At one time in Escambia County, Florida, schools were titled with the names of outstanding members of the community, people considered role models. Today, with a need by local governments to not offend, or possibly due to the historical ignorance by those who are choosing titles, new schools receive insignificant generic titles like North End, or West Side. Most of the old honorably named schools of the county like Clubbs, Earnest Ward, and Woodham have faded away, but a few remain. One is named after a most remarkable man, J. M. Tate.
James Tate was born in Girard, Ala. 1837. His father was a lawyer, sheriff, clerk and then probate judge. As a child, James was sent away to several unhappy years at boarding school after his mother died. At sixteen, he entered Emory College, winning a top place in each class. After graduation he spent a short time with the state militia, being released in 1858. He then took law at Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tenn. and received license to practice before the supreme court of Alabama.
He became a junior member of the law firm of Belser, Rice & Tate in 1860 and opened an office in Russell County, but before the term of the circuit court convened, was ordered to his militia company at Montgomery.
In 1861 the life of Tate took a major turn, beginning with his participation as an Alabama militiaman in the capture of the Pensacola forts and Navy Yard. He then re-enlisted as an Alabama non-commissioned officer and for four years participated in at least twenty four battles and skirmishes in Virginia, gaining the rank of first lieutenant. He was wounded at Malvern Hill, more painfully at South Mountain, and seriously at Spotsylvania.
After the Civil War, southern ex-soldier attorneys in the carpet bagging days were basically banned in Alabama and Tate’s career stalled. But, in 1867 he married Miss Sallie Clark and was soon elected marshal of Tuskegee. He held this office for only two months when he accepted an offer to head a nearby country school. Also, in 1869 he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church and was licensed to preach in 1873. About 1875, he resigned from the country school to begin “Tate’s Select School for Boys” at Tuskegee, where he had the assistance of his brother, Professor Clarence Tate.
It was around 1878 that Tate came to Powelton in Escambia County on invitation of Dr. W. P. Dickinson to visit the school. He fell in love with the country, soon brought his family and took charge of the school assisted by his brother Clarence. Later, in 1880 Tate gained rank in the Methodist Church to deacon. He would teach and preach around the town of Powelton for thirty five years.
In 1913 Tate retired from Roberts High School at the age of 76. At the time his school boasted more than 100 students. The professor had graduated 107 students through the twelfth grade, 82 becoming teachers. Also as minister, he had married 200 couples, baptized over 100 infants, and buried more than 300 dead. Tate was held in high regard by the community after his retirement and he often received guests on the front porch of his modest home, where he and his brother Clarence spent much time. By 1915 members of the community were organizing efforts to change the name of the Gonzalez-Powelton-Roberts school to the JM Tate School.
Though well-known, Tate’s modest income after retirement was primarily through payments as an Alabama war veteran. Not wishing to fall into debt, Tate pinned letters to several newsprints asking to stop service. Almost all responded that they would prefer he accepted them at no charge.
The editor of the Pensacola paper also suggested that Tate may contribute an article or two as payment, which he accepted. Tate then gained notoriety beyond the community through a series of popular newspaper articles in 1915 and 1916 called the Chronicles of Powelton. Along with informative, whimsical recollections of the town’s history, the professor shared tales of stolen Confederate treasure. The stories stirred much interest throughout the county and the community saw many visitors wishing to see the treasure sites, some trying to dig.
By 1916 the professor was tired of being besieged with requests for his next treasure tale which he considered “catering to the morbid curious, and sought by ignorant and superstitious individuals”. In response, he wrote of treasures that could be held by everyone. In his January essay, he placed on exhibit three letters from a bundle of more than one hundred that he claimed as his own treasure trove.
The third letter was a tender Christmas greeting from a man who was a student on Tate’s first school day at Powelton, a lifelong friend who called him Uncle Jim.
At the end of the letter Tate apologized for “violating epistolary etiquette by posting a private letter” and explained this, “I officiated as minister when he was united to the partner of his life. As minister, I officiated in the baptism of his three children. As instructor, I educated them. As minister, I again officiated in the nuptials of his only daughter, and as Uncle Jim I have dared to contravene the established rules of politeness by deliberately revealing family secrets”. He concluded his essay with this, “But I have no apology for my unfortunate blunder, if unfortunate it be, and I may perpetuate a similar offense in the future for I have quite an assortment of unburied treasures which I may exhibit in the near future unless the public reader is overly satisfied and should cry, Hold, enough”.
The J.M. Tate High School at Gonzalez has served thousands of students, for more than a century. Sometimes students are told of the man who is buried near his brother behind the Gonzalez Methodist Church. A man who spent his life working for the betterment of others. A good role model.
