Harvey Wilks, the legitimate British brother of the deceased Peter Wilks, arrives in the United States accompanied by his mute brother, William Wilks, to claim their inheritance. Their journey encountered frustrating delays due to misdirected luggage and William sustaining a broken arm, which prevented him from writing to communicate. Harvey speaks with an authentic English accent and carries himself with the bearing of a rightful heir.

He directly confronts the duke and the king, two con men fraudulently impersonating him and William. Harvey attempts to prove his identity by describing a tattoo that should have marked Peter Wilks's chest, though his account clashes with the impostors' version. This claim falters when the local undertaker testifies no such tattoo existed on the body. Harvey's presence and the public exposure of the fraud incite an angry mob that nearly lynches the con men. The immediate crisis subsides only when the disputed inheritance money is discovered concealed within Peter Wilks's coffin; Harvey's ultimate success in securing the estate remains unresolved.

Harvey appears exclusively during the Wilks inheritance storyline. His role focuses entirely on the conflict over the estate and the unmasking of the duke and king's deception.