Letter to William Vivrett from Minnie Dee Vivrette McCauley
Postmarked October 16, 1982
October 13, 1982
Dear Billy,
I wish you had told me how old you are for I go back a long way and what I’m about to tell you goes back much further than I do – let me see two bros. came from France and settled in Tenn. One came to Ky. My grandfather who I never knew. I think his name was Alanson Vivrette. This is entirely my deduction. The name Alanson is a name that seems to run through the family for generations and since I found out there is town in France called Alanson I think that is where the two bros. came from. My deduction. My uncle Jim told me that the other bros. went to Texas. I really don’t know what his name was as anything at all about him. Maybe he is where you came from. My grandfather had kids, lots of kids-boys, Jim, Dee, Tom, Rufus, (my father) Bob, Cage, Sike was the son of Tom. Jim was old enough to fight for the Union in the War Between the States so it must have been some where in the 1850’s that the family came to Ky. I don’t know where the Henry fits in, my father name was Henry Ruffus, but I’m sure that is not the one you are talking about. If my dad was alive he would be about 120 yrs. old. All these men had big families. My sister and I were the youngest of the bunch and they all are dead except about three of the whole bunch. I’ll most likely be in St.Louis some time in the next three or four months. Send me your phone number and I will give you a call. It would be nice to talk the whole thing out.
I wish someone would go to France and go to Alanson and just see if I’m right and what we are all about maybe you? You must be young enough. I’m too old to do it know.
Good luck and God bless Minnie Dee Vivrette McCauley.
Those two boys came to America before the revolution, I was told by my uncle Jim, and acquired women after they got here. I assume these two guys my grandfather and the other bros., are the first two that came, I have a nephew over in Ark. Whose name is Alanson and he has been trying to put together a family tree for some time now. I don’t think he knows much more than I do unless he has found it out since last July. I wish he read your letter and I’ve come up with some more deductions. Henry must have been a brother of my grandfather and a uncle of my father hence the Henry Ruffus.
Transcribed By: Clenon Weaver of Barbers Hill High School 3-1-2003
Commentary: Minnie was the daughter of Dee Vivrette and the granddaughter of Lancelot Alanson Vivrett originally of Wilson County, TN. Alanson was the youngest son of Lancelot and Mary Polly Hickman Vivrett. Today we know that the two brothers to whom she refers were Micajah and Lancelot Vivrett, who left Nash County, NC sometime after 1800 and settled in Wilson County. From there Lancelot’s descendants settled in Texas, Missouri, and Kentucky.
Raymond Viverette 3-24-2003
