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.