HL and Mary Herron Rayner were the beating heart of Kingsley, the life force compelling the settlement to move beyond a series of homesteads to a true community. Their store and the fact that Mary was postmistress for years gave them the perfect cornerstone on which to build belonging.

The bustling Homestead-era settlement of Kingsley found many activities to create community: dances, picnics, and other social gatherings; farming and ranching activities; service, charity, and political clubs, and sporting activities such as baseball, important to all of Powder River County. Many newspaper reports - most notably the Kingsley column in the Powder River Examiner - documented the activities, weather, visits, illnesses, and events both major and minor in Kingsley.

Red Cross members at Ed Irions

It is believed that the first community organization was a Red Cross Chapter at the time of the World War I (1914-18) and was organized by Mrs. Mary H. Rayner as the chairman. The women knit socks and sweaters, etc., and made shirts to send to the boys overseas. It was a part of the Broadus Chapter. The Kingsley Ladies Aid was established about 1927. Some of the members were: Mrs. Mary Weipert, Mrs. Whalen, Mrs. Hyde, Mrs. (Neiman) Hubbard, Mrs . Ulrich, Mrs. Mae Severovic, Mrs. Lee Rayner, Mrs. Ambuel, Mrs. Minnie Edwards, Mrs. Carl Emmons, Mrs. Kate Amsden, Mrs. Henry Rayner and Mrs. Ned

Honorary Members of the Red Cross at Ed Irions - husbands of the members?

McLees. All the neighbors were urged to come and bring their children. A Good Neighbor Club was started in July of 1949. This was just a friendly gathering and would help anyone with any work that needed to be done. Members were: Mrs. Don Manker, Mrs. Carl Bostwick, Mrs. Ruby Ulrich, Mrs. Freda Ulrich, Mrs. Hans Carter, Mrs. Mae and Lydia Watters, Mrs. Mae Severovic, Mrs. Francis Mangen, Mrs. Kate Amsden, Mrs. Mary Weipert, George Weipert, Mrs. Betty Rhinehart, Paul Burns, Mrs . Minnie Edwards, Mrs. Bertha Ambuel, Mrs. John Garr, Mrs. Nanna Whalen, Georgia Hyde, Mrs. Barbara McLean and Mrs. Anna Paul. - Echoing Footsteps

 

While we don't know the exact population of Kingsley, the accounts kept by H.L. Rayner for the Kingsley store give an idea of most of the community members. His account list is below: