Envelope postmarked Feb 18, 1911 - Return Address, Box 34, Niagara, Wis

Mr. D. S. Furguson, Willow Spring, Mo

Dear Sir,

Your letter which you wrote to Father, has just reach me and am sorry to tell you that my dear Father has passed away. He died a sudden death. He died January the 23rd 1911, and was buried in Chicago. He died of old age, and heart failure, as I was told, as he died away at Prairie de Rocher.

Well Mr. Furguson, I suppose things there has change a lot since I was there, and all the boys & girls are all men and women by now.

As for me I am married and live on a farm of my own, of 160 acres, half in hard wood timber, birch and maple, also some pine and bass wood. Doing fairly well and cannot complain.

Hope you are doing well and am sorry to hear you are not feeling just right, but age tells on a person especially rheumatisma, but we must all take things as they come.

Please give my regards to all that I am know.

I remain your friend, Jos. Vandandaigue

After reading all of Andre Vandandaigue's letters, I felt like I almost knew him - then on an impulse, I looked in our Wichita, Kansas telephone book, and found only one person with the last name "Vandandaigue." I called Gary, learned the proper pronunciation of the surname, and described to him the letters I had from A. Vandandaique.

Gary Vandandaigue advised his father, Joseph, (born in 1920) had died in Iron Mountain, Mich (which is just across the line and less than 20 miles from Niagara, Wisc.) He also thought his grandfather's name was Andrew Joseph, or Joseph Andrew or something similar.

As a result of our conversation, Gary contacted his Aunt in Illinois and his Mother in California for more information. A few months later we met, as Gary had received from his aunt a copy of a letter written by A Vandandaigue to his children, Joseph and Laura. Comparing the handwriting and the signature on his copy of the letter with the letters to my Great-grandpa Dave Ferguson, there was no doubt they were by the same man - confirming that Andre Vandandaigue of Prairie Du Rocher was Gary's Great-Grandfather. Gary also had another two pieces of paper written in French, that showed Andre Vandandaique was born Feb 22, 1835 and married his wife, Rosalie (who was born in 1840) in 1859.

So letters found in Great-Grandpa's 100 year old desk, that was stored in a basement in Howell Co, Mo until the mid 1960s, and then stored by me for another 30 years, were confirmed to be from the Great-Grandfather of a man in Wichita, Ks who was raised in California, lived in Dodge City, Kansas, and had moved to Wichita only two years ago. What a coincidence!!!

Next is the letter Andre Vandandaigue wrote to his children.

Prairie Du Rocher, Dec 30/1910

Mes biens cheri children

Your card received and I thank you many times for your good wishes for Christmas.

My good children Joseph and Laura I wish you a good happy new year on a very thing to make you happy, health, success in your bussiness and contentment in everything that will keep you happy all the times. I wish it with all my heart.

For me here I am gaining some of my health I think everyday, but it go slow. I was to weak to come back fast, but hope it will come allright before very long. My decease is Kidney trouble and cathar. I had it very bad, if I did know it was that in the beginning, I could have cure easier but I did not know.

Well my dears children I wish you again good health and a good success in your work and I send to you both many kisses with all my love for both of you Joseph and Laura. God bless you and keep Jesus and Mary in your mind all the time, they will help you to make you happy that is what I like to know you are happy.

From your Father who love you
A Vandandaigue

Back to Letters from Grandpa Ferguson's Desk

This page was last updated December 7, 2000.