William married Hepsibeth about 1851

Hepsibeth Adelaice Henley is the daughter of  Eldridge Williamson Henley and Francis Grantham Saunders. She was born Aug 13, 1830 in Ms. Hepsibeth died Nov 4, 1895 in Chickasaw Co, Ms and is buried in Amity Cemetery Chickasaw Co, Ms.

Children of William and Hepsibeth 

Frances Lucinda PateB: 1853

Margaret Beth "Bethie" Pate B: Mar 17, 1858

William Henley Pate B: Aug 19, 1860

John Newton Pate B: Nov 12, 1863

George Eldridge Pate B: Nov 14, 1866

John Wilks Pate B: Apr 8, 1870

The Great Grandfather of Hepsibeth was Richard Grantham and served in the Revolutionary War
Her Great Great Grandfather Thomas Amis also served in the Revolutionary War.
See individual notes for more details.

The Pates were one of the earlier families to settle around Sparta. Sparta is a community that was settled around 1840 and is located in Chickasaw Co, Ms.

He was a member of the Mason Lodge and has the Mason symbol on his headstone.
He was blind in his old age. I do not know when he lost his sight. 

William Sim Pate served as a Lieutenant in the Civil War.
Death Notice with parts no longer visable. I do not know what paper it came from.

Lieutentant W.S. Pate of Spartan band C.S.A., died at home near Sparta, Saturday, the ___inst, and his remains were buried in the Amity Cemetery. Sunday afternoon, Rev. E.E. Thronton speaking some very commendable and appropriate words to the large crowd who attended the funeral services. Mr Pate was one of the oldest and most revered citizens of Chickasaw county. He was 84 years old, and is the last of a race of men in our community that could be _____celled anywhere. In this community lived and died Tom Pate, __ A. Wilkinson, Joe A. White, M__ton Brownlee, James Davis, George Davis, Dr. Montgomery, Aaron May and others whose names I cannot recall. Mr. Pate was the last to die. We revere the memory of these heros. The children, grandchildren, great grandchildren of Mr. Pate have our sympathy.

Then the following article:

"Passing of old confederates" is when one of the old confederate soldiers pays tribute to a deceased comrade.
Dear Editor: This gloomy morning, with sorrowful heart, I want to say a few words. I am one of the old confederate soldiers and I am sorry to think how soon we will all be gone.
I was at the burying of one of my company Sunday --- Lieutenant Sim Pate. He was a brave soldier and died at the age of 82 years, had been blind for a long time. 
He was the third man of our Company to die this year. Only 12 are left out of 125. If you will kindly print their names they are Capt. __ W. Buchanan, Bayliss Buchanan, G. W. Bean, Alex Casrles, Brown Castles, Henry Castles, George Huffman, Sebe Parker, Lum Porter, Andrew McKinnon and Madison Sexton.
In a very few years all will be gone. I feel like there will be many things left unsaid and undone that ought to have been said and done.
I was at Almer Williams yesterday. His little boy, three years old, was dead, and his two little girls, older, are very bad off with whooping cough. So we see that the old must die and the young may die. The bereaved family has my heart felt sympathy. Old boys, the roll is being called every day with some one to answer. Are you ready to go up?
J. H. Castles Co. H 24th Mississippi

So was he 82 or 84? Was he buried on Saturday or Sunday? Nov 4, 1911 was a Saturday.

census record 1870 pg 9 township 15 post office Sparta Chickasaw Co. Ms
line 15 
Pate William S. 40 Farmer
" Hepsibeth A. 36
" Maretta 16
" Margaret B 12
" William H. 10
" George E 4
" John W. 2/12
This had all their children except Frances Lucinda who would be about 17 and John Newton who would have been 7. I assume that he died in addition to not being listed they named another child John.

1900 Chickasaw Co. Ms. W. S. Pate was living with his son George and was a widow.