Travis was born in Portland, Oregon on the first day of Spring. On the second day he was transferred to Our Lady of the Dunes, an orphanage on the outskirts of the city. For the next 16 months he was known as Baby Boy Gilbert. His natural mother was never known to him. While growing up, Travis heard several versions of his lineage, but he was indifferent to these potential genealogies. His stay at the "Lady" ended when he was adopted by a childless couple, George and Mary Frances. His new parents took Travis to Sweet Home, Oregon, where he would spend the next 16 years of his life. Photos from this period show a promising beginning.

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