Searching for the Tate Family Siblings

Tate Family members and birth info


UPDATE!!

THE FAMILY BEING SOUGHT BY THIS WEBSITE HAVE BEEN
LOCATED AS OF NOVEMBER 2003.

Updates posted below in progressive order as the story unfolds.


I was contacted by a man named John "Alan" Tate. His search began in Overton County,
Tennessee...in my home town of Livingston. As he began researching at our local library
he was referred to me for help. I have looked online intially for some answers to his case,
but not having much luck so far. Most of my resources are law enforcement related and
Alan has lost his siblings to family adoption.

- Todd Matthews

Here is his story in his own words.



To whom it may concern:

This is a short story of my life. Me and my 5 brothers and 6 sisters were physically,
sexually and mentally abused by our father. Most of our lives we lived in a tent, in the
woods, across most of the US. Some of us were born in tents. We had to live off of the
land to survive.

After 10 years of that life we moved into a home in MUDDY POND, Tennessee. In our home
we had no running water or electricity. We stayed there long enough, as children do, to
make friends. One of us told someone what was going on.

DHS took my brother and sister away and left me and my older brother behind. They said
that we were too old to do anything with. We were put through the same abuse but was
treated as though it didn't matter because of our age.

I was 15 and my brother was 16. It wasn't fair that we were split up from the rest of the kids.
We have not seen them in 11 years and have been looking for them ever since.


Their lives came to a major change while living in Muddy Pond here in Overton County. The pain of the loss
of his siblings far outweighs the painful memories of abuse.

Alan now lives in Bell Buckle,Tennessee. In an open letter to his siblings...he has this to say....




Dear Brothers and Sisters,

When I close my eyes at night, I can still see the tears, hear the crying and feel the pain
of all of you.

I want to see if all of you are happy and if your troubles are gone.

Maranatha, I want to know what you wanted to say to me because I still remember the last
words you said. "Alan, I need to talk to you, I love you, Bye!"

I love all of you with all my heart and hope to find you soon,

I am trying every way to find you. I hope I haven't betrayed your trust, or hurt you by
telling your story in this public way.

Love,

Alan


Alan's mother and father are Robert Alan Tate and Wanda Lee Anderson Tate. The
siblings were adopted in 1992(?) after having a birth certificate created here in Overton
County.

Their father Robert Alan Tate was in a Tennessee prison and their mother now lives in
Woodbury. Alan's older brother, Monti, also lives in Tennessee.

There father has since been released from Prison. He will not be listed on the Sexual Offender Registry in Tennessee. Names of sexual offenders who committed sexual offenses before July 1, 1997, are confidential, and subject to release only if the specific sex offender is deemed to pose a threat to the community.

After the children were taken away and their father imprisoned for his crimes against them,
Alan, his mother and brother Monti remained in Muddy Pond for a couple more years. Just
prior to his 18th borthday, Wanda moved to Woodbury, and Alan remained behind with the
Guenther family.

Alan and his brother have never forgotten the rest of the family and long to see them.

The siblings were adopted in 1992(?) after having a birth certificate created here in Overton
County. Evidence indicates they might have been adopted into a family by the name of
Brandenburg.

In doing ADDITIONAL research by talking to Alan....I learned...there was another older brother.....

He claims to have a 1/2 brother named Alan Ray Tate, who was about 5-6 older than he is. Alan Ray allegedly ran off while in the Texas area during the mid 80's.I have no idea if there was a missing person report was made. But as you know the rest of the kids didn't even have birth certificates. If Alan "Ray" didn't have one either it would be unlikely that a report was even made.

The reason he left, John "Alan" assumes....was because of the abuse. He would have been no more than 15-16 years old. And Alan knows little or nothing about his brother.

I realize though....THIS is the type of things that Doe's are made of. Could the boy.....not have ran away....but maybe have been killed by his father?? Just a theory right now....but....I have to wonder. The father was capable of terrible abuse...

Could Alan Ray Tate be a John Doe in Texas......like this one:

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/mpch/UnidentifiedDetails.asp?id=U8711003

The only thing I know to do is try to locate him alive.....or find a missing report if one exists.

Our hope is that any of the siblings will see this page and contact us soon.

If anyone has any information please contact me:

Todd Matthews
931-823-6992 or 931-397-3893
JTMatthews@TwLakes.Net

Or contact John "Alan" Tate at 931-205-3789


UPDATE: August 13, 2003.



Our "Message in the Bottle" was found!!

Alan received a call today from his oldest brother, Alan Ray, in Texas.
He is alive and well...and had no idea the events that had unfolded.

Alan Ray and his wife had been searching for the siblings for the past
few years. His wife found the web-site while doing a search on the family name!

Hopefully Alan Ray will help Alan rebuild some of his past...
and it is our hope that the info on the past, might shed light on the future.

3 brothers are now in contact, and they will continue their search for the rest of the family.


Again...if anyone has any information please contact me:

Todd Matthews
931-823-6992 or 931-397-3893
JTMatthews@TwLakes.Net

Or contact John "Alan" Tate at 931-205-3789


Tate Family newspaper article - Autumn of 2003


UPDATE NOVEMBER 2003: The location of all the remaining siblings are now known thanks to all that helped. I have made contact with the family of the sought after siblings. They are aware now of how to contact Alan Tate should they decide to do so.

Safe to say the kids are alive and well and had good lives growing up.

Alan has no contact information for the siblings and will not attempt to directly contact them. He seeks not to interfere in their lives...but only to give them the choice that they did not have so many years ago.

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