Family

Bill's family settled in the Seattle area in Washington. The Gates name came to Seattle in the 1880s from Pennsylvania. When gold was discovered in Alaska William Henry Gates Sr. moved his family to Nome, AL. The family spent more than a decade in Alaska, Bill Sr. then set up a furniture business there. Microsoft's Bill's father, William Henry Gates III had his name changed to "William Henry Gates Jr." prior to serving in World War II. After the war, Gates Jr. went to the University of Washington, where he went to study law. He then became assistant city attorney. He also married a schoolteacher that he had met at the University.

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