Stanley Family N/P 2
1886*THE PROSPEROUS HOME OF THE MODERN ISRAELITES AT DAYTON OHIO
I noticed an editorial item recently said one of our citizens relative to the immigration of Gypsies and their transfer from New York to the Gypsies home in Ohio. It reminded me I am tolerably familiar with the Dayton Gypsies
They are wealthy for a tribe of about fifty or seventy five they own three or four farms all well stocked and equipped with fine buildings. It is estimated that in al they are worth several millions in property cash mortgages bonds and other security They cultivate their land in summer using none but the best materials and implements and in winter go south to their property making the journey by teams and passing in horse trading. They do not occupy their houses in summer, but they are doubtless are used in winter by them. The man SUGAR STANLEY is his name who brought his family from England is the KING of all the Gypsies in USA and he traces his ancestry to his royal Gypsy blood of Hungary. Stanley has only been King for a few years before him his father filled the place while preceding him a woman called JEFFREY was the ruler, the sceptre descends in direct line of inheritance if possible but the JEFFREY Queen died childless and the wand of power fell to the Stanley's, The Queen was carried about in a magnificence Chariot glided and mirrored in royal style and was inhabited by no one else, She did not work only told fortunes, Stanley is an excellent business man and he manages all the immense interests. He can count money or keep track of a game of seven up but when it comes to a drove of stock or a crowd of people he has to use his fingers. The people of the tribe stick to each other until death and they even succeeded in getting one of their number acquitted of murder once. When the Queen died she was buried according to Christian rites, the ceremony being witnessed by ten thousand people
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1887 January 13th *THE NEW GYPSY QUEEN
Evansville Indiana : Jan 13th The Position of QUEEN of the gypsies in the UNITED STATES made vacant by the death of EMMA STANLEY which occurred near Jackson Mississippi on December 30th last has been filled by the appointment of MISS LUCY STANLEY a sister of the dead Queen who lives about 2 miles west of this city, where she owns valuable property. Miss Stanley has gone to Dayton Ohio to attend the funeral of the deceased Queen, after which there will be a ceremony the coronation of the New Queen.
Miss Stanley will remain at that place until the return of the different bands that are now in the south when a grand jubilee will take place after these ceremonies which will continue for 4 days have been brought to an end and her orders issued which will govern the action of the predatory people for a year Miss Stanley wil return to this city.
The New Queen is but 19 years old prepossessing in appearance fairly educated and is a favourite among her own people, but also all who know her, she will issue her mandates from this point but will lead the annual migration
of her people the south next year which commences in November.
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1887 January 9th
DEATH OF A GYPSY QUEEN
JACKSON Mississippi Jan 8th Ten days ago a band of gypsies composed of three families and embracing about 20 person pitched their tents in PEARL RIVER SWAMP opposite this city. Among them was a young and beautiful married woman who said to be the GYPSY QUEEN On the night of the snowstorm she became a mother giving birth to twins, one of the infants died on the day of its birth and the day before yesterday notwithstanding that she had the best medical attention to be procured in the city the mother died also Since then a weird ceremony peculiar to this wandering people has been going on in the tent where the body of the QUEEN rested. The grief of the husband as well as that of the other gypsies was most intense and it was manifested in ways novel to people unacquainted with the customs of the gypsies.
The finest casket to be in the city was purchased and the remains accompanied by a delegation of the party were this morning shipped by express to DAYTON OHIO where the ashes of all AMERICAN gypsies Queen's are said to repose. Adding to the remarkable scene at the gypsy camp was the sight of the brush and bark huts of a family of CHOCTAW INDIANS who annually winter near this city and who seemed to understand and enter fully into the feelings of the mourners
I would add myself this to be of the STANLEY GYPSIES who were always buried at WOODLAND CEMETERY OHIO
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1888-APRIL 28th NEWARK OHIO
A GYPSY WEDDING HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES
XENIA April 28th A big gypsy wedding will be celebrated here tomorrow by 2 camps now located near the city.
The entire JEFFERIES tribe together with a part of the STANLEY tribe are expected to be present, The high contracting parties are a STANLEY man and a JEFFRIES woman, the Queen PHILLIS JEFFRIES and her attendants will be present and the ceremony will be performed by some minster from this city, after the wedding they will celebrate what they call the lord's dinner and supper at which there will be plenty to eat and drink the whole to be closed with a big dance.
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1888 - 30th February
QUEEN OF THE GYPSIES - A PERSONAGE WHO ONLY DWELLS IN THE IMAGINATION OF POETS & NOVELISTS
That creature around whom has been woven such exaggeration of romance- The Gypsy Queen- is but another creation of the imagination. Despite all assertion to the contrary despite the fact that an imposing funeral was accorded a Romany Woman- MATIDLA STANLEY at Dayton Ohio some years ago and supposed by outsiders to be Queen of the Gypsies, no American Gypsy acknowledges as such authority either titled or in reality.
The prevalent idea held by outsiders that any among them is entitled to Royal prerogative is a matter with them for ridicule and laughter.
Prominent among Romany characteristics is the desire to mislead those not of their race in regard to their of existence. They possess a keen enjoyment in the absurdities of others particularly if these absurdities are errors about themselves.
With them an interment is a momentous event, it calls up all the ceremonious pomp their means merits, it is their opportunity for expression of devotion to a loved one gone- lost in infinite space of eternity.
Queens & Kings the Gypsies have none, in this country they do not even acknowledge leaders for the old Romany characteristics are disintegrating, each family looks out for its own interests its own best advantage.
The Stanley family brought into such prominence by the pompous burial of Old Matilda is one of the largest of the American gypsies, Its immense connection caused unusual importance to be attached to the funeral of Matilda Stanley from the gathering of the great concourse of relatives.
Instead of being held as a dictator of her people, Matilda did not enjoy the fullest of respect nor esteem from most outside the Palo relationship or even from many within.
It was open talk by Gypsy fire-sides it was Alcohol that caused her demise, her immediate relationship did not stand in the highest respect with their race because of failure to pay debts.
“ It is amazingly amusing to hear talk about Gypsy Queens ”, drawled FELIX COOPER when approached on that subject, that's only chin to hoax the Gilles with, we sets no person over us, its but abit of Chaff, the Gilles they always want to know something about us wot we don't know ourselves, they askin and pryin and it serves them right to give em the hoax ”.
TILLY COOPER his sister tall angular with her shining jetty hair in curls an excellent and honest spinster of 55 took up the subject of Gypsy Queen, ! Its true she declared that never do we ave a King or Queen Nur ruler, Ow wat may ave been in long time ago gone, I know not ”
Seems like I recollee my Great Gran-dad when II was but a wee of a lass and was bidden my time in the south of England tellen me of a far off day when Romany had a King and houses and said lands all like the white folks but poor old man was nigh daft before he died.
“ Wot with one son sent sent across water for a job such as no Gypsy in this country would so do is and thought to do, one killin a jockin and one daughter runnin away and marryin a white Covo and a German too , she added with a sad touch of pride, no wonder the poor old man wits went a wanderin ”
She was his youngest child and comin along in his old age by his 3rd wife who died when the girl was born I can see her now and I was bit a chit when the German carried her off, I think as yes now she was the prettiest girl that side of the water or this.
Her skin was neither white nor brown, her cheeks was as pink as a hedge rose, her mouth was as red as that coal ,her hair was a bit curly and hung down below her knees, I recalls that her that evenin thou, he carried her away when the sun was going down and glintin straight and yellow, She was standin out abit from the camp and lookin down the road, she had on her finest Romany dress, fur we wore the romany gowns then, She wore her purty slippers with Silver buckles although there want no fair anywhere around. I was wishin I could grow up and have a pair of Red stockings as Auntie Nannie wore, she was holdin up over her head with her 2 hands a great brake to shield her face from the sun. Grandad he speaks to her once or twice to come and lite the fire and she says each time in a soft voice for she was always gentle and coaxin like – Ah father its so pleasant out by the road Father..., well finally the ole man he jumped up in a terrible rage and it were mighty queer how he I thought to get angered at Nannie for he never did, Nannie he says sharp like and suddenly, come here directly, She came slowly towards him keepin her big eyes on his face, she didn't lower her hands ,but kept the great green brake over his head.
Just then way down the road I heard the Clatter of Horses hooves, Nannie heard them too, for she turned her head then although comin towards Grandad, looked in direction of the sound.
At that Grandad sprang forward and caught one of her little wrists so fierce she cried out in pain, When I tells you to come to me , he says in harsh rough Romanica , do you dare turn your head to watch for the comin of that gorgeous foll !!
Nannie pulled to get away from Grandad, then Grandad seemingly wild with his madness clenched his great fist and gave her a savage blow, She dropped right down and the colour went from her face all the men and women exceptin Grandad, Nannie and Aunt Polly, who had a 5 day old baby was away from camp, the men a fisherin or horse dickerin and the women dukkerin.
I remember I screamed and Aunt Polly came runnin out of her tent, The young German jumped like lightin down off his horse and takes Nannie up in his arms and kisses her calllin her my darlin, my sweetheart and Grandad curses him and tells him to be gone, the German swears back at him he will have the law on him for killin his Luv.
Then he picks up Nannie as if she was a baby and rides off with her and her eyes were closed and her head was restin on his chest, Grandad he fell down on the grass in a kind of Fit, We never none of us saw Nannie agin, We heard how he took her to France as soon as they were married and had her educated in a school, he going over to see her every little while, when he brung her back they did say she were Russian and how she went to court belong to best of them.
However some of her chavvies had the Romany ways in their blood for out of 5 ,2 run away and joined our people, you know my second cousin ROSE SPARROW, you know she's called the Gypsy Beauty, well she was a daughter of one of Aunt Nannie's boys. When the old man Grandad got out of the fit, he notioned he killed her and he moaned every day and cry at a time about it. Then he took to tellin tales about old ?Romany times and Gypsy Kings & Queens I know nothin about it, but I does know we ain't got no such now.
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1893 Friday February 3rd* PIQUA OHIO USA LAVISHLY ROYAL WEDDING IN GYPSY SOCIETY CIRCLES
PAUL STANLEY AND MATILDA JEFFERY UNITE IN MARRIAGE- TWO NOTED FAMILIES GLOWING EVENT IN THE MIDST OF THE CELEBRATED ROAMERS
Even though the dark clouds hovered ominously over the surrounding country last night the biggest gypsy wedding was celebrated at the Home of SUGAR STANLEY the Gypsy King of Troypike and the clouds only seemed to weep from joy. The event was a gala one in Gypsy circles and witnessed the solemn marriage of PAUL STANLEY & MATILDA JEFFREY He was a prince of the famed Stanley tribe Matilda a princess of equally famed Jeffrey tribe and prospective Queen. The Festivities accompanying the ceremony were bewildering in the extreme A full brass band added mirth while an elaborate banquet was discussed with as much vitality as the lavish dress of the happy parties Many guests enjoyed Sugar Stanley hospitality and when both were joined in marriage at a late hour the party continued into the early hours. The wedding joined two of the most famously known gypsy families in America.
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1895 June 25th Rye New York – *ARTHUR STANLEY a member of the Stanley tribe of Gypsies today eloped with MISS A WELLS, she is 16 years old and a daughter of WILLIAM WELLS the head of another Gypsy tribe, Stanley is a leader of the Stanley tribe, there has been bitter feeling between the 2 tribes for some time and as their courses appeared to conflict they were continually having differences. Arthur Stanley and the daughter of the Chief Wells apparently took no part in the differences they left here some time today on a steam launch, they were taken to Bridgeport Connecticut Chief Wells has discovered the flight of his daughter before she was long gone and had asked the aid of the authorities to arrest her. The Bridgeport police caught the run away couple who are now said to be at Greenwich Connecticut..
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1898 APRIL 22nd ROMANCE IN A GYPSY CAMP* Dillsboro Indianapolis – April 22- A band of gypsies camped here finally leaving and following turnpike in direction of Aurora and Lawerenceburg. Among them was a pretty dark eyed girl of 16 called MARIE STANLEY. JOHN HICKMAN a Kentucky horse-trader while driving along discovered the camp and stopped to dicker horses, it chanced that none save Marie Stanley were in camp , Hickman fell in love at first sight, before the other gypsies could return she had packed her bags and disappeared with Hickman and they were married in Kentucky as the crossed the river at Aurora BUCK HARRISON on of the gypsies was soon to wedded Marie and a upon discovering her missing had started in pursuit, but returned empty handed. It was difficultly that other members of the band had to stop him commenting suicide, later he left the band and started for Texas.
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1896-04-08 Fort Wayne Indianapolis*GYPSIES BURY THEIR QUEEN
Evansville the scene of regally fantastic funeral rites.
April 3rd – Over 12,000 people witnessed the burial of MRS ELIZABETH STANLEY HARRISON late Queen of the Gypsy tribe, which took place yesterday afternoon at Oak Hill cemetery this city.
Her death took place September 20th 1895 at Corinth Mississippi and her remains were brought to this city sept 22nd
the grave was sealed according to their gypsy custom and floral offerings covered the ground for several yards, the day was almost a holiday here as the Harrison regard this their home.
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UNUSUAL CEREMONIES IN CEMETERY AT DAYTON Dayton Ohio April 13 1908
The dispensing with many of the old and strange customs the gypsies of the Stanley tribe whose headquarters have long been established in this city this afternoon carried out the formal ceremony of burying the former King of the Tribe LEVI STANLEY at Woodland Cemetery the heavy casket had been sent from the south where the king died was carried on the backs of two white horses where it had been in a vault before being interned. In order not to attract the curious some of the odd features of a gypsy burial were omitted. The men came with boots and spurs from all sections of the country and the women gaily bedecked attracted some attention, they were guests of the local hotels during their stay here.
