Ranulph de Kingsley Legend Digested by William Arthur Kingsley

In his book "Kingsley Family of America,"  author William Kingsley digests the legend using many sources.  Some of them are the same that I have been researching to confirm the story.  Some are unpublished sources.  They are:

Deane, Edna Amos Kingsley
Brown, Dr. LeRoy Joseph Kingsley and his Descendants (not published)
Kingsley, Dumont  Kingsley Genealogy (not published)
Anjou, G.  Kingsley Family (not published)
Burke, Armorial Bearings Genealogy Lineages
Ormerod  History of Cheshire
Montague Genealogy
Charters, Plea Rolls, Recognition Rolls, Inquisitions

"The following account is in part the matter of record while some parts remain unproved, therefore; it must be considered as; "Kingsley Lore."  The origin of the family and the surname Kingsley started when William the Conqueror, the Norman King of England was succeeded by his third son William the second also known as 'Rufus the Red King' ruled England between 1087 -1100.  Early in his reign he suffered a revolt of his Barons.

"Tradition says he went hunting in New Forest or Vale Royal one day and became separeated from his companions and attendants.  He became lost and wandered aimlessly throughout the forest and glades, towards the eve of night seeing a light beaming from a forest's cabin.  He approached the cabin and without making himself known to the forester.  The forester offered him a night's shelter. 

"The forester by name of Ranulphus slaughtered a young goat and his wife prepared a savory repas.  The King was refreshed by the evening meal and was offered a humble co0uch in which he slept that night and in the morning partook of another bounteous repas. (p.7)

"In the bright of day he discovered he was in his own lea.  He was so delighted with the forester's hospitality that he bestowed the whole of that portion of his domain known as the King's Lea upon his host Ranulphus the Forester, and made him a Baron.  Ranulphus took the name of the land King's lea, "Kingesleigh" Kingsley.  He became known as Sir Ranulphus de Kyngesliegh. Later the family crest contrained a Baron's Crown surmounted by a goat's head.

"Before 1128 Ranulphus de Kingsley, known as the first, was made grantee of the forest of Mara and Modrem by the third Earl of Chester, Sir Randall Meschines.  A hereditary right later known as "Hereditary Master Forester of Delamere" and was given a bugle horn to wear at his side.  A symbol of the hereditary Master Forestership of Delamere."  (p. 8)

Author William Kingsley labels this 'lore' but meshes records with the legend.  Perhaps it is legit...

More about Edmund Harvey's Children

Only one marriage record that we have found lists parents.  It does give us the name of Edmund's first wife, if Edwin remembered correctly.  His mother died when he was very young, as he was born in 1864 and she does not appear in the 1870 census.

Edwin (James) named his mother as 'Margaret Hoffman' in his marriage record in 1895.  Edwin married Clara McGill in 1895 in Grand Traverse county.  (Michigan marriages Vol. B Moore Liber 3 p. 81.)  One can see them in the 1900 census living in Forest Home, Antrim, Michigan.  Edwin is head, 33, b. Jan 1867 in Michigan, both parents b. New York.  Clara, wife 25, b. Sept 1874 in Michigan, Connecticut, Canada.  Grace Walling, niece, 19, b. Aug 1882 in Michigan, dad Indiana, mom Pennsylvania.

This helps us find out Edmund's first wife, and more work needs to be done to find an Edmund or Edward Harvey and a Margaret in the 1850 or 1860 census, theoretically in Ohio or Pennsylvania, as Franklin and Irus were born in Ohio and Emma Jane was born in Pennsylvania in 1861.  These have proven elusive so far.

Edmund was still living when Edwin married, so it could possibly be that this name is good, we just can't find it.

In sorting out which children belonged to Edmund and which belonged to Elizabeth Wellmore Mitchell, we can derive clues from the censuses.

Franklin and Irus obviously belong to Edmund.  They consistently go by the same names and they are both cited in Edmund's will.  Franklin was born in 1851 in Ohio; he was 19 in 1870, 25 in 1880 (wrong) and 50 in 1903 probate record.  Irus was born in 1854 in Ohio; he was 16 in 1870, 23 in 1880 (wrong) and 47 in 1903.

Jane, age 9 in 1870 and disappears, unless she is also Emma.  In 1880, Emma is 19, but she is dumb, disabled and idiotic.  Was this an older brothers' stunt or was it fact?  Who talked to the census taker?  Emma is listed as age 44 in 1903.  Emma married a Taft, under which name she is listed as an heir on Edmund's probate record.

Edwin is cited as an heir, but he might be the James that appears in the 1870 census as age 6.  In 1880 he does not appear in the census when he would be 16 under either name.  In probate, he is cited as age 37 in 1903. 

The last child cited vicariously in the will is Mary or Anna.  In 1870, Mary is age 4; in 1880, Anna is age 15.  Anna married a Walling and delivered a daughter Grace, who is named in the will as Edmund's heir, as Anna passed away in 1899.

Charles appears in the 1880 census when Elizabeth Willmore Mitchell is present, it is likely that he is Elizabeth's son.  He may have passed away, but if he had heirs, Edmund might have still considered him in his will as he had Grace Walling. 

More research needs to be done to find which mothers these children conclusively belong to.

Insight into Mary's move to Montcalm County 1850's to 1880's

Lifelong resident and genealogist Judy Hardy wrote this about Montcalm County at the time that Mary Sophia Harvey would have moved there:

"Montcalm County didn't become a county until 1850 and even into 1870 it was pretty remote here.  Most of the county was covered with white pine trees so tall and thick they blocked out the sun.  It wasn't until the mid 1870's to 1880's that the lumbermen moved in and started harvesting all the trees.  The county was flooded with 'transient' people here only to work in the lumber camps and mills.  People could come here and not be found.  Saloons sprung up everywhere.  Lots of drinking and all the ills that go with it.  Once the lumber was gone so were many of the men.  Those that stayed behind were farmers.  It was no place to be if you were a young mother with no husband.  There were a few 'rich' people in some of the small towns-- those that owned businesses or banks, lumber and mill owners, but many were poor, hard working families with little or nothing.  They didn't always have the means to even erect a tombstone on their graves when they died.  I should send you the history of Stanton-- interesting reading and very representative of many of the towns in this county.  Lumber made the towns and when lumber left the towns barely survived."  (email dated 6 November 2005)

Judy sent me the history of Stanton, which can be found at http://www.migenweb.org/montcalm/history/articles.htm

I found the account by Mrs. F. W. Van Patten most engaging.  But all of the information describes a very rural, untamed wilderness when Mary came.

A Timeline with Mary Sophia Harvey, Elihu B. Kingsley and Edmund Edward Harvey

8 May 1818	Elihu Beckwith Kingsley is born as a twin to Edward Kingsley in Forest County, PA, tradition	Don't know where this date came from.
12 Oct 1834	Mary Sophia Harvey is born according to tradition in Sheffield, Warren, PA
1840	Census-- no Harvey's are found in Sheffield, Warren, PA
20 Dec 1849	Marriage to Elihu Beckwith Kingsley, Sheffield, Warren, PA	Announced in Warren Mail 27 Dec 1849 and Warren Ledger 25 Dec 1849 (WL says 21 Dec) (Newspapers), married by D.D. Bower, Esq.
15 Oct 1850	Census-- Elihu age 29 Farmer, and Mary age 18 married within the year, Sheffield, Warren, PA	If her birth date is correct, she would have just turned 16 years old.  Elihu should have been listed as age 32.  D.D. Bower, who married him, lives next door.  Nearby is uncle Ephraim Kingsley.
25 Oct 1851	First child Herbert Walker Vernon Kingsley is born in Sheffield	Exactly 9 months from wedding date.
22 Nov 1852	Second child Rose Adell Marion Kingsley is born in Sheffield	Some dates show 1853.
23 Apr 1855	Third child Francis William Kingsley is born in Sheffield	He died before 1860.
28 Sep 1856	Fourth child Fremont Perry Kingsley is born in Sheffield	"All the children were born in Sheffield in the second house built in that town by Elihu's brother Elias Kingsley."  Belle Barnes
22 Feb 1859	Fifth child George Washington Kingsley is born in Sheffield
18 Jun 1860	Census-- Elihu, farmer, age 43 and Mary age 26, Herbert age 9, Rose age 7 both attended school; Fremont P age 3 and George W age 1, Sheffield, Warren, PA	Elihu's age should be 42 and Mary's should be 25.
9 Jul 1861	Sixth child Charles Andrew Scott Kingsley born in Sheffield
13 Jul 1863	Seventh child Katheryn Emily Kingsley was born in Sheffield	"Asa Harmon Barnes, a quite well to do man and his wife Letitia Force Barnes had lost 4 girl babies and wanted another girl, so since Elihu had 5 children besides Katheryn Emily, they wanted her to come and live in the Tavern and store with them.  She was raised as one of their own, as a little orphan Annie of her time.  There were many such trade ins of children of poor families to rich families.  She was not adopted-- just lived there as one of Asa H's family."  Belle Barnes
1865	Eighth child Emma Kingsley born in Sheffield
9 Jan 1866	Ninth child Archibald Warner Kingsley is born in Sheffield	Mary had 9 children before she turned 32, 8 living.
9 Oct 1866	Edmund Harvey filed a Homestead on land in Pierson, Montcalm, MI	80 acres, cost $14
Between 1867 and 1869	Mary Sophia Harvey Kingsley left Sheffield with Archie Kingsley and moved to Michigan	One can only guess the reasons that Mary would leave 6 young children and her husband to move to Michigan.  Is she meeting family there?
15 Jan 1867	Edmund Harvey build a house on his Homestead in Pierson	Described later as 1.5 stories high, one door, 4 windows, shingle room, board floors, comfortable to live in.  Cleared 3 acres, dug a well and planted an orchard of 75 trees.  Says he is a family man with 5 children, no mention of wife.  Sworn on 17 Nov 1871.
14 Aug 1867	Levi Leonard registers for a Homestead in Pierson, Montcalm MI	80 acres, filing fee $14, Levi is certified as a citizen of US, over age 21, a single man.
1867	Mary's oldest child Herbert marries Sirina Humes in PA.	He's only 17 years old.
Dec 1869	Mary marries Levi Leonard, probably in Michigan	Information on the 1870 census said married the previous December.
28 Jul 1870	Census--E.B. Kingsley age 52, Peeling Bark and Mary S age 33 listed.  Fremont age 14, George W age 11, Charles age 9, Emma age 5 and Archibald age 2 listed.  Sheffield, Warren, PA	Mary wasn't here, but clearly Elihu thought she was returning.  Archie is listed at age 2 although he would have been 4, leading to the conclusion that Mary may have left when he was 2 in 1868.  Herbert and Rose are not listed-- Herbert was married.  Katheryn is not listed, should be with the Barnes family but is not listed there either.  Perhaps it was so temporary that they didn't list her with them.
23 Aug 1870	Census-- Levi Leonard age 45, Farmer, and Mary Leonard age 30, Archie Leonard age 4, Pierson, Montcalm, MI	Mary's age should read 35.  Archie's is right.
1870-1871	Mary's oldest daughter Rose marries Richard Bloss in Sheffield	She is only 17 or 18, and probably has acted as mother to her siblings in her mother's absence.
24 June 1871	Levi Leonard writes his will, giving his land to Mary and Archie, upon her death.	Says Levi arrived in Reynolds in 1869.
29 Jun 1871	Levi Leonard dies in Pierson, Montcalm, MI
18 Sept 1871	Levi Leonard's will is probated.
30 Sept 1871	Mary Leonard, widow (Maiden name Mary S. Harvey) marries William Amy, a mechanic in Reynolds, Montcalm, MI	Both listed as age 35, married by Justice of the Peace AT Stevens, witnessed by Edward and Elizabeth Hallock of Reynolds.
17 Nov 1871	Edmund Harvey is issued 80 acres of land in Pierson, Montcalm, MI	In proof of homestead, claimed built a house, dug a well, plowed 10 acres of land, orchard of 75 trees.  Said is a 'man of a family of 5 kids.'  Patented 5 Apr 1872.   Signed by son Franklin Harvey and William Van Mier
26 Nov 1872	Mary S. Amy is issued the 80 acres of land Levi Leonard Homesteaded-- just a few blocks from Edmund Harvey's land	Patented 10 Apr 1873
5 Nov 1873	Edmund Harvey marries Elizabeth Willmore Mitchell	Montcalm marriage record Volume A pg. 65.
After 1870, probably 1871	Emma Kingsley dies, Mary's eighth child, back in PA.	She is shown in the 1870 census as age 5, the last place we see her listed.  Tradition says she died young, but Belle Barnes give the year 1871.
22 Dec 1879	Fremont Perry Kingsley, Mary's 4th child marries Ida Ruland in PA.	He would have been 23 years old.
5 June 1880	Census-- Elihu is living with brother Elias in Conewango, Warren PA.  Elias age 65, Farmer, Elihu, brother, age 63, labourer, and George age 20, nephew.	Elihu lists his marital status as 'widowed'.
8 June 1880	Census-- William Amey, Wagon Maker, age 44 and Mary Amey, age 44, son Archie age 14, in Reynolds, Montcalm, MI
11 June 1880	Census-- Letitia Barnes is shown in Sheffield as a widow, age 57.  In her home are Son's Edward age 26, Franklin age 25, H Cole age 23, William age 21 and Catherine Kingsley age 16 adopted daughter.	This shows Katheryn Emily living with the Barnes family.
9 Sept 1886	Rose Bloss, Mary's oldest daughter delivers her 8th child, a son, and names him Archie Bloss in PA.	Perhaps this is near the time that Mary and her son Archie reconnect with the family back in PA.
20 June 1891	Katheryn Emily Kingsley marries Frank Barnes, a child raised in the Barnes' home which took her in.	Frank is 11 years Katheryn's senior.
5 Mar 1892	Charles Andrew Scott Kingsley, Mary's 6th child, marries Jenny Ruland, sister to Ida Ruland, who married Charles' brother Fremont.
2 Apr 1893	Archie Bloss, namesake of Archie Kingsley, dies in Sheffield, Warren, PA	He was 7 years old.
20 Oct 1893	Archie Kingsley marries Susie Kendall, both of Howard City, MI, in Howard City, Montcalm, MI	Archie incorrectly lists his father as Richard Kingsley.  He had just begun using Kingsley as his last name, sometime after the 1880 census.  Perhaps he learned of his family in PA, but hadn't met them yet.  Or the details of his family are still unclear.
1894	Census-- Archie Kingsley, Farmer, age 25, Susie Kingsley age 16, William Amey, Laborer, age 57 and Mary S Amey, age 56 Reynolds Township, Montcalm, MI	Archie says he's been living in Michigan for 20 years; Mary says she's been there 35 years.  Mary says she has 5 children, 3 living.  All contradictory.  They are found living together, Archie listed first.
24 Sept 1894	Mabel Edith Kingsley born to Archie and Susie Kingsley.	Were they still living with the Amey's?
2 Dec 1895	Archie abandons family-- Susie is pregnant and baby Mabel is one year old.	"I was married [to] Archie Kingsley who deserted me in Dec '2' 1895, and the continued and unexplained absence of said Archie Kingsley for 18 years led me to believe he was dead as no intelligence of his existence had been received during all the 18 years and I have received no proof up to the present date that he is now living." Susie reported under oath on 1 Dec 1923 in a pension dispute.  Other testators mention that he died in Virginia.
9 Aug 1896	Mary Amy Kingsley born to Susie Kingsley	Susie reports living in the County Poor House in Fairplains Township, Montcalm, MI.  Susie said she lived in Howard City (Reynolds Township) and the father's whereabouts were unknown.  Did Susie give Mary the middle name of Amy to honor her In-laws?  Why would the Amey's not take her in?
1897	Plat map shows Mary's Land Patent in Reynolds and Edmund's Land Patent in Pierson, near each other.	To the Southeast of Howard City in Reynolds Township, 80 acres is listed with A.W. Kingsley owning a 40 acre block, Mary Amey owning a 20 acre parcel, W Amey owning 12 acres and R Walker owning an 8 acre piece, all presumably part of the original 80 acre plot.  It is adjacent to land owned by Irus Harvey, son of Edmund Harvey, who also owns land a block away.
22 Mar 1899	Edmund Harvey died, widower in Pierson, Montcalm, MI	Said was aged 78y 1m 18d, making birth date 4 Feb 1821.  Informant lists parents as Elija Harvey and Polly Shunberg of Pennsylvania, each.  According to Cheri, this information is incorrect-- Polly Shunberg is Edmund's first wife's mother, not his own.
14 May 1900	Elihu Kingsley died in Conewango Township, Warren, PA	The newspaper 'Evening Democrat':  "Died Eliheu [sic] Kingsley died at his home in North Warren on Tuesday, aged 82 years.  Mr. Kingsley was an old resident of Warren county and was highly respected.  The funeral services were held today and the interment was in the Russell cemetary." 17 May 1900
7 June 1900	Census-- William M Amey, Farmer,  born Apr 1837, married 29 years; Mary S b Oct 1834 in PA, mother of 8 children, 7 living.  Reynolds Montcalm, MI	Perhaps Mary didn't count Francis, as she was the mother of 9 and at this point, 7 were living.  Birth information also contradicts birthdate of 12 Oct 1836.  Perhaps Mary wasn't as young as we thought at marriage to Elihu?
1900	Census-- Mary's son George Washington Kingsley is living in the PA State Hospital for the Insane in Conewango, Warren, PA
11 June 1900	Estate of Elihue Kingsley.  Charles Kingsley of Conewango petitioned. Same date renunciation of Rose M Bloss filed by F.P. Kingsley.  Is it because she has just recently reconnected with her mother?  And that she cared for her in her own home?	Lists surviving children as Herbert V Kingsley of New Martinville, West Virginia; Rose M Bloss of Sheffield PA, Fremont P Kingsley of Clarendon PA, Geo W Kingsley of Conewango PA, Chas a Kingsley said petitioner, Kate Barnes of Barnes PA and Archibald W Kingsley residence unknown.  Charles swears in the oath that he "will swear to God in the last great day" handwritten in.  No mention of Mary Sophia Harvey as an heir.
16 June 1900	Appraisal of Elihu Kingsley estate	Amount $96.10
23 May 1901	William M Amey died in Reynolds, Montcalm County, MI	Aged 65y 1m 7d, making his birth date 16 Apr 1836.  Did Mary go to live with Rose now?  Rose raised 13 kids, in 1900 census there were 7 still living at home.
28 Oct 1901	Estate of William Amy	They had mortgaged the property and Mary had to sell it before William's estate was settled.
21 May 1902	Mary S Harvey died in Rose Bloss' home, Warren PA	At some point, Mary moved in with Rose.  Rose claimed Mary was a resident of Reynolds, Montcalm MI but died at her home in Warren PA
17 Feb 1903	Estate of Edmond R. Harvey	Says died at home in Pierson 24 Mar 1899, heirs Irus H Harvey 47 of Bellaire, Antrim, MI; Frank Harvey 50 of Bellaire, Antrim, MI; Emma Taft nee Harvey 44 of Bellaire, Antrim, MI; Edwin Harvey 37 of Bellaire, Antrim, MI; and Grace Walling adopted daughter of Anna Walling nee Harvey daughter now deceased, said Grace is aged about 20 years of 2813 Helm ST Duluth Minnesota.

Edmund/Edward Harvey-- How is he related to Mary Sophia Harvey?

One piece I haven't placed is Edmund or Edward Harvey.  He was living very near Levi Leonard when Mary moved to Michigan and married Levi.  So close, one would think that Mary and Edmund, sharing the same last name, knew each other. In fact, our Michigan researcher thinks they were related closely.  Looking at the map below, one can see the close neighbors they were to each other.

Edmund staked his homestead claim as early as 1866.  We find Edmund or Edward living here as early as 1870 in Pierson, Montcalm, Michigan.  On that census, we read the following:
Edward Harvey, 38, male, white, farmer, $600 land; $250 personal assets.  B. Pennsylvania
Frank 19, Works on farm, b. Ohio
Irus (male) 16, works on farm, b. Ohio
Jane 9 F b. Pennsylvania (note this)
James 6 b. Michigan
Mary 4 b. Michigan

If you go by birth years and locales, then Edmund could have been in Ohio from 1850-1860; Pennsylvania from 1855-1864 and Michigan from 1861-1899.  Note that he is either widowed or divorced.

On 17 November 1871, Edmund is issued 80 acres of land, the land which is very close to Levi Leonard's land that Mary bought after Levi's death.  As proof of homestead, he claimed he built a house, dug a well, plowed 10 acres of land, planted an orchard of 75 trees.  Said he was a family man with 5 kids.  Witnessed by his grown son Franklin Harvey.

5 Nov 1873, Edmund married Elizabeth Willmore Mitchell.  In Montcalm Marriages book A p. 65, born in New York, age 51, farmer.  Elizabeth was age 44, born in Michigan, married by the Justice of the Peace of Reynolds and the witnesses were Martha J. Covert and Alice Rullolph.  

In the 1880 census, we see the blended families.  Pierson, Montcalm, Michigan Edmond Harvey, 57, Husband, married, Farmer, B. NY, Dad Conn, Mom NY
Elizabeth age 50,  wife, married, keeping house, b. NY, dad and mom US.
Emma 19 daughter single, rickets, idiotic, dumb, can't read or write, b. PA, dad NY, mom NY
Anna 16 Dau, housekeeper, b. PA, dad NY, mom NY
Charles 13 son, at home, can't read or write, b. MI, dad NY, Mom NY
James 5 grandson, b. Mi, dad NY, mom Eng.
Irus M 23 son, works mill, 3 months unemployed, b. MI, dad NY, mom PA
Franklin 25 son, works mill, 2 months unemployed, b. MI, dad NY, mom PA

It's hard to know which kids came from Elizabeth's first marriage conclusively.  Emma and Jane might be the same person; James might also be the Edwin listed in Edmund's probate below.  This is something we need to continue to research.

When Edmund died on 22 Mar 1899, he was a widower.  His age was listed as 78 y, 1 m, 18 d, putting his birth date as 4 Feb 1821.  Informant lists parents as Elija Harvey and Polly Shunberg both of Pennsylvania. 

His estate was settled on 17 Feb 1903.  It lists Irus, Frank, Emma, Edwin, Grace Walling adopted daughter of Anna Harvey Walling as heirs.


Tags:  Mary Sophia Harvey Kingsley Leonard Amey, Edmund Edward Harvey, Irus, Franklin