Levi Stanley (1818? – 3 December 1908) and Matilda Joles Stanley (1821? – 15 January 1878) were part of a larger family of Romani immigrants from England to Montgomery County, Ohio. The Stanley family was referred to as "Dayton's own Gypsies," using the outdated moniker for those of Romani heritage. After the death of his parents, Levi and Matilda became known as "king" and "queen," or heads, of the extended family group. . Biography Family and migration Levi was the son of Owen Stanley (1794 – 21 February 1860) and Harriet Worden (1793 – 30 August 1857), who preceded as King and Queen. Matilda was the daughter of Ephraim Joles. Levi had a brother named Benjamin who decided to settle down in New England. Benjamin was disowned by their father and was said to have had a curse put on him and the next three generations to follow. When Levi became infirm in old age, his son Levi Jr. "Sugar" Stanley (1835 – 5 March 1916) succeeded as King. Born in Reading, Berkshire, England, Levi and Matilda and their families claimed to have come to the United States in 1856—"when Buchanan was king," as they put it—along with others of their people. A passenger list has Levi and his brother Benjamin arriving with their families on July 1, 1854, in New York City on a ship named Try that sailed from Glasgow, Scotland. They soon settled near Troy, Ohio. Shortly after they selected Dayton, Ohio as their headquarters for the summer months, it became the centre for the Gypsies of the country. Each year as they departed Dayton for warmer climes, their caravans would go in procession down Main Street. Birth dates In the federal censuses from 1860 to 1900, ages were enumerated that indicated various birth years, so the accuracy is in doubt; those given above are from their graves. In 1900, Levi gave his birth as November 1808. In his obituary, his age was given as 96 (implying 1812). Occupation and personality Defined originally as "wanderers," in later years they gave their occupation as horse traders. After Matilda’s death, Levi stated that "our children are all learning fast, and soon our people will not go a-roaming any more." The children of Levi’s extended family revealed the extent of their wandering by their birthplaces in the censuses: New York, Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Ohio, Michigan and others. Contrary to