending statement of my humble life".

Betty Brooks and Dixie Tait Kirton abstracted July 2000