ELIZABETH ANN "LIZZIE" FREEHAFER CATES- Elizabeth Ann Freehafer was born in Mansfield, Ohio, February 9, 1855 and departed for her home in Heaven on February 6, 1922, aged 66 years, 11 months and 27 days.

At 20 years of age she married Cyrus Cates, to this union were born three children, two sons and one daughter who survive her. Eight years after their marriage they came to Wheeler Township, Gratiot County, Michigan, locating on their present homestead which has been their home up to the present time. Mrs. Cates was one of the pioneer settlers, coming when the country was new and little improved. These were the days of hardship, sacrifice and toil.

She was one of the old charter members of the Centerline F.M. Church of which she was a faithful member up to the time of her passing. A loving wife and faithful mother, a devout Christian has been called home and will be greatly missed by her husband, two sons, one daughter, seven grandchildren, two sisters and a host of friends and neighbors in church and community.

The funeral services were conducted at the Centerline Free Methodist Church on Wednesday, February 8 at 1:30 p.m. conducted by her pastor, the Rev. Charles H. Woods, assisted by elder W.W. Hoyt and Rev. W.A. Knight, a former pastor. Her body was laid to rest in Breckenridge Cemetery (Ridgelawn Cemetery) to wait the glorious resurrection.

(Richland County Ohio USGenWeb Site, Submitted by Nancy, Source Unknown, c. 6 February 1922)

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ELIZABETH ANN "LIZZIE" FREEHAFER was one of twelve known children born to Jonathan and Mary Ann Cramer Freehafer. Her childhood years were spent on a farm near Butler, Worthington Township, Richland County, Ohio.

Miss Lizzie Ann Freehafer and Cyrus Cates, the son of Anthony and Margaret Baker Cates, were married on September 26, 1975, in Richland County, Ohio. They moved from Richland County, to Wheeler Township, Gratiot County, Michigan around 1883.

Their children were daughter, Edna Viola Cates, who married William Francis Bartlett, sons, Rollie E. Cates and Orley Francis Cates, who married Blanche Velma Hayward.

Lizzie was survived by two sisters, Mrs. Amanda Jane Freehafer Kunkel Minard of Butler, Ohio, and Mrs. Arminda "Minnie" Freehafer Hills of Laingsburg, Michigan.

(Written by Judy Pence Farst)

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The birth date of 1853 on Lizzie's headstone may be wrong, I believe that she was born in 1855.