Pamela! Thank you. I just had to tell you how much I enjoyed reading your message. Wow .......... in just a few short paragraphs, you covered your family's almost two hundred history in Kansas City, Kansas ............. I feel like I know them!!! (Maybe it's because I'm Irish too!!!!) You live in Johnson County ......! I'm sure our Wyandotte County members will be understanding ......! (Just kidding!) Thank you for YOUR contribution to the Wyandotte County Mailing List (and Message Board). So, tell us about "the box." What did you find? John (living in Clay County ......... :).....) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pamela Tate" <ptated1@yahoo.com> To: <kswyando@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 9:29 PM Subject: Re: [Wyandotte County] Wyandotte County Mailing List When St. Mary’s Church was preparing to build the new Church, the Catholic Church sponsored nearly fifty of our Irish Catholic family for immigration from Portneuf, Quebec, Canada to Kansas City, Kansas. James and Catherine Dunn Tate were the first of our Tate and Dunn families to immigrate. The Clans began to arrive in Kansas City, Kansas around 1845 in small groups where we settled not far from St. Mary’s at 5th and Ann. We are proud to say that members of our family helped to build St. Mary’s Church. We were Irish Immigrants who tended simple homes and were grateful to work unpretentious jobs. Our children were born at home, on kitchen tables. Yet, with enormous pride, our babies were baptized in the splendor of the Church with every family member standing near. Great-Great-Grandfather, William A. Tate (1840-1903), owned the "first" 5&10 Cent Store, “W. Tate 5 & 10”, in Kansas City, Kansas. The store was located downtown, at 1918 North 5th Street. …And my late Father, Dr. Wayne Tate, was Vice President of the Kansas Chiropractic Association for several terms in the 1980’s. Dad had a practice at 37th and Everett for many, many years and was adored by his patients. Eight generations of our family have lived out our lives in Kansas City. My Sister, Brother and I all went to the same high school that our Parents and Grandparents went to, Wyandotte. Of course, our cousins were there, too! More than 60 members of our Family are buried at St. John Cemetery, the original cemetery of St. Mary’s Church. Founded in 1864, St. John’s remains the oldest cemetery in KCK, other than the Huron Indian Cemetery. Many of our family remain in the Kansas City area. Though much of our family have established new lives, and ventured to far away lands, instinctively, we welcome coming home. Our frequent Tate-Cullen family reunions are crowded and fun with around a hundred of our clan gathering...many from faraway lands. We have a blast. (Sandy Lynn Martin from the Wyandotte County Message Board is one of my dearest cousins and an organizer of our amazing reunions) As for me, I was raised in KCK and had a delightful childhood living within walking distance of most of my relatives. As an adult, I moved to KC, MO to be near my work and then to Johnson County, KS where I have lived for the past 35 years. My two sons, now grown, now live in KC, MO. I have been deep in genealogy for the past 40 years since my Grandmother graciously handed me “The Box”. I have been hooked ever since. I want to thank John O’Brien for all the diligent work he so generously shares with all of us. I have been far too remiss in my thanks for all his amazing help…Many, many thanks, John! Pamela Tate