David Robert Wingate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Robert Wingate
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|---|---|
| Born | 20 February 1819 Darlington County, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | 15 February 1899 (aged 79) |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America |
| Service/ |
 Confederate States Army |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Spouse(s) | Caroline Morgan |
David Robert Wingate (February 20, 1819 – 1899) was an American businessman. He was involved in the lumber industry and also managed large farms. During the American Civil War, he served as a defense commissioner for Jefferson County, Texas, for the Confederate Army. Throughout his life, he faced many financial challenges but always managed to rebuild his businesses and succeed.
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Early Life and Business Beginnings
David Robert Wingate was born on February 20, 1819, in Darlington County, South Carolina. His parents were Robert Potter and Pherobee (Kelly) Wingate. When he was young, his family moved to the Mississippi River delta region. This area was known for its logging and sawmills.
David's early education was simple. He started working in the lumber industry as a basic laborer. At age 20, he married Caroline Morgan, who was from Mississippi. They had seven children together.
In 1849, when he was 30, David owned his first sawmill in Mississippi. After three years, including rebuilding his mill after a fire, Wingate moved to Newton County, Texas, in 1852. There, he started a large cotton farm. Within seven years, he became a very successful cotton farmer in Southeast Texas.
Expanding into Lumber and Trade
David Wingate noticed that the timber market in the area had a lot of potential. He found an old, unused mill called the Spartan Mill near Sabine Pass. By 1859, he owned this sawmill. He made it the largest steam sawmill in Texas.
He moved his family to this coastal town. He also started a small group of lumber schooners. These were sailing ships used for trading wood across the Gulf of Mexico. In the summer of 1860, a steam boiler at his mill exploded. This accident sadly killed some of his workers. But Wingate quickly rebuilt the equipment. He wanted to keep his mill running and provide jobs for his employees.
Role in the American Civil War
In April 1861, David Wingate and one of his sons joined the Sabine Pass Guard. David was chosen as the chairman of safety for Sabine Pass. He also became a marshal for the Confederate States in East Texas. During the war, he started blockade running. This meant trying to get goods past naval blockades.
In 1862, he lost a steamer ship he owned when it got stuck. To prevent it from being captured, he and his crew burned the ship and its cargo of 500 bales of cotton. Wingate also helped supply the wood needed to build Fort Sabine. In August 1862, a yellow fever outbreak hit Sabine Pass. Wingate moved his family back to Newton County for safety.
A few months later, on October 21, a Union Navy patrol attacked Sabine Pass. They burned down his sawmill and home there. In 1864, Wingate was elected chief justice of Newton County. The provisional governor, Andrew J. Hamilton, gave him the same role the next year.
New Beginnings in Orange, Texas
In 1873, Wingate faced another big financial loss. A ship carrying his cotton to market sank in the Sabine River. The cargo was worth about $50,000 at that time. That same year, Wingate and his wife moved to Orange. He was looking for new chances in the lumber business.
In 1878, his new sawmill, called D. R. Wingate and Company, began operating. But just two years later, it was destroyed by fire. The cost was similar to his last loss. Despite these fires, the city of Orange benefited from David R. Wingate's presence. During the 1880s, he built even larger facilities. The demand for lumber was always strong.
Wingate also served as a judge for Orange County from 1878 to 1884. After his wife passed away in 1890, he started rice farming. This new venture was very successful and brought a new type of business to the region. David Robert Wingate died on February 15, 1899, from pneumonia. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Orange.
