Wonderful letter from Mrs. Kingsley to Helen Keller about her move to California from 1923
One of the most fabulous discoveries in my research is a letter that Mrs. Kingsley (who built our house in ‘27) sent to Helen Keller in 1923. Now for some backstory to put this into context…
The Kingsley family had been close friends with Helen Keller since the 1910s or earlier. The story goes that the family was at a restaurant in New York and saw that Keller was having a hard time getting a table and so Mrs. Kingsley offered that Keller could sit with them. They became friends for many decades and there is a large amount of correspondence in the AFB.org archives (American Foundation for the Blind started by Keller and friends in 1923). The AFB archives is where I found this letter.
The Kingsleys were a wealthy and prominent New York family and like a lot of their peers, they had a summer retreat in the Adirondacks, in the form of a large home and sizeable chunk of land In Elizabethtown, NY. Keller and other prominent people visited the “cabin” from 1902 until it was sold in the early ‘20s. It seems there were many fond memories created here as it comes up in the correspondence often.
I was able to track down the person who bought the cabin and she had also become fascinated with the history of the Kingsley family and shared a lot of info including an old photo album. It seems the 4 Kingsley children had blissful childhoods here but by 1917 or so Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley had decided to split up. The cabin owner thinks it was partially due to Mrs. Kingsley’s deepening interest in spiritualism and the occult and how that might have clashed with Mr. Kingsley was a conservative Christian. She even found notes from a local historian in Elizabethtown that Mrs. Kingsley had been having seances in the cabin. Regardless the Kingsley parents must have split somewhat amicably as she believes Mr. Kingsley “sold” the cabin to Mrs. Kingsley for one dollar. The Elizabethtown home was on the market for a few years as Mrs. Kingsley seemed to be back and forth to California. In 1918 Mrs. Kingsley and 3 youngest kids are having thanksgiving dinner with Helen Keller and friends in Altadena, CA (near Pasadena). In 1919 Mrs Kingsley built a house in Hollywood where the family minus the husband is living in the 1920 census. Though Mrs. Kingsley seems to be trying to hold the family together with the L.A. Hollywood house, her youngest two children are 20 years old in 1920 and everyone seems to be headed different directions. In 1922 she is working on the Hollywood house but in 1923 she moves to Berkeley with her youngest son Mabon who is going to U.C Berkeley. I think she just wanted to be near one of her kids. Mrs. Kingsley falls in love with Berkeley and that’s where the letter picks up.
“135 The Tunnel Road, Berkeley.
My Dear Helen. Thank you for that sweet letter which allowed me to share with you in imagination the many joys of that goodly land of my so-loved summer-home. Since the great break in my life I have found it more constructive to shut the door on that part of me where hang the bright pictures of that happy past, but the re-opening with you was with a very real gladness that Elsa [Kingsley] was able in this way to return some part of your hospitality to her, and the gifts of an affectionate friendship which has carried her through some “battle-grey” moods. You and dear Teacher [Anne Sullivan] and Polly [Thompson] have been of so much help to her, how happy I am to think that an E’town foof has sheltered you all! And now I learn from my Eastern agents that the place is sold, and so am looking forward to entertaining you here, myself and Mabon [Kingsley], the next time you come West—which ought to be before so very long. I have learned to love Berkeley so much, and would love to get your impressions of my cosy little home here.
No wonder you sensed me down in the birch-grove! Almost as often as twilight fall I would wander down there and rejoice to the fullest that my sad heart could in the inimitable song of the hermit-thrush. But you would contact another woman now, one whose face is toward the rising sun,—healthier of Body and soul than the one you knew before. I know you will be quick to know it.
Mabon [Kingsley] is on the sea, returning this week to New York, and you may see him before this reaches you. I hear from Robert Coons how you indulged his "penchant" for exceeding the speed limit; I am told that you knew perfectly well what was being done the while. He certainly has a good angel perched up aloft to take care of him! I always feel safe when he drives, though I enjoy a slower pace myself. With this comes much love to you and your dearly-loved household. I am hoping to see you all this winter. Affectionately your friend,
Mary Kingsley
Monday, November 19th [1923]”
Let’s break this down… starting with the date.
I think that Mrs. Kingsley moved to 135 Tunnel Road in 1923 and lived there until 1927 - it is the address she lists on our ‘27 house permit. In 1923 I find 135 Tunnel Rd. is listed as Mabon’s address in the UC Berkeley freshmen directory - I suspect Mom was the one who rented it. Since Mrs. Kingsley was having her Hollywood house worked on in 1922 and she lived in our house in 1928 when it was complete, that means she probably lived at 135 Tunnel Road from 1923-27. In the 1920s the only year with a Monday, November 19th (at the bottom of the letter) is 1923.
The first paragraph is talking about her Elizabethtown, NY summer retreat. It’s referred to as “so-loved summer-home” and “E’town foof” and it’s also the house being sold by the “Eastern agents”. Keller stayed with the Kingsley family there. Elsa Kingsley, the youngest daughter, seemed to form an especially close bond with Keller and crew and she has the most material in the AFB.org archives - spanning many decades (from 1918 to at least the 1960s).
The “great break” in the first paragraph I believe is Mrs. Kingsley splitting with Mr. Kingsley, selling her beloved summer home, moving to California, and starting to go by the name Mary Kingsley. The first record I have of her with the new name is the 1918 Thanksgiving picture with Keller. Her birth name was Susanne and the family still thinks of her as Grandma Sue.
“But you would contact another woman now…” I suspect that Mary Kingsley was a spiritual medium for Helen Keller. Sounds crazy, but I have the notes from the Elizabethtown historian who said she had seances with Helen Keller. I know that both Mrs. Kingsley and Helen Keller were interested in Spiritualism as were a lot of people around the turn of the last century. I also can’t think of another explanation for this coded language. Unfortunately I believe the other half of this letter, which might offer explanation, is lost to time.
“Mabon is on the sea…” The Kingsley family was bicoastal. Mom and Mabon were in California. Dad was in New York City. Myra was between New York and LA for much of her astrology business from late ‘20s to approximately the ‘60s.
“Robert Coons…” I don’t know who this is but it’s a funny little anecdote.
Finding this letter was so exciting because I have been researching Mary Kingsley for a few years now and its very hard to find out anything about her. I have found only one picture of her actually at the house - on our front porch. I have heard descriptions of her from her daughter Myra in interviews. So it’s nice to hear her voice, so to speak.