My earliest memory of Papa.

Some of you may recall Papa and Grandmother's home in Hermosa Beach, California referred to as the Beach. You only had to say, the Beach and any of the family and close friends, knew you were speaking of Grandmother and Papa's home. This small beach house with it's red brick front yard and oval shaped cut out in the center flower bed was filled with plants.  Just one step up, led you on to Papa's porch that often smelled of turpentine, warm sun and nestled with white wicker furniture. More often than not, you would be greeted by Ripper their Siamese cat, on a leash at the end of Papa's chaise lounge and of course, Papa.

By the time I was born, Papa was 81 years old and had been retired for a while. I think the front porch was his sanctuary away from all the women in the family. And here I was all of 3 years old maybe, sitting in the rocker next to Papa. I remember I was so tiny that my feet just hit the edge of the cushion, but I felt so grown up, because I was sitting with Papa. But really probably made me fell so grown up is that my younger sister, Kathy was crying in the house. We could hear her through the screen and Papa got up and said, into the screen, I don't hear anything now do I? This was his way of saying, you had better be quit, he had had enough. WOW! I was so glad it was not me.

The name Feland

The mystery behind the name Feland or Pheland or Foland, which is it really? Here is the story I remember hearing of the name Feland. The Feland brother's were in business together and there was a falling out between them. This led to at least one brother changing the spelling of the name to Pheland. Well that is what we heard. My mom mentioned it's like playing telephone through the generations and I think she is right. Only to find this week on Ancestry.com a tree connected to mine with the last name Foland. WHAT? Foland not Pheland? I messaged this man who says, several generations back there is a change in the spelling. I then started looking at other trees and found the spelling of Thomas Pheland who might just be the first Feland from Northern Ireland. Which way is the correct spelling and does our line of ancestry come from Thomas Pheland? This I want to find out more about? Do you?

Picture of Armstead Milner Feland

Armstead Milner/A.M. Feland my 3rd Great Grandfather. He is the father of William Butler/W.B. Butler with his second wife, Leanta Sandidge.