# Nahum Ball Gates

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Colonel **Nahum Ball Gates** (1812–1890) was an American [military officer](/source/Military_officer), politician and businessman from [Lorain County, Ohio](/source/Lorain_County,_Ohio). He became mayor of [Elyria, Ohio](/source/Elyria,_Ohio), and was elected its [sheriff](/source/Sheriff) and [justice of the peace](/source/Justice_of_the_peace). He was also president of Lorain County Agricultural Society, and was appointed collector of Internal Revenue for the 14th District of Ohio by President [Abraham Lincoln](/source/Abraham_Lincoln).

## Biography

Nahum Ball Gates was born in St. Alban's, Vermont, on September 28, 1812, to Capt. John Gates and Abigal Ball.[1][2] His family came from Massachusetts initially. They were Puritans who participated in the American War of Independence, and were discharged by Founding Father Gen. Henry Knox.[2] Gates had three brothers who served in the war.[2] Gates was educated at local district schools during his youth.[2] In 1835, he opened a general assortment store under Gates & Greene.[2] He then entered into a partnership with his brother, Horatio N. Gates, from 1836 to 1844, in the commission business. In 1838, Gates was elected Sheriff of [Lorain County, Ohio](/source/Lorain_County,_Ohio).[3][2] He then moved to [Elyria, Ohio](/source/Elyria,_Ohio).

He was made Constable of the city, as well as [Justice of the Peace](/source/Justice_of_the_Peace), and Marshal of Charlestown village.[2] In 1840, he was re-elected sheriff, and served four years, reaching the constitutional limit.[4][5][6][2] On May 12, 1841, Gates married Sarah S. Monteith, daughter of abolitionist Rev. [John Monteith](/source/John_Monteith_(minister)).[2] The reverend's house was used as a stop of the [Underground Railroad](/source/Underground_Railroad) at the time, where he helped enslaved people escape the country and obtain their freedom.[2] They had number of children, one of which was Charlotte Augusta, who married to Rev. [Theodore Yale Gardner](/source/Theodore_Yale_Gardner), brother of Cleveland mayor [George W. Gardner](/source/George_W._Gardner).[7][8][9][2]

In 1843, Gates was elected mayor of Elyria, and stayed for about 12 years.[10][11][2] In the same year, Gates acquired a mill on the Black River, and built a saw-mill, sash, door, and blind factory.[12] He stayed in business for 23 years.[2] In 1844, Gates became engaged in the general [merchandise](/source/Merchandise) business in Elyria, which he exited in 1845.[2] In 1850, he became Director of the Lorain Plank-Road Company, and was made its superintendent. He became a member of the Board of Education, and stayed in his position for about 25 years.[2]

In 1852, Gates was elected president of the Lorain County Agricultural Society, which was founded in 1845.[13][2] He inclosed grounds for the society, and built stables, pens, sheds, and other structures.[2] In 1856, he was appointed treasurer of Lorain County, replacing Caleb S. Goodwin.[2] In 1860, he became [coroner](/source/Coroner) of Lorain County.[2] In 1862, he was appointed collector of internal revenue for the 14th district, being nominated by president [Abraham Lincoln](/source/Abraham_Lincoln).[2] He would later be removed from his office by president [Andrew Johnson](/source/Andrew_Johnson).[2] In 1869, he acquired a soap factory.[2]

He stayed active in the [Republican party](/source/GOP), and a member of the "Wide-awake Club".[14] He devoted a day in 1885 in homage to the death of Gen. [Ulysses S. Grant](/source/Ulysses_S._Grant).[15] He was also among the founders and active workers of the Elyria Union School.[16][2] Col. Nahum Ball Gates died in 1890. His son, William N. Gates, would establish the third oldest adversting agency in the United States, being W. N. Gates & Co., and become a trustee of the [Cleveland Trust Co.](/source/Cleveland_Trust_Company_Building) and the Cleveland & Eastern Railway.[17][18][19]

## References

1. [Stephen Gates of Hingham and Lancaster, Massachusetts and His Descendants](https://archive.org/details/stephengateshin00gategoog/page/n164/mode/2up?q=nahum), Charles Otis Gates, W. McDonald, University of Wisconsin, 1898, p. 157

1. [History of Lorain County, Ohio](https://books.google.com/books?id=JdYyAQAAMAAJ&q=gates), Williams Brothers, Leader Printing Co., Philadelphia, January, 1879, p. 108-109

1. [Lorain Republican](https://www.newspapers.com/image/6521470/?terms=%22nahum%20B%20gates%22&match=1), Wed, Apr 10, 1844 ·Page 4

1. [The Chronicle-Telegram](https://www.newspapers.com/image/30811846/?terms=%22nahum%20B%20gates%22&match=1), Sat, Mar 17, 1917 ·Page 8

1. [Elyria Courier](https://www.newspapers.com/image/37027548/?terms=%22nahum%20B%20gates%22&match=1), Wed, Sep 29, 1841 ·Page 3

1. [Elyria Courier](https://www.newspapers.com/image/37027508/?terms=%22nahum%20B%20gates%22&match=1), Tue, Oct 20, 1840 ·Page 3

1. [Theodore Yale Gardner Family Photograph Album](http://ead.ohiolink.edu/xtf-ead/view?docId=ead/OCLWHi2772.xml;chunk.id=bioghist_1;brand=default), Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

1. Commemorative Biographical Records of the Counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio; Chicago: J. H. Beers and Co., 1894, pp. 519-521

1. [History of Cleveland Presbyterianism with directory of all the churches](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/590be125ff7c502a07752a5b/t/5bde32ef2b6a28f99137a910/1541288719966/Ludlow%2C+Arthur+Clyde%2C+History+of+Cleveland+Presbyterianism.pdf), Arthur Clyde Ludlow, Cleveland, 1896

1. [Elyria Daily Telephone](https://www.newspapers.com/image/9358569/?terms=%22n.%20b.%20gates%22&match=1), Thu, Jan 06, 1887 ·Page 4

1. [Elyria Independent Democrat](https://www.newspapers.com/image/9352405/?terms=%22nahum%20B%20gates%22&match=1), Wed, Apr 07, 1869 ·Page 2

1. [Elyria Independent Democrat](https://www.newspapers.com/image/37047776/?terms=%22nahum%20B%20gates%22&match=1), Wed, Apr 16, 1856 ·Page 1

1. [The Elyria Reporter](https://www.newspapers.com/image/11768474/?terms=%22n.%20b.%20gates%22&match=1), Wed, Mar 07, 1900 ·Page 3

1. [Elyria Courier](https://www.newspapers.com/image/37027543/?terms=%22n.%20b.%20gates%22&match=1), Wed, Sep 15, 1841 ·Page 2

1. [The Elyria Republican](https://www.newspapers.com/image/11291458/?terms=%22n.%20b.%20gates%22&match=1), Thu, Aug 06, 1885 ·Page 5

1. [Elyria Independent Democrat](https://www.newspapers.com/image/37047637/?terms=%22n.%20b.%20gates%22&match=1), Wed, Jan 30, 1856 ·Page 3

1. [The Elyria Democrat](https://www.newspapers.com/image/7294366/?terms=%22william%20nahum%20gates%22&match=1), Thu, Mar 27, 1913 ·Page 8

1. [The Elyria Democrat](https://www.newspapers.com/image/7294366/?terms=%22nahum%20B%20gates%22&match=1), Thu, Mar 27, 1913 ·Page 8

1. [The Chronicle-Telegram](https://www.newspapers.com/image/13184127/?terms=%22nahum%20Ball%20gates%22&match=1), Mon, Sep 11, 1944 ·Page 7

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nahum Ball Gates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahum_Ball_Gates) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahum_Ball_Gates?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.