Gaston, Joseph. "Portland, Oregon, Its History and Builders." Vol. 3. Chicago - Portland: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911. p. 717. REV. THOMAS FLETCHER ROYAL Among those who have zealously labored for the cause of Methodism in Oregon is numbered the Rev. Thomas Fletcher Royal, now living retired in Portland. He has made his home in this state since 1853 and has reached the age of ninety years, his birth having occurred in Columbus, Ohio, January 6, 1821. His parents were William and Barbara (Ebey) Royal. His paternal grandfather was Thomas Royal, who was a soldier of the Revolutionary war and to his dying day carried the bullet with which he was wounded while in the service. He was married in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Hannah Cooper and they settled in West Virginia. Their eldest son. Simon Royal, fell in the war of 1812. Our subject's father was born near Wheeling, West Virginia, and was also a minister of the gospel. He began preaching in 1831 and his first appointment was at Fort Clark, Missouri, situated somewhere in the vicinity of Peoria, Illinois. His circuit included all of the territory north of Peoria save Chicago, where the Rev. Jesse Walker was then stationed as a preacher. William Royal continued his labors in the middle west until 1853, when he came with his family to Oregon as a retired preacher of the Rock river conference of Illinois. He was later transferred to the Oregon conference and preached his first sermon in the northwest at John Reason's home in Jackson county, Oregon. He was connected with several different circuits during his residence in the northwest and lived in Portland for several years. He built the first Methodist church on the east side of the city, called the Centenary Methodist church, and his labors in behalf of his denomination were far-reaching and effective, his work still bearing good fruit in the lives of those who heeded the gospel call under his teachings. He was living retired at the time of his death, which occurred in Salem, Oregon, in September, 1871. His wife was born on the Little Juniata river in Pennsylvania in 1800. The birth of the Rev. William Royal occurred in February, 1796, and thus he had attained the age of seventy-five years at the time of his demise. The Rev. Thomas Fletcher Royal of this review, was the eldest of a family of seven children, six sons and a daughter. He attended school at Piqua, Ohio, and also the public schools of Illinois and Indiana, and afterward engaged in teaching school for several years in Hancock and St. Clair counties, Illinois. He also spent three and a half years as a student in McKendree College, at Lebanon, Illinois, but trouble with, his eyes compelled him to abandon the course before its completion. In 1846 he took up the active work of the ministry at Galena, Illinois, and was received into the Rock River conference in that year. He was connected with that for about seven years and then was transferred to the Oregon conference in 1852 with the privilege of not entering into active connection therewith until 1853. His transference from the Rock River conference of Illinois was made by the bishop, E. R. Ames, who came to Oregon from that conference by way of the water route and, reaching Portland before Rev. Royal arrived, received him here. Mr. Royal left Victoria, Illinois, on the 27th of May, 1853, and made the journey over the plains with ox teams, always resting on the Sabbath day. When he left home only his own and his father's families were of the party but at different times they were joined by other wagons until they had a large train. They reached the Rogue river valley on the 27th of October, 1853. Mr. Royal and his father remained together for about a year, after which the latter went to Douglas county and subsequently to Portland. Thomas F. Royal preached his first sermon in the northwest at Jacksonville, Oregon, a few days after his arrival in this state, and there he built the first church in southern Oregon. The house of worship was begun in 1854 and was dedicated on New Year's Day of 1855. He has been instrumental in building five other churches in this state, these being at Canyonville, Ten Miles, Silverton, Salem Heights and Dallas. He has not only given his time and energies to the work of benefiting his fellowmen by preaching the gospel but has also done effective labor in the field of intellectual training, having been principal of the Portland Academy and Female Seminary for four years, from 1871 until 1875, while previous to this time he was principal of the Umpqua Academy of Douglas county, which was one of the early schools of this state, organized in 1815. He remained there for nine and a half years. After leaving the Portland Academy he served as principal of the Sheridan Academy of Yamhill county for a year and was employed under President Grant's Christian policy as teacher and clerk at the Seletz Indian reservation in Benton county, Oregon, for about four years. In 1875 he was made superintendent of instruction at the Klamath Indian mission and had charge of the Indian boarding school, to which work he was appointed in 1884, there remaining for about fifteen months, when a democratic president was elected and Rev. Royal was retired. He then became pastor of the Monroe circuit of Benton county, Oregon, and after two years went to Dallas, Polk county, where he served as pastor for three years, and during that period succeeded in erecting a church at a cost of five thousand dollars. His next pastorate was at Dayton, Yamhill county, where he remained for three years. He spent a similar period at Brooks, Marion county, Oregon, and preached his jubilee sermon at Roseburg, at the annual conference of 1896. He then retired from active connection with the conference but nevertheless continued preaching, being employed at Mehama and Lyons, Oregon, and at Leslie church in South Salem for two years. Since this he has not accepted any pastorate but has continued in active Christian work, preaching to the convicts at the penitentiary at Salem and before the inmates of the insane asylum at Salem for eight years. He preaches at times at the Montavilla Methodist church of which his son-in-law, the Rev. Harold Oberg, is now pastor. The Pacific University of California conferred upon him the Bachelor of Arts degree. Rev. Royal was married in early manhood to Miss Mary Ann Stanley, who was born in the state of New York and died January 2, 1906, at the age of seventy-six years. In their family were eight children, of whom one died in infancy. Anina Tema was graduated from an academy and later took a course at Willamette University, after which she became assistant principal of the Portland Academy and Female Seminary. She became the wife of Dr. Clark Smith, principal of the Vancouver Seminary, in Washington. He received his A. If degree from Willamette University and later the M. D. degree from a medical college in Texas. He and his wife went as missionaries to Africa where Mrs. Smith died, and he is now engaged in the practice of medicine in Berkeley, California. His children are: William E. R.; May, who is mentioned below; Jesse C., of Washington, D. C., who is married and has one child, Clark S.; and Anina Grace, the wife of John T. Stanley, principal of the Bragg Institute in California. Of this family. May Smith married Hooper M. Black, now engaged in fanning and the real-estate business near Vancouver, Washington. Both Mr. and Mrs. Black are graduates of the Portland University. They have seven children: Grace A., Esther M., Ruth J., Naomi, Nancy E., Miriam, and an infant. Rev. Stanley Olin Royal, the second of the family, is a Methodist minister, now engaged in preaching in Ohio in connection with the Dayton District Conference and was presiding elder there for several years. He is a graduate of Willamette University and of the Drew Theological Seminary of New Jersey. He married Matilda Walden, a daughter of Bishop Walden, and they have two daughters, Mary G. and Margaret. Rev. Miller Gould Royal, the third of the family, was graduated from the classical course in Willamette University and devoted his life to the work of the ministry and to the practice of law. His death occurred in Walla Walla, Washington. He married Tirza Bigelow and they had two children, Ethel and Bonnie. After losing his first wife, Rev. M. G. Royal married Miss A. McCall, who is living in Walla Walla. She was a public school teacher before her marriage. She has two children: Ronald F. and Barbara. William E. Royal, the youngest of the family, died at the age of twenty-three years, when preparing for the ministry. Forester W., a railroad employe, living at Bolton, Polk county, Oregon, married Ella Dodson and has two children: Cecil, who married Edna Williams and has one child, Catherine; and Esther. Eolia Florine is the wife of Rev. Harold Oberg of Portland. He was born in Christiania. Norway, and was there educated in the Norwegian language. After coming to America he entered Willamette University where both he and his wife graduated with the A. B. degree and he subsequently graduated with the degree of D. D. from the Garrett Biblical Institute at Evanston, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Oberg have four children, Ovedia L., Terry R., Agnes M., and Mary Ruth. Carrie Lucretia was graduated from Willamette University with the A. B. degree and subsequently became the wife of Professor Edgar M. Mumford, of the Olympia Collegiate Institute. He is now a clerk in the United States land office at Vancouver, Washington. They have five children: Edgar R., Beatrice A., Harold Stanley, William W. and Clarissa H. Rev. Thomas Fletcher Royal is now at the head of a family which numbers about fifty, of which he has every reason to be proud. Twenty of these have been experienced school teachers, five Methodist preachers; six preachers' wives; and twenty of them have drawn from different institutes twenty-eight diplomas. They are from academic, theological and medical schools. Not one of the number ever uses narcotics or intoxicants and all are prohibitionists and Methodists. Mr. Royal has never allowed his interest in things of the present to lapse. He does not live in memories of the past, but keeps in touch with the progressive everyday and the precious prize of keen mentality is still his. Transcriber's additional notes: Census 07-26-1860 Census of Douglas Co, OR; Winchester Pct, p 153 Thomas Royal, 39, OH, school teacher Mary, 30, NY, music teacher Anna, 9, IL Stanley, 8, IL Miller, 6, OR William, 3, OR 08-24-1870 Census of Douglas Co, OR; Wilbur, p 315 Fletcher Royal, 49, IL, minister of the gospel Mary, 43, IL Stanley, 18, IL Nina, 17, IL Miller, 16, OR William, 12, OR Forster, 10, OR Eola, 7, OR Cora, 2, OR 06-30-1880 Census of Washington Co, OR; Hillsboro, p 365 Thomas F. Royal, 59, OH, VA, PA, minister of the gospel Mary A, wife, 50, NY, NY, NY Aeolia, F, dau, 16, OR, OH, NY, att. school Carrie L, dau, 11, OR, OH, NY, att. school 06-14-1900 Census of Marion Co, OR; Yew Park Pct, p 299 T. F. Royal, 79, Jan 1821, OH, WV, PA, mar 51 yrs, minister Mary, wife, 69, June 1830, NY, NY, NY, mar 51 yrs, 8 children-5 living 04-16-1910 Census of Multnomah Co, OR; Portland Pct # 60, p48; 32 E 80th st Herold Oberg, 46, NOR, NOR, NOR, mar 1x 21 yrs, Methodist Minister, to US 1884, rents home Aerolia F, wife, 46, OR, OH, NY, mar 1x 21 yrs, 6 children-4 living Ovedia L, dau, 20, IL, NOR, OR, att. school Terry R, son, 18, OR, NOR, OR, att. school Mariam A, dau, 16, OR, NOR, OR, att. school Elaine H, dau, 10, OR, NOR, OR, att. school Thomas F. Royal, father in law, 89, OH, VA, PA, Wd. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in May 2007 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.