Welcome!
I created this site to honor the families of my father, James Paul/Moran Troutman (Troutman/Moran/etc.), my mother, Maria Troutman (Messina/Padovani), and everyone related to them. I want it to be an electronic “ancestral home,” a way to bring us closer together despite distances that aren’t always measured in miles.
My brothers and I grew up in Maine, far from most of our relatives. Our parents weren’t native Mainers. No aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews, or grandparents lived close by, and we sometimes felt isolated — like “black sheep” — and out of place; many of our neighbors had relatives close by, but sometimes, our neighbors were as close as relatives.
Honoring and Remembering Those Who Have Gone Before Us
By the time I was 14, my father, James, had died and my grandparents had passed away. The memories of everyone who is gone live on in our hearts, and I’m pleased to help keep their legacies alive here.
We didn’t begin to get to know our extended family until the mid-1990s and late 2000s. It has been great to know you, and I hope we can keep staying in touch for years to come.
Some of us find family connections more important than others, which is fine, but I hope you’ll explore this site and learn more about the history we share.
Thank you so much for visiting.
Love and best wishes,
Michelle Troutman