John C Kingsley and ET Rees - John C Klingsley

JOHN C. KINGSLEY AND E.T. REES

J.C. Kingsley was born about 1822, in New York. He was a partner with E.T. Rees [ or E.G. Rees],
who was also born in New York, ca 1824. Both professed to be saddlers. Perhaps Rees was a
relative, an in -law, or a close family friend, as was often the case during the emigration period to
the Oregon country. J.C. arrived in Portland with his wife, Ann, about 1859, a date calculated
from the fact that his eldest child, John S. was born in California in 1858, and the youngest, Kate,
was born in Oregon, about February of 1860. A saddlery was established at 100 Front Street by
1860. There is reason to believe that Rees was the owner, listing capital of $3000, in that year.
It should be noted here that the basis for the Kingsley research comes from an entry in Scott’s
HISTORY OF PORTLAND of 1890. In that edition the name was erroneously noted as “H.”
Kingsley. The author believes this error was made when reading handwritten script with a
scrolled “J” in close proximity to a scroll “C”, which could look very much like a scroll written
“H”.
By 1870, J.C. Kingsley was in the business of steamboating, probably more lucrative than harness
and saddles. By then he had four children.
He died prior to 1881, and his widow lived at 46 Montgomery, in Portland, at that time. Further,
she is listed in later years at the same address, as the widow of John C. Kingsley. Probably a son,
Harry J. Kingsley, lived with widow Ann Kingsley in the 1890’s. He was not a saddler.
An E.T. Rees appears in Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio and was a harness maker in 1880. His
name does not appear in Portland in 1860.
[No maker marks for these men are known to the author]
[This saddlery would have been in business ca 1859 - ca 1 867]

Research by Richard and Dorothy Egan

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