Enterprise, Mississippi

April 17, 1904

Mr. D.P. Dear

Meridian, Mississippi

Dear Brother:

I will endeavor to reply to your letter I received some time ago. I beg your pardon for waiting so long to answer. We are all well, no news of interest. Enclosed you will find a history of the Dear family as far as I know about the pistol. Will had done laid claim to it and I did not know it when I was talking to you. As I have no news I will close with love to all. Let me hear from you some times.

Your Brother,

John H. Dear

"The Dears are of Scotch decent. Mack Dear our grandfather came from Barnwell district S.C. to this state Rankin Co. He had three brothers who also came to this state about the same time. Their names were Hardy, John & James; Hardy lived and died in Rankin Co. had but one child; John lived, the last I knew of him in Yazoo Co. Miss. He raised a family, but do not know how many. James I think lived & died in Rankin Co. and raised a family.

Mack Dear our grandfather was married three times, his first wife our grandmother maden name was Herren, she was the mother of three sons and one daughter, their names was, Herren, Hardy, Darling our father and Margret, they all married and raised large familes. Margret married a man by the name of Nathan Morris. They all lived and died in Rankin Co. except our father as you know moved to Lauderdale.

Our grandfather's second wife's maden name was Owen. She was the mother of four sons and three daughters, the son's names were James, Hansford, Mack and Owen, the daughters names' were Sarahann, Maryhans and Emily. All married and raised large families. Sarah married a man by the name of Samuel Laird. Mary married a Mr. Suttles, do not remember his given name, Emily married Willis Traylor. All lived and died in Rankin Co. except James and Owen. James moved to La. and died there. Owen moved to Chirokee Co., Texas, do not know any further of him.

Our Grandfather's third wife was a widow, do not remember who she was nor her maden mane, whe had several children before she married our grandfather. She had one child by him name Houston, so not know what became of him.

Darling Dear our father was borned in Barnwell district S.C. about the year 1808, and came to this state with his father when a small boy.

Our sister Mandy Hamrick is in Bell Co. Texas."