Sunday, July 26, 2015

A Deluge of Effects from Mary Sophia Harvey Kingsley Leonard Amy and her children

Recently, I was contacted by a distant cousin who had read this blog post about Rose Adele Kingsley Bloss.  Rose Saves Family  This cousin lives near the homesite of the home that Elias Kingsley built for his brother Elihu and sister in law Mary Kingsley around 1850.   She rescued many of the effects from this old home before it had to be destroyed 3 years ago due to it's age and deteriorating condition.  After getting acquainted on the phone, she offered to GIVE ME many of these effects!

We visited Sheffield, Tionesta, Warren and Kingsley Pennsylvania a few weeks ago to meet our cousin, research the area and collect the effects our cousin had in mind.  For a genealogist, it was like winning the lottery!

As I have done a quick once-over of the materials, I find in my possession some belongings of the following individuals:

Mary Sophia Harvey Kingsley Leonard Amy
Rose Adele Kingsley Bloss, Mary's daughter
Carolyn 'Carrie' Bloss  Lynde, Roses' daughter
Olive Maud Bloss Broman, Roses' daughter

The home also contained some effects belonging to Alice Bloss Workman as well, but they are being given to the Workman descendants.

There are many photos, almost without exception none are labelled with names.  There are many letters to the women listed above, as well as some hand crocheted lace, a couple of shoes, an apron, a infant girl's taffeta dress and an infant pinafore.  In all, it filled a rollaway carry on sized suitcase to the brim, with the fabric items and delicate rolled photos carried loosely in paper bag with handles.

I can hardly wait to catalog and post what I have in this blog!

As I process these effects, I will put what I learn here on the blog for help in understanding what we can learn from it.  Perhaps something will answer our nagging questions--- why did Mary leave?  I will also update the different posts here with the new information and date it.

I'm so grateful for these generous cousins!

Stay tuned!