Hunt, Herbert and Floyd C. Kaylor.  Washington: West of the Cascades.  Vol. 
III.  Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1917.  p.599-600.

KINGLSEY, BYRON N

	Byron N. Kingsley, a representative of one of the pioneer families of 
the northwest, is now actively and successfully engaged in the real estate 
business in Blaine.  he was born in Spring Valley, Minnesota, in 1856, and is 
the only survivor in a family of three children, his sisters, Emma and Hattie, 
respectively older and younger than Byron N., having both passed away.  The 
father, Solomon C. Kingsley, was born in New York and, following the tide of 
emigration steadily westward, was identified with the pioneer development of 
Minnesota, Dakota and Washington.  On leaving Dakota he made his way westward 
to California, thence proceded by boat to Victoria, British Columbia, and on 
to Blaine, where he arrived on the 22d of February, 1871.  There were then 
very few settlers at the head of the Bay.  He took up his abode on a tract of 
wild land and built a home on the Point.  He had one hundred and sixty acres 
which he was clearing but which had not yet been surveyed when he passed away 
in 1872.  His widow therefore proved up on the land and cleared about twenty 
acres.  She bore the maiden name of Catherine Altshul and in the farm work was 
greatly assisted by her son Byron, who assumed the management of the fields.  
In the course of time Mrs. Kingsley secured the title to her property and 
continued to reside thereon throughout her remaining days, her death occurring 
in 1898.  The farm was all platted when the town of Blaine was established in 
1890.
	Byron N. Kingsley was a little lad of but six summers when the family 
home was established in the territory of Dakota and was a youth of fifteen at 
the time of the removal to the northwest.  As stated, he actively assisted his 
mother in the farm work and continued the cultivation of the place until the 
farm was platted to sell as city lots following the establishment of Blaine.  
He thus became actively identified with the real estate business and has since 
handled and sold property.  He has also added to the further improvement of 
the city by the erection of residences and has thus contributed in 
considerable measure to the substantial development of the town.
	In 1883, in Blaine, Mr. Kingsley was married to Miss Anna Henspeter, a 
daughter of Henry Henspeter, who with his family came on the same boat to 
Birch Bay as the Kingsley family.  He then took up the occupation of farming 
there and continued actively therein until his death in 1914.  His wife had 
passed away a few years before, dying about 1907.  In their family were five 
sons and five daughters and nine are yet living, all in western Washington.  
It was in 1870 that the Henspeter family removed from Cook county, Illinois to 
Fidalgo Island and later the father developed a farm at Birch Bay which is 
still in possession of some of his children.
	Thus both Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley represent very old and well known 
pioneer families of the state.  Mr. Kingsley has always taken the deepest and 
most helpful interest in the affiars of his section, copperating in many plans 
and measures for the general good.  At the time of his arrival in Whatcom 
county Bellingham was the nearest trading point and trips to that place had to 
be made in canoes.  Crops were sold to trading boats and later to logging 
camps, and after a brief period M. and R. S. Clark, pioneer settlers, built a 
store on the Spit.  Mr. Kingsley has long been an active suporter of the 
republican party and was appointed and served for several terms as deputy 
sheriff.  He has always been a staunch advocate of the cause of temperance and 
in sympathy with the on-reaching prohibition movement.  He has also been 
humane officer in his district.  Fraternally he is connected with the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows.  His entire life has at all times been 
honorable and upright and sterling traits of character have brought him the 
high regard in which he is uniformly held.

Submitted by: Jenny Tenlen

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project.  Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.