The stories that led to, and followed after, the Oregon Trail…
Discover Your Family History with Oregon Trail Genealogy
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About
Mark Goddard
No doubt like many people, I wondered at times about my family and where we had all come from. Over forty years ago I found myself in the small eastern Oregon town of Canyon City, perusing their modest historical museum. Besides my interest in family history was an unfolding fascination with Oregon history, and I was soon to learn they were inexplicably intertwined. On that day, I looked up at the portraits of a man and a woman, taken in the late 1800’s, and looking down at the placard beneath them, saw the name Fisk, the same maiden name of my paternal grandmother. I was staring back five generations to my grandparents, who traveled the Oregon Trail in 1852. Since that time, I have continued studying the history of Oregon through the lineages of 7000+ people I have researched, unraveling stories in history, and stories of my family back to the 1500’s. This website brings those stories out of dusty boxes where they can be shared, and where I might help others discover the stories within their own families.
Blogs
The Ghost Town That’s Really a Ghost
A half hour NE of Potlatch, Idaho is a mountainous area, its prominent feature being Gold Hill, elev. 4646 ft.…
Blending Families at the End of the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail - 1845Christopher Peter Zumwalt was born 1827 in Cote Sans Dessein Township, Callaway, Missouri, a difficult birth for…
Mystery of the Sublette Millions
Many of us who dabble in the history of the Pacific Northwest and the Oregon Trail are familiar with some…
From a Murder Mystery in Leeds to Iconic Photos of Montana
James Fisk standing on right with wife Lydia and daughter Dell, who traveled the Trail at age two in 1866.…
The Darker Corners of Family History
As much as we enjoy sharing the stories and history of our families, we tend to skirt cautiously past the…
The Trail of a Wild, Rough, and Ready Friend
Two Families, One Common Ancestor, Two Hundred Miles Apart tells the story of two Shields families, one in the Imnaha…
Stories
The Girl in the Middle
As I wrote in "Images of Family Research," I’ve not encountered many people who aren’t intrigued, and often captivated, by…
After the Wagon Wheels, Vol. 2
Here is a teaser on my upcoming Audible book based on After the Wagon Wheels, Vo. 2, collected stories from…
A Casual Jaunt to the Store
In May of 1877 Cyrus Locey was in Baker City, Oregon and wrote in his journal on the 29th, "...started…
“Crossing the Plains” by Walter G. Beith
In "Two Families, One Common Ancestor, Two Hundred Miles Apart" I introduced a quote by a little girl named Arlene,…
Wagontires & Strawberries – Place Names and Family
As Ralph Fisk relates in Grandfather's Story, "On April 10, 1864, a beautiful sunshine morning, he [Nathan Fisk] set out…
The Stories of W. Ralph Fisk cont.
W. Ralph FiskApril 14, 1922Editor of the Eagle, While I was in Canyon City visiting a few days ago, I…
Book Our Services Now!
Discover your Ancestry with Oregon Trail Genealogy. We offer a range of services to help you uncover your family history. Whether you are just starting out on your genealogical journey, or you need help filling in the gaps in your family tree, we are here to help.
Your booking initiates a discussion via email where we can discuss the project and terms.
Our Services Include:
- Genealogy Research
- Blogging – Interested in being a guest?
- Family History – Interested in sharing your family’s Oregon Trail story?
- Consulting
- Speaking Engagements
