Career
Cate was born on March 25, 1839 in Tamworth, New Hampshire. Cate was engaged in the manufacture of roofing materials, and was also involved in the real estate business. In 1889 Cate was elected as a Republican, (over Independent Republican Thomas Leavitt who had earlier lost the Republican nomination to Cate), to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
In the legislature of 1899 Cate served on the Committee on Street Railways.
Cate died, on October 11, 1906, at his summer home in West Ossipee, New Hampshire.