Dr. H.H. Gates was a pioneer physician of Carroll County, having come to Glidden in 1869 when the surrounding country was mostly in a state of nature and there were but five houses in the town. He frequently rode a distance of twenty miles to visit patients, including the sick of Guthrie, Greene and Calhoun Counties as well as Carroll County.

Dr. Gates was a native of Vermont, born at Castleon, Rutland County, November 27, 1827, a son of Elisha and Betsey (Kingsley) Gates, the fifth of eleven children. His father was a cousin of General Gates, of Revolutionary fame. His early life was spent in his native county, where he received a fair common-school education. On arriving at the age of twenty-two years he went to Genesee Station, Alleganey County, New York, having learned telegraphy under Professor Morse. He was the forty-sixth telegraph operator in the United States. He followed telegraphy many years, and held many important positions, and for some time was division operator.

Dr. Gates was married twice. He was first married December 25, 1849 to Miss Sarah J. Gray, a daughter of Hon. Henry Gray, of Bennington County, Vermont, and they had two children: Harley and Jennie. Mrs. Gates died in 1853. Dr. Gates moved to Iowa in 1855, locating at Wheatland, Clinton County. In May, 1857, the doctor married to Miss Mary J. Conway, of Jackson County, IA. June 1, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, Thirty-first Iowa Infantry, and shortly afterward was appointed Hospital Steward, and later was commissioned Assistant Surgeon. In December, 1863, he was promoted to Surgeon, which position he filled until the close of the war. On June 28, 1865, he received his honorable discharge.