Son of Stephen & Anna Agate. Brother of Winchester, Ann and Sarah.


-Rochester Democrat and Chronicle-

Reuben Agate, aged seventy-five
years, passed away early Thursday
morning, at the family home four
miles south-west of this village. He
had been in failing health for a long
time, having a complication of diseases.

He was son of Stephen Agate, born in Pittsford
in 1799, a son of William and Mary Agate, who
left England, their native land, in the
fall of 1794, arriving in New York in
January, 1795. They remained-in that
vicinity until January, 1798, when,
they removed to Western New York to
the town of Northfield, now Pittsford.
They journeyed with an ox team
bringing only such things as they
could load on one sled. In the fall
of the same year erected a log cabin.
They experienced the hardships of
pioneer life which were very severe to
those who had been accustomed to the
luxuries of England. At that time
there was no store nor post office nearer
than Canandaigua. Their only means of
reaching there was with oxen or on foot.
As there were few horses in the country at
that time.

They seldom passed a year it is said,
without suffering from illness brought on
by exposure and overwork. There was a grist
mill where Jaescke's mill is now located
and William Agate, the grandfather
of Reuben Agate, with the assistance
of a neighbor, cleared the forest and made
the road leading from the Mendon road,
past their residence to the mill.

Near surviving relatives, who resided
at the homestead at the time of
Reuben Agate's death, are: one sister,
Miss Eliza Agate; a niece, Harriet E. Agate;
a nephew, Stephen F. Agate.
Other nieces ana nephews who survive
are: Rev. Herbert Agate of Norwalk,
Ohio, Charles W. of Henriettta;
Agnes A. Agate, Mrs. Cora Baird and
Mrs. Christine Wolfe of Pittsford. The
funeral service was held on Saturday
and the interment in the old family
lot in the cemetery, one mile south of
Pittsford village.