Copy of a letter addressed to Mattie D Tate, of Mt. Hermon, Washington Parish, Louisiana, from George W DeVecmon, of Fairfield, Jefferson County, Iowa, dated December 27, 1874.

With pleasure, I address Mattie D. Tate, the grand daughter of our much loved sister Ingaba DeVecmon.

Your letter dated August 27 directed to the postmaster of Clarksburg, West Virginia, and handed by him to my niece, Isabella M Davidson, was forwarded by her to me only received yesterday, saying she had written to you could not give you any satisfaction about the Tates, they having left before she was born. I can inform you all about the DeVecmons.

My father was a Frenchman, had no relatives in the U.S.. He married our mother in the State of Delaware, then emigrated to Allegheny County, Maryland. He moved from there to Clarksburg, Virginia (Now West Virginia), where he died on November 15, 1803, at 45 years of age, leaving my mother and seven children, named as follows: Mary, Ingaba, Thomas, Nancy, Ellen, Eliza and myself (George W.).

Our brother Thomas died a young man, unmarried; Ellen never married and is an old maid still living; the other girls married, raised large families, and are dead -- excepting Nancy. Sister Ellen lives with her near me and I see them every day. I married and raised a large family -- and I give you the names of our children: Charles H, Peter, Daniel, Thomas, Mary, Deveaucelle, and William.

Thomas married and died, leaving his wife, 4 daughters, and 3 sons. Peter died single. Daniel married and has 2 daughters. William is a young man, unmarried and lived in Cumberland, Allegheny County, Maryland, and is a lawyer there. Thomas and Peter were lawyers. Deveaucelle is not married and lives with us -- to care for us, in our declining days. My wife is 76 and I (George) am 76 years old.

Sixty years ago next July, your grandfather, grandmother, with three children, Maria Louise, Hugh, and Margaret Ann left our mothers home in Oakland, Garret County, Maryland (It was then called Little Yough Glades, Allegheny County, Maryland) for New Orleans, Louisiana. One letter was received from your grandfather on their way down the river. We never could hear from them again though we wrote a great many letters and kept up our inquiries a long time. No tidings did we get and had to give them up as dead and buried.

Our mother married a Mr. Armstrong and had 3 sons by him, -- James, John and Thomas, all married and have large families.

Eight or ten years after your grandfather left, your great grandfather Tate with his two sons, John and William, moved from Rockbridge County, Va. to Xenia, Ohio. Hugh, who was at Clarksburg, West Va., soon followed them and settled in the same place.

Several years had elapsed when Hugh Tate made a visit to his sister in Rockbridge County and who was married and lived there. On his way he called to see us and told us he was married, but could tell us nothing about his brother Thomas Tate and family. I went back on a visit to Maryland and the Cars (Train) stopped at Xenia, Ohio and during the delay, I enquired of an old gentleman if he knew any one named Tate residing near there. He said he knew Hugh Tate, then dead, who had left a wife and children.

I have given you all the information in my possession and regret it is not more satisfactory as to the Tates.

Now, I want to know all about your grandfather and grandmother. When and where did they die? How many children did they leave, and where do they live -- if girls, tell me the names of their husbands and addresses. Are you the daughter of Hugh Tate, the son of Ingaba? Tell me how old you are; is your father and mother alive -- if not, what relatives are near and tell me how do you get along in the battle of life. I wish I could meet you face to face and have a long talk with you.

Deveaucelle ought to get married. He is between 25 & 30 years old, good looking, intelligent, and above all he is a first rate young man, sober and industrious and free from vice. Would you like such a husband? We are not wealthy, have a comfortable home, surrounded by all the substantial comforts of life.

I fear you would not like the Northern man and life. When we came to Iowa, we laid aside all our French manners and adopted those around us.