A cousin named Royal

Last updated 2/24/19

The name Royal comes up twice in my family tree-I don't really know if there is anything significant about the name Royal.  My grandfather always signed papers as Roy and I haven't seen any official documentation that Royal was the name his parents wanted for him.  The only source for this comes from Roy's brother, Robert who wrote a short bio of his parents and in the story he explains that their mother insisted that my grandfather be named Royal Fredrick Peterson (see Robert Peterson's Family History post.)

I bring this up because I find it curious that my grandfather also had a 1st cousin named Royal.  A cousin he never met, but strangely ended up in Washington State as well.

This cousin was Royal Howard Campbell.

Roy Campbell was the son of Nancy Peterson and William A. Campbell.  Nancy was the 

Royal Fredrick Peterson

Royal Fredrick Peterson: A Name with a Story

I considered giving this blog the title Royal Genealogy after my grandfather's first name.  I changed my mind since this would imply something else. Among his family and friends, he always called himself Roy.  The story behind how my grandfather got the name Royal is one of resilience, tragedy, and support from strangers.

Roy's brother, Robert, explains the origin in his story, The Biography of John Peterson and wife, Mary Thompson.  (see post titled Robert Peterson's Family History.) Below is Robert's story, which offers a window into their families struggles during that fateful time in 1897:

"In the year of 1897, during the fall months, Father took a cold, and thru exposure it turned into, Pneumonia, The doctor was called, but in those days they did not know too much about that disease.  During this time, Mother was with child, and it was very hard for here to do the work and take care of Father.  As the result was, she caused the premature birth of the baby. Had it not been for the curiosity of a small granddaughter of the Wiswoulds, Mother and the baby might both have died that day, as it was she ran home to her Grandparents and said that there was a woman lying in the house and had a baby on the floor. The Grandparents were shocked that their granddaughter should talk like that and scolded her for it, but she wasn’t to be put off so easily and kept repeating it, they told her if she didn’t stop making up such stories they would punish her, she answered saying, I don’t care if you do only go up there and help that lady.  So the Grandfather said well maybe she did see this, and way it wouldn’t hurt  to go and see, so the Grandmother, put on her shawl, and ran up to this house, and found Mother in the middle of the floor with the baby boy. They call the Doctor, at once and he came and saved the life of the baby, Though Mother lived twelve days and the last day she called to Father who could not answer her, for he had died that morning, they told her that he was asleep and that they did not want to awaken him.  Mother, call the young girl to her bedside and said, Ora, you say you love this baby as though as it was your own, Ora Crane, answered yes I really do, and wish that he were mine to keep for ever, Mother said then call the others in here, and when they had came in, Mother looked at them and said, “I’ am going to die, and I am giving my baby, I have named him Royal Fredrick Peterson, and I do not want that name changed, to this young girl to have as her own, and I hope that all of you will help her to raise it, is this all under stood, and when they all answered yes, she said then I can die in peace, and shortly she had joined Father, in peace and rest."

Reflecting on the Story

For years, I questioned the accuracy of this account. How could Robert know these intimate details? However, as I've continued researching, I've come across sources suggesting Robert may have found these facts through personal contacts and research (such as ages or timelines) even these may have been misremembered or embellished. 

One of theses sources is a letter written by Roy and Robert's sister, Nancy Peterson Harper. In this letter, she reached out to newspapers searching for her lost brothers, including George. Nancy provided details in her letter that likely came from witnesses to the family's circumstances at the time.  She even mentions one such witness directly.

It's also likely that Nancy corresponded with family members who had firsthand knowledge of the events. Additionally, we know she and Robert had been in contact, as mentioned in her letter (see my earlier post, A concerned big sister.) It seems reasonable to believe that their communication was a rich source of information, helping Robert piece together the family's story. I have also provided some images of those letters written to different newspapers below.

Why This Story Matters

The story of how my grandfather received his name encapsulates a moment of profound tragedy and hope. It illustrates the resilience of a young mother determined to ensure her baby’s future, the compassion of a young woman willing to take on the role of caregiver, and the strength of a community that stepped in to help during a time of crisis.

While some details may never be fully verified, these accounts preserve a legacy of care and sacrifice that continues to inspire me as I delve deeper into my family’s history.

May 1911

A Confirmation from a Friend

An article from the Nevada Daily Mail (Missouri) provides further insight into the story. Joseph Wiswold, the man who cared for the three orphaned Peterson children, wrote to their family in Arkansas. Their mother, Mary Thompson, was originally from Arkansas, and I have no doubt that Mr. Wiswold shared the heartbreaking circumstances of the children’s situation and how they came to be in his care. Decades later, Robert and Roy Peterson reconnected with living relatives, some 30 years after the tragic events of 1897. These relatives filled in the gaps of their parents’ story, sharing the details of their deaths and explaining how Joseph Wiswold stepped in to help.

It’s likely that Roy, raised by his adoptive mother, had already heard these accounts of his parents’ final days. This would have allowed him to contribute his own vivid memories and secondhand knowledge to his brother Robert’s biography, ensuring their parents’ legacy was preserved with as much detail and emotion as possible.

Martha Thompson Wallin: A Brief Story, A Meaningful Glimpse

Picture taken in late 1930's or early 1940s

Martha Thompson Wallin (updated: 4/9/26)

This post highlights Martha Wallin Thompson, a great grandaunt in the Thompson family and the twin sister of my great grandmother, Mary Thompson Peterson.

Why She Matters

My great grandmother, Mary Thompson Peterson, died in 1897 at the age of 26. Because of that, there are no photographs or later-life records that show what she might have looked like as she grew older.

Martha, her twin sister, provides a rare glimpse into that missing part of the story. Seeing Martha in later photographs helps me imagine what Mary may have looked like and what her life might have been like had she lived longer.

Through Martha, there is a small but meaningful connection to the life my great grandmother never had the chance to live.

Martha Thompson was born 14 November 1871 in Madison County, Arkansas, to William Thurman Thompson and Mary Elizabeth Watkins. In the 1880 census for Madison County, both Martha and Mary Thompson are listed as eight years old, which supports the conclusion that they were twins.

By 1900, Martha was living in Washington County, Arkansas, in the household of her mother. On 31 October 1908, she married Frank Wallin, as documented in their marriage license.

The couple appears in the 1920 census in Crawford County, Arkansas, and later in the 1930 census in Madison County, Arkansas.

Frank Wallin died in 1939. His obituary notes that he was 68 years old, born in Kentucky around 1870, and that he was survived by his wife, Martha Wallin.

Martha Wallin died in January 1941 in Huntsville, Madison County, Arkansas. Her obituary reports that she was 70 years old and that funeral services were held in Huntsville with burial in the local cemetery. Her death certificate confirms her full name as Martha Wallin, her birth date of 14 November 1871, and identifies her parents as Thurman Thompson and Elizabeth Watkins.

At this time, no records have been found indicating that Martha and Frank had any children.

The following photograph, taken in Madison County, Arkansas in the late 1930s or early 1940s, shows (left to right): Martha Thompson Wallin, Paul Peterson, Charles Peterson, and Bertha Lawson Peterson.

Timeline

• 1871: Birth in Madison County, Arkansas
• 1880: Age 8, Madison County, Arkansas
• 1900: Age 28, Washington County, Arkansas, living with mother
• 1908: Married Frank Wallin on 31 October 1908
• 1910: Not located in census
• 1920: Age 49, Crawford County, Arkansas, living with husband
• 1930: Age 57, Madison County, Arkansas, living with husband
• 1941: Death in Huntsville, Madison County, Arkansas

Mary Thompson

Mary Thompson was born in Madison County, Arkansas on 14 November 1871 to William Thurman Thompson and Mary Elizabeth Watkins.

There is only a small amount of information available on her.

Mary only shows up in one census record.  In 1880 she lived with her parents in Madison County, Arkansas and was listed as 8 years old.  According the record, she and her sister Martha were both 8 years old.  I've assumed that the two girls were twins.

If I assume that Mary and Martha were twins, then her birth date would 14 Nov. 1871, the same as Martha's-see post titled Martha Thompson Wallin (Roy's Aunt).

The next time Mary Thompson Peterson shows up is in 1897.  She and her family were living in Nevada, Missouri and the local newspaper became aware of her dire situation and made it public news.  If you read the post Robert Peterson's Family History you will get the background to the following articles:

Thursday, February 11, 1897 (Nevada Daily Mail)

Friday, February 12, 1897 (Nevada Daily Mail)

Saturday, February 13, 1897 (Nevada Daily Mail)

John Robert Peterson, Part 2

John Robert Peterson Timeline (1884-1897):

• 1884-1892:  John and Julia either get divorced or she dies.  No more record of her.  John married Mary Thompson during this time period.
• 1887:  John's father George moved to the southwest part of Missouri and all of his male children followed at some point (Source: George's Homestead application-see image below.)
• 1892:  John and Mary's son, George is born (Source: newspaper accounts.)
• 1895:  John and Mary's son, Robert is born (Sources: newspaper accounts and Robert's own family bio.)
• 1895:  John was living in Madison County, Arkansas where Mary Thompson was living. (Source: John's father George's probate-see image below.)
• 1897:  John and Mary die one day apart and are buried in Deepwood Cemetery, Nevada Missouri (Source: Newspaper accounts.)

John's second wife (and Roy's mother) was Mary Thompson.  She was the daughter of Thurman Thompson and Mary Elizabeth Watkins (see post on Mary Thompson (Roy's mother.)  She was born in Madison County, Arkansas.  John and Mary probably married in Madison County, Arkansas but there is no document to prove this.

The following document shows that John's father, George claims that he moved his family on the homestead in McDonald County, Missouri in March of 1887.  All of his children were grown at this point, but his three living sons all lived in the area by 1895.  His sons were John Robert, Archibald Chapel and Aristobulus Thomas Peterson.

George H. Peterson's Homestead Affidavit-where George states he and his family lived by March 1887.  George H. Peterson was John's father, Roy's grandfather.

The following document shows all the living heirs of George H. Peterson.  It says that John Peterson was living in Madison County, Arkansas in 1895.  This is important since Mary Thompson was from Madison County, Arkansas.

22 October 1895, John R. Peterson living in Madison Co., Arkansas

John Robert Peterson, Part 1

John Robert Peterson, c. 1895

John Robert Peterson Timeline (1849-1887):

• 1849:  John was born in Brown/Adams county Illinois to George H. Peterson and Nancy Webb; their first child together.
• 1850-1870:  John lives with his parents (see below.)
• 1870-1879:  John marries Julia Ann Perkins.
• 1876:  John travels with his father George to Quincy (see below.)
• 1879:  John and Julia's son, Robert Walter Peterson is born (Source: Birth records.)
• 1880:  John is Schuyler County, Illinois with his first wife Julia Ann Perkins (Source: 1880 Census)
• 1880:  John and Julia have a son that is unnamed.  He must have died soon after (Source: Birth Record.)
• 1881:  John and Julia's daughter, Nancy Jane is born in Fulton County, Illinois (Source:  Nancy's death certificate.)
• 1884:  John and Julia's son, Andrew Jackson is born in Schuyler County, Illinois (Source: birth & death records.)
• 1885:  John and Julia's son, Andrew Jackson dies and is buried in Schuyler County, Illinois (Source: death records.)
• 1884-1892:  John and Julia either get divorced or she dies.  No more record of her.
• 1887:  John's father George moved to the southwest part of Missouri and all of his male children followed (Source: George's Homestead application.)

See John Robert Peterson (Roy's father), Part 2 for remaining timeline

The destruction of the 1890 census in a fire (almost 100%) has created a gap in John's life.  I'm sure most researchers have the same frustration about it as I do. Questions that I think the 1890 would have answered:

• Was he married to Mary Thompson by 1890?  
• Where did he live (obviously)?  
• Did he have any children living with him besides his daughter Nancy Peterson?  
• What was his occupation?

John shows up in four census records:

1850-Brown County, Illinois.  He was 8 months old.
1860-Adams County, Illinois.  He was 11 years old.
1870-Brown County, Illinois.  He was 20 years old and worked as a laborer.
1880-Schuyler County, Illinois.  He was 30 years old and worked as a farmer.  Doesn't say he owned any land.

Note: Adams, Brown & Schuyler counties all border each other. These counties are located in Western Illinois bordering or near the Mississippi River.  He may have lived for a short time in Fulton County based on his daughter's birth certificate. Most of the counties residents were farmers or laborers

In 1876 John traveled with his Father George, to Quincy Illinois.  This was the county seat of Adams County and was the biggest city in the area.  George was applying for military pension (civil war) and John signed as a witness.  His signature indicates that he was a literate person.

John's signature-a witness to his father George's claim about his Civil War Duty (click on image to enlarge)

The 1880 Census:  John R. Peterson was married to July A Peterson.  I believe this to be Julia Perkins (Note:  John's sister Rebecca married a Perkins as well, but I don't know if  they are related. I have a another post on John's siblings.)  I have not located the marriage record of John and Julia in available records.

John and Julia had four children:  Three died in infancy and one lived to adulthood-Nancy Jane Peterson.  I don't know if John and Julia divorced or if Julia had died prior to John marrying his second wife.

The four children were:

• Son- Robert Walter Peterson, 9 Feb. 1879 in Brown County, Illinois and died July 1879 in Schuyler County, Illinois (Sources:  Brown County, Illinois birth register, v. 1, 1877-1895, index, ca. 1865-1895 and U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1880-images below.)
• Son- Unnamed Peterson, born 10 Jun. 1880 in Huntsville, Schuyler County, Illinois (Source: Schuyler County, Illinois Birth Records, Book 1, 1877-1886, Pages 64-70-image below.)
• Daughter-Nancy Jane Peterson, born 29 Jan. 1881 in Astoria, Fulton Co., Illinois and died 13 June 1952 in Los Angeles, California (Source:  Death Certificate below.)
• Son-Andrew Jackson Peterson, born 8 April 1884 in Bainbridge Township, Schuyler County, Illinois and died 19 Aug. 1885 in Schuyler County, Illinois (Source:  Schuyler County, Illinois Death Records, Book 1, 1877-1903, Pages 50 - 56-image below.)

Robert Walter Peterson, Birth Record, son of John R and Julia Peterson 

(click on image to enlarge)

Robert W. Peterson, U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 (click on image to enlarge)

Unknown Peterson Birth Record, son of John R and Julia Peterson (click on image to enlarge)

Nancy Jane Peterson Harper Death's Certificate (click on image to enlarge)

Andrew Jackson Peterson, Birth Record, son of John R and Julia Peterson (click on image to enlarge)