Eli Fountain "Fount" Gates - Kyrene Farmer

Birth:	06 Oct 1874	Rincon Ranch, Atascosa, Texas
Death:	02 Jul 1934	Kyrene, Maricopa, Arizona
Marriage:	14 Jul 1898	Pearsall, Frio, Texas to     Elizabeth Annette "Lizzie" Collins

Eli Fountain Gates was the eldest child of Mary Ann Hethcock and Alexander Franklin Gates. He was born on October 6, 1874, on the Rincon ranch, a ranch his parents owned in Atascosa County, Texas. At the time of his birth, his father was 28 years old and his mother was 21. He was called Fount by his family and E.F. Gates on most legal papers.

The Gates family was one of the pioneer families of Atascosa County. His paternal grandfather, William Norwood Gates had served in the Army of the Republic during the Siege of Béxar. He had served as Sheriff at Atascosa County during reconstruction and had served as a County Commissioner for many years.

The Rincon Ranch was located near Lytle, Texas. Lytle was a small farming community located in the north east corner of Atascosa County. In 1881 the Great Northern Railway opened a railroad station in Lytle, the only one in the county.  Stores, schools, churches, and businesses soon followed.

The Town of Lytle lies on the border of three counties; Bexar County, Atascosa County, and Medina County.  Lytle is composed of three separate communities; the community of Lytle, the Benton City Community on the eastern border of town, and the historical community of Coal Mine on the northwest tip of town. The Gates family lived near Benton City.

The main industries of early Lytle settlers were farming and ranching.  Lytle became a major shipping point for cattle and the old stock pen loading chute was a familiar Lytle landmark for years.  The main field crops in Lytle were cotton and corn.  Cotton gins were located in Lytle and in Benton.  This made it convenient for the buyers who could come right to the cotton gin yards to buy their cotton.

In the 1800's white settlers and native Apache battled for control of the area. Gates cattle and horses were stolen from the ranch during Indians raids. Warnings of possible Indian attacks were reported in local newspapers as late as 1873. Fount would have been raised to be vigilant regarding native Indians.

The first actual record we have of Fount is June 10, 1880, when his family was enumerated on the 1880 US Federal census. The family was living in Precinct 2 of Atascosa County, Texas. His father's occupation was listed as Farmer. Fount's maternal grandparents Leannah and John Hethcock must have lived close by, they were listed as the next family on the same page. Living with the family was Fount's cousin Martha Emmaline Sanders following the death of her father Erby Sanders.

United States Census, 1880 for Atascosa County, Texas

Name	Age	Sex	Relation	Birth place
Alexander F. Gates	34	M	Head	Louisiana
Mary Ann Gates	26	F	Wife	Arkansas
Eli Fountain Gates	5	M	Son	Texas
Saml. E. Gates	2	M	Son	Texas
Leana Jane Gates	1m	F	Daughter	Texas
Marthy E. Sanders	11	F	Cousin	Texas
John W. Hethcock	50	M	Head	Alabama
Leana B. Hethcock	48	F	Wife	Arkansas
John S. Hethcock	21	M	Son	Texas
Adaline T. Hethcock	17	F	Daughter	Texas
George F. S. Hethcock	11	M	Son	Texas

One room school house ruin

Fount and his 7 siblings attended local schools where they learned to read, write and cipher. One-room schoolhouses were common in small towns in the 1800s. Many small towns in Atascosa County had school houses. The ruins of some of these schoolhouses still remain.

The Gates children probably attended school in nearby Benton City. Benton city was also the home of the Benton City Institute which offered higher learning including accounting, law, music, and surveying.

Fount had 6 siblings; the closest in age was his brother Sam who was 3 years younger than Fount. His siblings were:

     Samuel Edmond "Sam" (1878-1927)

     Leana Jane [Crouch] (1880-1914)

     Bittie Myrtle [Kilborn] (1882-1949)

     Ellis Franklin (1886-1979)

     Joel Dawson (1891-1975)

     William Mason (1896-1995)

The Gates family were members of the Baptist church. Fount's paternal Grandfather, William Norwood Gates, had founded a Baptist church in Gates Valley; it is unknown whether Fount and his family attended the church in Gates Valley or a local church in nearby Benton City. 

The Gates family was active in the local Masonic organizations. Fount's father was one of the founding members of Benton City Masonic Lodge #379. His mother was a member of the Eastern Stars. As Fount and his siblings came of age, they joined the Masonic lodge as well. Fount is believed to be number 22 on this picture from the Atascosa County Chronicles blog.

The Lodge met at the second floor of the Benton City Institute. Local history states "...upstairs, by candlelight, the Atascosa lodge conducted deliberations on Saturday evening, on or before the full moon, enabling members who had to travel through the brush to more easily avoid a surprise attack by Indians."

In 1881, the railroad came to nearby Lytle. Before the advent of the railroads, most local communities rendered time based on "high noon." As railroads led to faster travel and commerce between distant communities, the lack of a standardized time zone caused confusion and chaos with regards to times of arrival and departures at train stations. In 1883, Railroad companies created time zones to make travel and commerce easier. 

In 1897, Fount was taxed in Atascosa County for owning 1 horse worth $30; he was about 22 years old at the time. 

On July 14th, 1898, 23 year old Fount tied the knot; E. F. Gates married 18 year old Lizzie Collins in Pearsall, in nearby Frio County, Texas. The couple had eloped. According to his cousin, Terrell Gates, "Lizzie decided she was going to elope... because she thought it would be fun." The marriage was announced in the local newspapers.

Fount's wife, Elizabeth Annette Collins, was born April 11, 1880 in Lytle. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Mary Boyles and Leroy George "L.G." Collins. "L.G." was a Confederate Army veteran having served with the 5^th Mississippi Infantry.

Fount and Lizzie settled in the Benton City area (which is near present day Lytle) and started a family.  Their eldest child, Floy Mae was born on October 4, 1899; Fount was 24 years old. 

When the 1900 census was taken on June 5, 1900, Eli F and Lizzie A were living in Atascosa County in a rental home. Fount's occupation was listed as Teacher in School and the census indicated he was unemployed 5 months in the previous year. The census indicated that the couple had been married 2 years. Lizzie had given birth to one child who was still living. Both were literate, able to read and write. Living in the next residence, are Alexander F and Mary A Gates, Fount's parents. Fount's father was listed as a farmer. All seven of Fount's siblings are living at home.

United States Census, 1900 for Atascosa County, Texas

Household	Sex	Age	Relation	Birth	Birthplace	Occupation
Eli F Gates	M	25	Head	Oct 1874	Texas	School Teacher
Lizzie A Gates	F	20	Wife	Apr 1880	Texas	.
Floy M Gates	F	9m	Daughter	Oct 1889	Texas	.
						.
Alexander F Gates	M	54	Head	Apr 1846	Louisiana	Farmer
Mary A Gates	F	47	Wife	Apr 1853	Arkansas	.
Sam E Gates	M	22	Son	Jun 1877	Texas	Farm laborer
Leana J Gates	F	20	Daughter	May 1880	Texas	.
Bittie M Gates	F	17	Daughter	Feb 1883	Texas	.
Ellis F Gates	M	12	Son	Feb 1887	Texas	Farm laborer
Joel D Gates	M	9	Son	Mar 1891	Texas	.
Mason W Gates	M	4	Son	Feb 1896	Texas	.
Francis E Gates	F	13	Daughter	Oct 1886	Texas	.

  

Fount was in Texas at the turn of the 20th century when the state suddenly became known for its “black gold.” According to the Texas Almanac: 

For Texans, the 20th century did not begin on January 1, 1901, as it did for everyone else. It began nine days later, on Jan. 10, when, spurting drilling pipe, mud, gas and oil, the Lucas No. 1 well blew in at Spindletop near Beaumont. The gusher spewed oil more than 100 feet into the air until it was capped nine days later. With that dramatic fanfare, Texas' economy was wrenched from its rural, agricultural roots and flung headlong into the petroleum and industrial age.

Fount's family continued to grow; on November 25, 1901, Lizzie gave birth to a second daughter, Mary Lou in Medina County, Texas, followed by a son Herbert Ellis born on November 14, 1903 in Crown, Atascosa County.

The family was now complete. The family consisting of Fount, Lizzie, Herbert, Mary Lou and Floy Gates was captured in this photo taken around 1905.

When the 1910 census was taken on April 20, 1910, the family was enumerated in Precinct 2 of Atascosa County. The census indicated they were living near Lytle and Benton roads. Fount was working as a stockman at a stable. He and Lizzie had been married for 11 years. It was the first marriage for both of them. Lizzie had given birth to 3 children, all 3 were living. The entire household was literate; all 3 children were attending school. Living in the previous residence was Lizzie's brother Thomas Ira Collins and his family.

United States Census, 1910 for Atascosa County, Texas

Household.	Sex	Age	Relation	Birthplace	Occupation/ Industry
E F Gates	M	35	Head	Texas	Stock        / Stable
Lizzie Gates	F	30	Wife	Texas
Floy Gates	F	11	Daughter	Texas
Mary L Gates	F	8	Daughter	Texas
Herbert Gates	M	6	Son	Texas
Ira Collins	M	39	Head	Texas	Farmer
Laura Collins	F	36	Wife	Texas
Ellis Collins	M	18	Son	Texas	Farm help
Otto Collins	M	15	Son	Texas	Farm help
Carroll Collins	M	12	Son	Texas	Farm help
Walter Collins	M	6	Son	Oklahoma
Lee G Collins	M	2	Son	Texas

When World War I broke out in July 1914 Fount was 39. The general sentiment was that the war would be over by Christmas; the reality was far different. By the time it concluded four years later, more than 9 million soldiers and 7 million civilians had died as a direct result of the conflict. Soldiers fought from dug-in positions, striking at each other with machine guns, heavy artillery, and chemical weapons. In early April 1917, the United States, angered by attacks upon its ships in the Atlantic, declared war on Germany. Entering at the end of four years of slaughter, the US helped turn the tide in favor of the Allies. 

On 18 May 1917, the Selective Service Act was passed. As a result, every male living within the United States between the ages of eighteen and forty-five was required to register for the draft.

On September 12, 1918, 44 year old Eli Fount completed his draft registration. He was living in Miguel, Frio County, Texas and working as a farmer. His nearest relative was his wife Lizzie. The form listed his birth date as September 4, 1874 which is in conflict with other sources for his birth day. His physical description was listed as medium height, medium build, grey eyes and dark hair. No physical deformities were listed.

During the wartime period, the couple suffered many family losses. The first was Fount's father-in-law L.G. Collins who passed away on November 27, 1917 in Lytle, Texas, at the age of 79. On January 1, 1918, Lizzie who was living in Pearsall, Texas requested a $30 Mortuary Warrant from the State of Texas based on her father's Confederate Pension.

Following the death of L.G., Lizzie assisted her mother Elizabeth in filing the necessary paperwork to request a Confederate Widow's Pension. In February 1918, Fount and Lizzie completed Affidavits in front of a Frio County Judge stating Lizzie's mother Elizabeth was the widow of Lee George Collins and that she had been a resident of Texas prior to January 1, 1900. At the time of the filings, Lizzie and Fount were living in Pearsall.

The couple's next loss was Fount's father Alexander Franklin passed away on May 24, 1918, in Lytle, Texas, at the age of 72. Fount's mother Mary Ann passed away on December 9, 1918, in San Antonio, Texas, at the age of 65. Fount was 44. Lizzie's mother Elizabeth Mary passed away on June 28, 1919, in Lytle, Texas, at the age of 77.


On a happier note, on January 10th, 1918, Fount's eldest daughter Floy married Byron Lincoln Roberts in Pearsall, Frio, Texas. The couple settled in Frio County.

Sometime in 1918, the family moved to Arizona. Farming conditions in Texas were deteriorating; between 1910 and 1929 land prices skyrocketed. Many farmers found it impossible to buy land. The number of tenant farmers and sharecroppers grew rapidly. Perhaps the cost of land is one of the reasons the family decided to move to Arizona.

Fount & Lizzie Gates

According to Lizzie’s grandson Eli, the family moved to Arizona near Maricopa where Fount was working for the railroad. He was in charge of the water tanks and pumps. Railroad employment records dated July through December of 1919 show E.F. Gates worked as a Foreman for the Southern Pacific - Tucson Division.


While working for the railroads, Fount developed Typhoid Fever from contaminated water. The initial symptoms include fever, malaise, abdominal pain, and constipation.  Antibiotics have been used to treat typhoid fever starting in 1942, but Fount contracted the disease prior to antibiotics.

Typhoid fever is a grueling illness that persists for up to a month. Complications include delirium, intestinal hemorrhage and bowel perforation. Prior to antibiotics, the mortality rate was 20%.  Survivors were often left with permanent psychiatric problems such as delirium, hallucinations and paranoia over the long term.

According to Fount's grandson, Eli, the railroad company sent Fount to Los Angeles for medical treatment. Being dissatisfied with the treatment, Fount returned to Texas to be treated by his brother Ellis Franklin Gates who was a physician.

In January 7, 1919, Fount and Lizzie bought two parcels of land in Section 20 in the Kyrene farm district along the Highland Canal. Farm Unit D, SW ¼, SE ¼, of Section 20, was titled in the name of Elizabeth Gates; Farm Unit E, SE ¼, SE ¼, of Section 20, was titled in the name of Eli F Gates. 

The parcels were homesteaded under the Reclamation Act of 1902.  The Salt River Project was one of the first projects completed under this act. Money from the sale of public lands was used to fund irrigation projects. The Act required residents to live on the property, and use at least half for agriculture. At the time of the purchase, the couple mortgaged both parcels for $ 6,850 each on a 5-year note at 7% interest. 

 Looking towards Tempe from South Mountain in 1905.
Salt River is on the left,  Highline Canal just right of center

The Gates land parcels were along the banks of the Highline Canal. Highline Canal, completed in 1913, was built to supply water from the Salt River for ranchers and farmers south of the river and east of the South Mountain. In addition to raising cattle, the land was used for raising alfalfa, cotton, and citrus groves. The area became famous for beautiful Japanese garden farms run by families released from internment camps after World War II. Fount in the tradition of his Texas ancestors used the land for ranching cattle.

The family settled on the land and built a house on 56th Street about 1/4 mile north of Ray road. Herbert was enrolled in Kyrene Elementary school. Upon graduating from Kyrene Elementary in 1919, Herbert was enrolled in Temple High School. Mary Lou was enrolled in the Tempe Normal School (now Arizona State University). 

Santa Cruz County, Arizona

When the 1920 census was taken on June 15, 1920, the family was enumerated in Elgin, Santa Cruz County, Arizona. Elgin was founded when the Santa Fe Railroad built a line that ran from Benson to Nogales. The family was living in a rental home. The only child living at home was their son Herb. The occupation field for Fount is illegible. The industry is listed as Office and track. The entire household was literate. Herbert, age 16 was attending school. Mary Lou has not been located in the census; perhaps she was staying with friends or relatives or away at school. I believe that Fount was working for the railroad in order to obtain the necessary cash to pay off the mortgages on his land.

United States Census, 1920 for Elgin, Santa Cruz County, AZ

Household	Sex	Age	Relation	Birthplace	Occupation/Industry
Fount E Gates	M	45	Head	Texas	Foreman  / Office & over track
Elizabeth Gates	F	39	Wife	Texas
Herbert Gates	M	16	Son	Texas

Fount and Lizzie satisfied all the government requirements for their land and were issued the land patents for Farm unit "D" on May 17, 1920, and the patent for Farm unit "E" on 13 June 1921. The mortgages on both parcels were paid off on November 18, 1922.

Roosevent Dam trip

On May 7th, 1921, Fount and Lizzie's second daughter Mary Lou married Robert Milton Kincade. The couple settled in Phoenix, Arizona. On June 12, 1922 Mary Lou gave birth to Fount and Lizzie's first grandchild, a baby girl. Mary Louise Kincade (Wilde) was born in Tempe. In December 23, 1924 their son Herbert married Maude Gertrude Powell. The young couple settled in the Kyrene area near Fount and Lizzie. 

Eli, Fount & Bill Gates

The couple was close enough to Tempe to enjoy occasional outings. The Roosevelt Dam completed in 1911, slowed the flow of water through the Valley. In the 1920s, the river provided cool escape from the desert heat. Residents gathered near Tempe Beach Park and swam at the base of the railroad bridge. Red Harkins built a theater in Tempe Beach Park where he showed summer movies for five cents. In 1931 the Mill Avenue Bridge was constructed that allowed easier access for the horseless carriages to the north side of the river.

Fount and Lizzie were loving grandparents; within a few years they had five grandchildren.

Lizzie & Fount with
Mary Louise & Eli

    Mary Louise Wilde daughter of Mary Lou
    William "Bill" Roberts born Sept. 13, 1922
    Elizabeth Annette born January 17, 1928
    Eli Fount Gates born  February 18, 1926
    William Herbert "Bill Gates born Sept. 1, 1927

Sometime around 1925 Mary Lou and Milton Kincade went their separate ways. After the divorce Mary Lou returned to her parents’ home. It is unknown how long she stayed with her parents.


During World War I (1914 to 1918), the economy of Phoenix and the surrounding areas was booming; demand for Pima Cotton was high driven by the wartime need for tires. After the war ended, the price of cotton plummeted. The demand for oranges had gone down, too, because of competition from Florida, and Southern California. The economy of Arizona began to slow.

Fount and Lizzie survived the Cotton crash. With the price of land falling, the couple purchased additional land in section 16. 

In December 1928 when the Salt River Project levies an assessment against the land owners to pay for electrical lines, Fount was assessed $ 5.50 / acre on the following parcels:

     40.00 acres Section 30
     71.75 acres Section 20
     85.25 acres Section 16

In January 1930, Fount & Lizzie deeded Farm unit "B" in section 30 to Herbert and his wife Maude.

When the 1930 census was taken on April 11, 1930, Mary Lou and Mary Louise were living with Fount and Elizabeth in Kyrene, Maricopa County, Arizona. They were living on Highland Drive in a home they owned which was located on a farm. Fount was listed as a Rancher. The census indicated that Fount was not a veteran. 

United States Census, 1930 for Kyrene, Maricopa County, AZ

Household	Sex	Age	Relation	Birthplace	Occupation/Industry
Fount E Gates	M	55	Head	Texas	Rancher / Ranch
Elizabeth Gates	F	49	Wife	Texas
Mary Lou Kinard	F	28	Daughter	Texas
Mary Louise Kinard	F	7	Granddaughter	Arizona

The cotton crash of 1920 was only a prelude to the Great Depression which began with the Stock market crash in October 1929. Between 1920 and 1932, one in four farms in the United States was sold to meet financial obligations and many farmers migrated to urban areas.

The early 1930's was a hard time for the Gates family. Arizona mines closed, and the prices for farm goods fell. 
Around 1931, Herb and Maude left the farm and went into Phoenix and found jobs at the Phoenix Country club. They placed their boys with family. Maude's parents kept Eli and Fount and Lizzie kept Bill. These jobs helped them make the payments on their land. 

Fount was unable to make the payments on the land in section 16. In February 1932 the Federal Land Bank filed for foreclosure. In addition to the loss of the land, Fount also had to liquidate some of his farm equipment.

On May 26, 1933, daughter Mary Lou married for a second time to Phillip Frank Wilde. The couple was married and settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Fount and Lizzie must have missed their grand-daughter Mary Louise who had been living with them for years.

The financial stress took a toll on Fount; his health began to fail. In December 1933, he and Lizzie traveled to Texas. The couple spent 2 months in Texas where Fount was under the care of his brother, Dr Ellis Gates, Mayo representative at Eagle Pass, Texas. After returning to Arizona his health continued to decline. 

According to his obituary, in June 1934 Floy, Byron, Annette, and Bill Roberts and Mary Louise came to Kyrene due to Fount's serious illness. On July 2, 1934 Fount decided to put an end to his misery. He went out to the field and hung himself. He was 59 years old. He was buried in Double Butte cemetery in Tempe, Arizona on July 5th. 

Lizzie continued to live on the farm until her death in 1958. She was buried in Double Butte cemetery next to Fount.

Obituary from Lizzie Gates' scrapbook
Courtesy of Linda Gates