I wanted to meet Chauncey after reading this... with smiles.

I am Pierre, named for my mother's uncle whom she loved, although the birth certificate says "Peter" though they never called me that. Just in case I wanted to renounce my French citizenship...

Middle name is Welté, my mother's maiden name. Good solid Alsatians.

Last name, Whalon, I was told that it is actually Welsh, not Irish. Not sure about that, but the Whalons arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1730s, with a small land grant in Westport. They became farmers and whalers. Some still farm...

And great-to-the-nth grandfather William was a Continental Army soldier. His son married a Mayflower Rogers. So I could join both the Sons of the American Revolution and the Mayflower Society (moi??)

What a mess... but that's what's in a name.

Thank you Richard.