Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-04-12
From the Pittsburg Post
Owen Stanley, the GIpsY King Wv

Owen Stanley, the Gipsy King. '"
Owen Stanley, the recognised leader Of a LARGO,
of Gipsies in this country died short time si oaad
Madison, Ind and his remains were taken to Dautes
nterment beside those OF Harriet Owen, Gypsy Oua
who was buried there some two years ago. Tu0A
monies were announced to have taken place with Wre
pomp and rowing bands of this singular peonI eeaI
gathering at Dayton in all directions to partcinoee
the funeral ceremonies which were to be of q cnv
and imposing character, becoming the nterment nf S
ceased royalty. U'
In noticing the fact of his death, observe tbot
papers make remark upon the character lilo Tue
personal history of the deceased. 7 and
The Gypsy King" Owen Stanley, and his numo,.
family, have frequently visited this part of Penn,uS
MIA, and we know them well. The government of'Ms'
peculiar people, among themselves is patriarcba t
Oldest member of the tribe family receiving naor
reverence and implicit obedience from all its memS
The Stanley family of Gipsies, of which Owe
the patriarch, chief, king, came to America . was
seven or eight years ago from England by way of Cue
d. The Gypsy King was the father of seventpa 0 1
dren, all of whom we believe are in America ard G'
These, with their descendants, now number abont S
hundred persons. They still keep up their nomo% NO
Gypsy mode of living travelling from place to nIo"
bands, subdivided according to circumstances Ta
tribe is possessed of considerable wealth in horses
ons and money, the latter of which they are not svo
to loaning to persons in whom they have implicit oS
dence Knowing themselves suspected, they are ro
rally suspicious people, but when once their confd.
is acquired they are reehearted, open-handed and
vial. In all matters of practical life they are well j.
formed They drive sharpe bargain, are cautions s5
prudent, and we can say that the Stanley family bsv
proved themselves honest for in all charges made co;
them, which are not untrequent they insist upon invest
cation and come out triumphant We recolect that ~
one time, when In this city, man from Ohio svoro
positively to the ownership of horse which was in M
possession of member of the tribe and offered for aa
the horse market, and he arrested After he had
|
planant to swear positively that the horse was bis p
theirs, Stanley produced the bill and receipt for the mr.
chase of the horse gave bail for stay of proceeding m
couple OF days, and not only proved his legal owner
ship in the horse but also that the who was said
have been its owner still had his own horse.
When the Stanley tribe first came to this country No
father and mother remained in England, and joined Their
children IN this country at the request of their son Levi
Stanley, who sent to England thousand dollars to aid
them and some of the poorest members of the tribe 70
come to the United States.
The old man had many valuable articles which had
descended to him from his ancestors, and which he
desired to preserve relics of the oden time Tbqv
were silver cups and silver quarts tankards which
had been presented to various members of the tribe BY
English nobemen and gentlemen, as rewards for feats
agllty strength, running, jumping, dancing &c When
encamped upon large common grounds belonging to the
nobility and gentry of England amusements of this sort
were common, but by act of Parliament passed about
twenty years ago these grounds were enclosed and The
camp grounds and the grazing of the gipsies like the
bunting grounds of the Indian tribes were taken away
from them. This fact, together with the fear that the
younger members OF the tribe might be impressed fer
the RUSSIAN war, induced the Stanleys, together with
several other gypsy tribes to emgrate to America where
they could find plenty OF room without being regarded
as trespassers.
When the Stanley's resolved to come to America one
and all, the question to how they should convey
the family relics above spoken Of which numerous
and, being of silver, valuable They feared that both in
England and in this country the popular prejudice which
sets down the gypsy thief mig int induce the author
ties to seze them under the supposton that they were
stoen and that thus they might be put to trouble and
delay, or might loose their cherished treasures altogether
They accomplished the affair with true gypsy cunning
Purchasing cask of liquor, they secretly placed te
silver ware in it, wrapped up to deaden the SOUND
and then entered their liquor for regular eXporatiOna
the custom-house. The cask and its valuable contents
came safely through official hands, and the liquor
unlnJured by the valuable deposit which it contained
The family still in possession of these relics which
they regard heirlooms to be handed down to future
generations.
Owen Stanley at the time of his death, was about
eighty years of age. He was of very small statue-Ony
five feet two inches in heigh-but 1.-THE and active
cat, notwithstanding his advanced age When encamp
ed in the vicinity of Pittsburg at East Liberty last
year. he could leap from the ground upon the back Of
the largest sized horse neatly ever Eaton Stone
the clrcus-rider could
The whole tribe remarkable for longevity and for
their robust health, showing that the nomadie e with
all its dscomorts dwellers in cities would esteem
them is conducive to sound bodily vigor and length
days.
Now that the patriarch has ceased his wanderingsm
the land of his adoption, Levi Stanley, the Oldest
will mount the Gypsy throne. He is Of more
than ordinary intelligence, and with decided turn for
speculation. He is thorough Yankee in this respect
ready to trade anything be has, except his wife and
children, to turn an honest penny He is fine looking
man, and bis wife is noble specimen of the Gypsy race
She is tall and stately with the presence and the
action of born queen Her hair and eyes are black H
Jet-he latter brilliant and sparklng-her complexion
is dark, ruddy brunette-her features handsome. Her
men and step are as independent those of the "Me
Gregor on his native heath" With her brimme
hat and her holiday attire brilliant with strong con-
trasts OF coors when We saw her last she looked The
queen as much as Victoria OR Eugenia ever could do
The wife of Owen Stanley died and was buried ID
South Carolina, about three years ago, and since the
death of the old patriarch Levi Stanley and bis hand
some wife are now the Gypsy king and queen Of the
United States