I first learned of my extended family in 1984, on my first trip across the United States from Massachusetts to Oregon. I was heading to a wedding for a cousin of my mother's. First impression: Huh? You have cousins outside of Massachusetts? Yup! They all live in Oregon!
So, off we traveled from Cape Cod (home to 90 percent of the Ancestors that I later traced to my family) all the way to Eugene, Oregon.
I met for the first time, my grandmother's brother, Bill Royer (1915-1994) and his wife, Betty. I was immediately in love with my new found Aunt and Uncle! I later met Uncle John Freaner, whose wife, Faith, was my grandmother's sister. But the best part was meeting Cecile Pershern, another sister of my grandmother. We were welcomed into her home, as busy as it was, since it was her son getting married!
The wedding took place on June 30, 1984. I don't remember much of it. But my favorite memories from that trip were of horseback riding, and meeting the rest of the Royer cousins. Oh my, what an exciting time!
I later traveled to Oregon in 1986, at the age of 14, by myself and spent a month with my new found relatives! I learned much about my grandmother, Wealthy, or Maye as she was referred to by family. I learned about my mom's short time in Oregon before she was moved to Massachusetts after my grandfather remarried. I often wonder what life would have been like for her if she had been allowed to stay in Oregon and grow up there.
This adventure to Oregon led me to want to know more about my family. Where did we come from? How did they get from Minnesota, where Grandma was born to Oregon? Why? I needed to know more.
Following my ancestors footsteps backwards through time has led me to Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and back to Massachusetts. For a few years I thought I had traced part of my Royer line to the Richard Church line from England but it wasn't the right one. I had traced another line which led me astray James Chilton. Again, another dead end. Life has a way of teaching you which is the right way and which is wrong. We found the right path....which led us back to Cape Cod...and the Mayflower passengers and on one side of my mother's family, we decend from William Brewster (through the Royer/Church connection) and through my grandfather's side, we descend from Captain John Gorham and his wife Desire Howland (John Howland and Joan Tilley). I look foward to walking in my ancestors footsteps as I follow them through history and learn their stories.
