Seeking original location of Kingsley's House in Laurel Grove(Orange Park,Fl)

[Larsmed]

Hello


I have a book showing an artists depiction of this wealthy plantation owners house when it was in orange park, called laurel grove back then...

Its showing somewhere off Kingsley....Does anyone here have a clue as to where it might have been in terms of possible intersection or miles from where the old steamer pier was down by the st johns?

BTW I know the newer location at st george...im referring to the original plantation..The place that was invaded by indians..near doctors lake

Larry

[tony_k_Orlando, FL]

Larry,

hope this may help some

Tony

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The Town of Orange Park was founded in 1877 by the Florida Winter Home and Improvement Company, with owners and trustees predominantly from Boston, Massachusetts. As a direct result of hard times following the Civil War, the old “McIntosh” plantation at Laurel Grove was in shambles and changed hands several times. After purchasing several thousand acres of property in the area, the Florida Winter Home and Improvement Company created a new town and called it Orange Park! The property was subdivided into building lots and small farm tracts, and the present street system was laid out which included Kingsley Avenue, River Road and Plainfield Avenue. To enhance the sale of the property that was marketed up north, many lots were planted in Orange Trees, a cash crop even in those days. Two years later, following a local referendum, the Town was incorporated by a Special Act of the Florida Legislature in 1879. A large hotel was built at the foot of Kingsley Avenue, along with a 1200 foot wooden pier which extended well into the river and could accommodate steamboats which attracted the northern tourist trade.

The Town has roots back to the 1780's and 90's during the second Spanish period in Florida history. At that time, Orange Park was known as “Laurel Grove”, a name that was given by Sarah and William Pengree who had received a land grant from the Spanish Governor. Following William’s death, the farm and plantation at Laurel Grove fell into disrepair until it was sold to a young energetic planter by the name of Zephaniah Kingsley. Beginning in 1803, Kingsley established his plantation at Laurel Grove and developed it into a model farming operation that flourished over the next 10 years.

As a young United States began to grow, it flexed its’ military muscle along the Spanish border which was also the Georgia frontier. By a secret act passed by the U.S. Congress, President Monroe was authorized to bring Spanish Florida under United States control. By the summer of 1813, General Matthews, using volunteers and the Georgia Militia, invaded Spanish East Florida which triggered the “Patriots Rebellion”. Reluctant at first, Kingsley and other wealthy planters along the St. Johns River joined the short lived revolt against Spanish authority. Several weeks later, Matthews and his volunteers vacated East Florida and Laurel Grove was burned to the ground by Spanish authorities and their Indian allies.

By 1817 Kingsley had relocated his plantation operations to Fort George Island and had sold Laurel Grove to John H. McIntosh, another local land baron and plantation owner.

Since those early days, Orange Park has grown dramatically and has developed as the northeastern gateway to Clay County. Commerce and business has flourished, not only in the Town, but in the greater Orange Park area as well. The Town and its government has continued to make a wide variety of improvements in an effort to meet the demands of its citizens and residents. The new Town Hall built in 1995 is a tribute to the Town of Orange Park and stands as an outstanding example of the character of residents and the far sightedness of those who call Orange Park home.

[tony_k_Orlando, FL]

Ooops ! I thought you meant Grove, not house, sorry.

There is a street named Kinglsey there, maybe

[Larsmed]

Tony

thanks man for your help! I am looking for Kingsley's house, which is on the road named after him.

I have an picture of his home on present day kingsley rd, but nothing more than that...Its hard to find exact coordinates you know..thats the hardest part of research!

I could simply search all along kingsley I suppose..Maybe I will discover one of the bircks to his chimney or one of those carriage mounted cannons he used before the seminoles burned his home down.

Larry

[Gypsy Heart]

Northern tip of Fort george Island at fort george inlet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Kingsley

[jeff of pa]

would this be it ?

Kingsley House Plantation Jacksonville Beach Florida

[diggummup]

Acooridng to the link that Gypsy provided it says that;After a brief stop in St. Augustine, Kingsley's ship made its way up the St. Johns River, stopping in an inlet now named Doctors Lake. Attached to the lake was a dock, the main entrance to Kingsley's plantation that he had named Laurel Grove.

[Larsmed]

diggump....

Yes!! we are getting warmer....doctors lake is very big..now its just a matter of pinning down on which part it was...



Larry

[diggummup]

Here's a little more info with a map. I know it's a large lake-http://books.google.com/books?id=sEM...esult&resnum=1 scroll up just a bit to see the map.

[diggummup]

Here's a good read too, the part about Kingsley starts on page 58-http://etd.gsu.edu/theses/available/..._ma_2final_pdf