Royal family papers

Collection

Identifier: Mss 1628

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of papers of the Royal family, early emigrants to Oregon. A substantial portion of the collection is the correspondence of Osmon Royal (1856-1910) and his wife, Julia Royal (1856-1913). Some of Julia Royal's correspondence regards the Women's Home Missionary Society. The collection also includes papers of William Royal (1796-1870) and his son T. F. Royal (1821-1911). These include several diaries and notebooks, correspondence, and reminiscences and other writings of T. F. Royal. Other members of the Royal family represented in the collection include James Henry Bascom Royal, Stanley Olin Royal, William W. E. Royal, Charles W. Royal, Ladru Royal, and Barbara Royal. Other materials in the collection include a book of genealogical records; a scrapbook of clippings and ephemera; materials relating to Umpqua Academy, including a student roll and a subscription book; materials relating to the Portland Academy and Female Seminary; the overland diary of William Hoffman, who traveled with the Royal family to Oregon in 1853; and fragments of a 1799 Thanksgiving proclamation by Vermont Governor Isaac Tichenor.

Dates

Creation: 1782-1914
Creation: Majority of material found within 1846-1914

Creator

Royal family (Family)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.

Biographical note

Brothers William Royal (1796-1870) and Charles Royal (1798-1878) were born in Monongahela County, Virginia (later West Virginia). Charles Royal emigrated to Oregon in 1852. William Royal emigrated from Illinois to Oregon in 1853, along with family members including his wife, Barbara Royal (née Ebey, 1800-1890), and sons Thomas Fletcher Royal (1821-1911), James Henry Bascom Royal (1830-1910), and Jason Lee Royal (1839-1913). William Royal, T. F. Royal, and James H. B. Royal all worked as Methodist ministers in Oregon and Washington. In 1867, William Royal founded the Centenary Methodist Church (later Centenary-Wilbur Methodist Church) in East Portland.

Sources: Vital records on Ancestry.com; articles in the Oregonian, 1910-1927; "The Royal Way West," by Violet Coe Mumford and the Royal Family Association, Inc. (Baltimore: Gateway Press, 1988); "The Preacher Train," by Robert Livingston Casebeer, oregonpioneers.com, http://oregonpioneers.com/ThePreacherTrain.pdf; "Emigrants to Oregon in 1852, Surnames R-Z," compiled by Stephanie Flora, oregonpioneers.com, http://www.oregonpioneers.com/1852_RZ.htm.

Extent

2.5 Cubic Feet (2 record cartons, 1 custom box, 1 folder (12x15) in shared flat box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Papers of the family of William Royal (1796-1870), including son Thomas Fletcher Royal (1821-1911), T. F. Royal's nephew Osmon Royal (1856-1910) and Osmon Royal's wife, Julia Royal (1856-1913). Papers include correspondence; reminiscences; diaries of William Royal and T. F. Royal; genealogical records; a scrapbook; ephemera; and materials relating to Umpqua Academy and Portland Academy and Female Seminary. The collection also includes the overland diary of William Hoffman, who traveled with the Royal family to Oregon in 1853. Both William Royal and T. F. Royal were Methodist ministers. Osmon Royal came to Oregon in 1865, and was a physician in Portland.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of A. Miriam Oberg, September 1971 (Lib. Acc. 12024); and gift of H. Elaine Oberg, January 1981 (Lib. Acc. 15374).

Processing Information

Collection was initially processed from approximately 1971 to the 1980s or 1990s, and reprocessed by Jeffrey Hayes in 2026. Reprocessing included rehousing of materials and some changes to arrangement. Collection includes material previously designated Mss 1628-1.