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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of Albert K. TATE 

Pages 316-317, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: CLARK, FARR, HILL, TATE, WILSON] 

    
ALBERT K. TATE, editor and proprietor of the Astoria Argus, is a wide-awake young journalist and is successfully conducting an excellent family newspaper. He is also an enterprising man of business, dealing in real estate and representing five different insurance companies. 
    
Mr. Tate is a native of this State, born in Macomb, McDonough County, February 28, 1861. He is a son of the well known Richard Tate, who was born in what is now Carter County, Ky., July 5, 1831. His father, David Tate, was a native of the same county and a son of one of the pioneers of Kentucky, who early located in Green County, and there spent his last years. The grandfather of our subject was reared and married in the county of his nativity, taking for his wife Miss Nancy Wilson. He learned the trade of a tanner and engaged in that in connection with farming during his residence in Green County. In 1845, he came from Kentucky to Illinois, bringing with him his wife and six children. He stopped a short time in Henderson County, and then located in McDonough County, buying a tract of land about two miles south of Macomb. That town was then but a hamlet and the surrounding country was thinly inhabited. Mr. Tate lived on his farm in that vicinity several years, and then bought property in the village of Macomb, and resided there until 1871. In that year he sold his property there and moved to Arkansas. He lived a short time in Hico, and there shortly after his arrival his wife died at the age of sixty-eight years. Mr. Tate subsequently removed to Washington County, and still resides on the farm he then purchased, he being now quite an old man. 
    
Richard Tate was fourteen years old when his parents came to Illinois. He was bred to a farmer's life on the old homestead, and continued to live with his father and mother until he established a home of his own. He learned the trade of a tanner and brick moulder, and after he assumed the cares of married life he settled in Macomb and was occupied at his trades some years. He finally entered the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company in the contractor's department, and has remained with that company most of the time since. He married Emeline Hall, who was born in Maxwell, Washington County, Ky., October 17, 1837, and is a daughter of Joel and Mary (Clark) Hall. Two children have blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Tate, Effie and our subject. Their daughter resides with them. 
    
The gentleman of whom this sketch is written was reared in Macomb, and received excellent educational advantages in its public schools. When he was fourteen years old he commenced to work on a farm at $15 per month. He was thus employed for a few months in the fall and then clerked in a fruit store a few weeks. August 10, 1875, he entered the office of the Macomb Eagle and for four years thereafter, served an apprenticeship to learn the printer's trade. After that he went to Chicago and was employed in the office of the Times four months and then worked on the Prairie Farmer a few months and subsequently was engaged in a job office on Dearborn Street. He remained in Chicago about a year and we next hear of him in a printing office in Warsaw, where he was employed six months. At the expiration of that time he returned to Macomb and studied dentistry awhile. He abandoned that, however, and resumed the printer's trade in the office of the daily Republican-Register at Galesburg. From there he went to Bushnell and worked in the office of the Gleaner. On account of ill health he gave up office work for awhile and went to Iowa, whither he was sent by the Union Publishing Company, of Springfield, to assist in compiling county histories. A year later he entered the employ of the Illinois State Journal, and six months after that went back to Macomb as foreman in the office of the Macomb Eagle. 
    
He retained that position one year, and then bought the Astoria Argus, and has edited and published this paper ever since. His experience in various printing offices and on various papers, was invaluable to him in his new work, and laid a solid foundation for his career as a journalist. His paper is well managed, and is published in a meat and attractive form, is bright and interesting and keeps apace with the times. For a young man of his energy and capacity for work, his labors as on editor are not sufficient to take up his time, so our subject has branched out in other directions, and, as before mentioned, is engaged in the insurance business, as agent for five different companies, and he also makes money by his dealings in realty. 
    
Mr. Tate was wedded to Miss Bertha Farr, September 25, 1884. Mrs. Tate is a native of Astoria Township, and a daughter of John and Nina Farr. The names of the children that have been born to our subject and his wife in their pleasant home are: Mildred F. and Albert Dean. Mr. and Mrs. Tate are people of high personal character, and are greatly esteemed by the entire community. They are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Tate belongs to Astoria Lodge No. 100, A. F. & A. M. and Astoria Camp, N. W. A. No. 381.