During my studies I always had a nagging curiosity about where my ancestors would have been and what they were doing during major historic events. Were some of my ancestors famous knights going on the Crusades? Were others soldiers during the Napoleonic wars? Were any involved in the American Revolution or the Civil War? If so, who’s side were they on? Were they “johnny rebs” or did they wear Union blue? Did any of my family meet George Washington or Robert E. Lee in person?

I’d hope that I would see the name “Hoyle” show up as I studied. Maybe a famous general, a pioneer like Lewis and Clark, maybe a soldier at the Alamo. Every time I picked up a history book, I’d look at the index to see if my surname was listed. There seemed to be lots of Howes, Hoyts, and Holts in the indices, but never a Hoyle.

I was so happy the first time that I heard the expression, “According to Hoyle.” I had no idea what it meant, but my mother (Patricia [Jarvis] Hoyle) told me that anyone using the phrase meant “this is a fact” or “that’s the rule.” She further explained that it referred to “some Englishman (Sir Edmond Hoyle) from hundreds of years ago” who defined and wrote a book about all the rules of various card games and the expression caught on and remained fairly common, especially among older people.

Of course my elation at first hearing about this famous person with my last name was quickly deflated. When Mom said, “I don’t think we’re related to him” I was so disappointed. I’d finally found out that there was a really famous person named Hoyle, only then to discover that I was probably might not related at all.

Instead of that news discouraging me, it made me only more determined to find out if I did have any famous ancestors. What I found over the years is that most were not famous in the modern sense, but many were notable and honorable in their service to their countries and for their accomplishments in so many other meaningful ways.

My name is John Alan Hoyle.  I live in Salem, Oregon – a city that I consider to be one of the most beautiful in America’s Pacific Northwest.  I am a semi-retired grandfather.  My work and my hobby is the creation of websites for small businesses and private individuals.  I’ll tell you more about myself on another page at another time.  All you need to really know – beside the fact that I love and admire my own family - is that I also have a life-long passion for the study of history and genealogy. 

Today is Sunday, June 8th, 2008.  This project actually gets off the ground about forty years late – but after years of promising my family that I would write our family story, I am actually putting pen to paper – or should I say “fingertips to keyboard” - thanks to two things. First is a technological format that simply did not exist forty, or even twenty, years ago – namely the Internet.  Second – the fact that I have reached an age where I can live in semi-retirement and actually have time to do some of the things I’ve never really had time for before.

As you read my story, you’ll discover that I love family histories – especially any that involve my ancestors and also those of interlocking families.  Some of you may also enjoy researching – or at least hearing – stories about famous (and in some cases infamous) people that shared our name.  You may find out that you are related to some historical person that may have changed the course of history.  If you have children or grandchildren, they may grow to love hearing about famous people that carried their surname or were a part of their bloodline.

I hope that all that visit, and hopefully participate, will enjoy the stories about the people and places that are apart of our past and our present.   Although genealogy and family histories will be a major part of this site, I don’t want it to become just a list of names and dates of people long gone or of strangers that you may never meet.  I want it to become a living, growing history of the families that carried the surname Hoyle (or its variations), and something that you and your family will look forward to reading from time to time.

Until someone offers a better suggestion, I am choosing the tagline, quoting William Shakespeare, “There is a history in all men’s lives.”  The men and women of our family have many stories to share, both past and present.

My hope is to present those stories and introduce those people to you on the pages of this website in a way that will educate and entertain you.  I also hope that you will help by offering stories and details about your own Hoyle family members.  I actively solicit your participation in any way that you feel you can offer it.