Samuel Kingsley was born 17 January 1808 in Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut, United States to Ezra Kingsley (1775-1845) and Margaret Turrell (1787-1838) and died circa 1839 Beardstown, Cass County, Illinois, United States of unspecified causes. He married Olive Andrews (1818-1879) 1838 in Missouri.
Lyman Omer Littlefield (1819-1893) Reminiscences (1888), Pg.106 - Pg.107
Among many other acquaintances, I found Lysander Gee, who had been a Far West associate. Enquiring of him of the whereabouts of many friends, I asked concerning the residence of our friend Samuel Kingsley. Said he, "He has been dead a few months and his wife and sisters are living but a few blocks from us." Accompanied by him, I soon made them a call. Mrs. Kingsley had a babe then about five months old. She informed me she had buried her husband near Beardstown, on the Illinois River, and being left among strangers, she concluded to remove to Quincy and live with her sisters-in-law. I called several times at that residence. That lady and myself attended a few parties together and, not to be circumlocutional, right here it might as well be told the reader in plain words that, in due time, Mrs. Kingsley, at my suggestion, consented to substitute the name of Littlefield for that of Kingsley. This arrangement being confirmed with the usual covenant and agreement, we took a trip about twenty miles to a little place called Liberty, in Adams County, and at the residence of her uncle, Benjamin Andrews, the marriage ceremony was pronounced which constituted us lawfully husband and wife by Elder Elisha H. Groves, a preacher of the gospel in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Lyman Littlefield Reminiscences (1888), Pg.106 - Pg.107 / by janlbee)
[Lyman's account above does not ring true, because if Samuel Kingsley went with his sister Rachel with the Pioneer Overland Howard Egan Company to Salt Lake City in 1849 (source attached), which left from Pottawattamie Co., Iowa, then Samuel was not dead, nor did Olive bury Samuel in Beardstown, IL before Lyman and Olive were married in 1840. Samuel would not have been buried in Beardstown, either, if he was going to Salt Lake, since Illinios would be traveling east in the opposite direction. Lyman could have married Olive when she was still married or separated or perhaps divorced from Samuel. It appears that either Olive or Lyman could have been lying about their relationship. The Nauvoo High Council Minutes of 27 May 1842 records Lyman's inappropriate sexual philandering all while falsely saying that Joseph Smith condoned it all (in the John Bennett, Francis and Chauncey Higbee, Catherine Fuller, William Smith, and several others' spiritual wifery fiasco), and was disfellowshipped for his crimes for a time. It appears that Olive eventually left Lyman, seeing as how Olive becomes sealed to Brigham Young in 1846 and is listed as one of his wives. Later, Olive married Orra M. Liske in 1854 in New Orleans and had a daughter with him. This is very complicated, to be sure.]
Zions Camp Participant
This Judith Mehr rendition depicts struggles endured by members of Zion's Camp, an expeditionary force to help Church members in Jackson County redeem their brethren.
One of the most interesting episodes in the early history of LDS Church was the march of Zion's Camp (1834). The members of the Church in Missouri were being persecuted, and the Prophet Joseph made it a matter of prayer and received a revelation on February 24, 1834. The Lord instructed the Prophet to assemble at least one hundred young and middle-aged men and to go to the land of Zion, or Missouri. (See D&C 130:19–34.)
Zion’s Camp, a group of approximately one hundred and fifty men, gathered at Kirtland, Ohio, in the spring of 1834 and marched to Jackson County, Missouri. By the time they reached Missouri, the camp had increased to approximately two hundred men.
Liberty Jail Relief
In the book, the Historical Record, by Andrew Jenson, while discussing Joseph Smith's confinement in the Liberty Jail, it states, "Just across the street, directly opposite the jail lived a family of Latter Day Saints, who were full of sympathy for their imprisoned brethren. This family befriended them in the only way within their power. Having heard it whispered that the food was not, at all times, of a very good quality, they, as often as convenient, and when safe to do so, found means to pass to them through the prison grates (which could be reached by a person standing upon the ground from the outside) various articles of food, such as cakes, pies, etc. which they themselves prepared. This had to be don very cautiously, under the cover of night. The names of those who performed these good Samaritan-like deeds. were Samuel Kingsley and his wife Olive Martha, also his sisters Rachel, Eleanor, and Flora.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Samuel Omer Kingsley (1839-1879) | |||
Siblings
Residences
See Also
- Samuel Kingsley
- Kingsley Family
- Kingsley in Cass County, Illinois
- Kingsley in New London County, Connecticut