William Ross Osterhoudt, or Uncle Bill as we called him, was my husband Peter Ross Jansen’s uncle, and my mother-in-law Margaret E. Osterhoudt Jansen Carro’s brother. He was one of those very unique fellows who could thoroughly engage just about anyone in a colorful conversation always bringing history alive. When I think of Uncle Bill, I can’t help but think how his research and adventures managed to link people and their present lives to their past, ensuring that family histories would be preserved and passed onto future generations. And just like Uncle Bill, his name would pop up in some of the most unlikely places… One day over ten years ago, I was on the phone with a business colleague, Patty Hasbrouck. Peter and I live in New Jersey, but both worked in Westchester, New York at the time. Patty and her husband lived in the Albany area, and were the proud parents of a new baby, just as we were. On a business phone call, Patty mentioned that her mother-in-law had asked her to please send a photo of her son to their family historian. So I started joking with Patty and asked her if she might be related to the Hasbrouck’s of Stone Ridge. To my amazement she said yes! Then I kiddingly wondered out loud if their family historian just happened to be our family historian – none other than The William Ross Osterhoudt. Well it was! How surprised were we to find out that although the two of us had worked together for a few years, we had no idea we were actually related in some circuitous way through our husbands. So once again, here was another completely unexpected family connection all leading back to Uncle Bill. And oh what a memory that William Ross Osterhoudt had and what a wonderful historian he was… Like the time when our then eight year old son David Ross had to do a project on his genealogy. Of course he immediately called Uncle Bill who described David’s relation to the Ross family and also his Mayflower lineage. It wasn’t like Uncle Bill to leave all the facts just to a telephone conversation either. We were sure to receive a large manila envelope that same week. It contained a letter with a hand drawn family tree linking David Ross Jansen back to William White and his son Resolved White, and a large copy of a photograph of Lucida Ross, the last Ross with that surname. I can’t tell you how very impressed David’s schoolmates were when they found out that William White of the Mayflower was David’s thirteenth great grandfather, and his son Resolved White -- whose younger brother Peregrine White was the first child born on the Mayflower in Cape Cod -- was David’s twelfth great grandfather. It was so very uncanny to learn that the Mayflower landed in what is now Provincetown Harbor on November 11, 1620. No coincidences that November 11 is Veteran’s Day – a salute to you William Ross Osterhoudt – and it’s also the day David Ross was born. A big WOW from the school children and from our family too, all thanks to you, Uncle Bill. But Uncle Bill was not one to have anyone walk away full of themselves… So he was quick to tell David, Peter and I that there are millions of descendants from that original Mayflower voyage. So thank you again, Uncle Bill, for leaving us with a story that we share with many many proud Americans. We will miss you dearly, With our love, Diane & Peter Ross and David Ross Jansen