James M. Humphrey
1827 - 1915

A twentieth century history of Erie County, Pennsylvania
Author: Miller, John, Date of Publication: 1909,
Volume II, Back matter, Pages 2_297-299.

For Many years James M. humphrey was actively identified with the agricultural growth and prosperity of Chautauqua County, New York, his homestead in French Creek Township having been highly improved, and under a fine state of cultivation. An energetic and progressive farmer, thorough-going and systematic in his methods, he used the most modern approved machinery in carring on his agricultural labors, his equiptments and improvements comparing favorably with the best in the vicinty. Since retiring from active business, he has resided in Corry, Pennsylvania, enjoying to the utmost a well-earned leisure. A son of Hiram Humphrey, he was born, February 4, 1827, in Attica, New York, in what was then Genesee County, but is now within the limits of Wyoming County. His Grandfather, Ebenezer Humphrey, was a pioneer settler of Attica, and upon the farm that he reclaimed from the dense forest spent the later years of his life. He was twice married, his first wife, Harriet Symons, having been the mother of his son Hiram.

Born in Marcellus, Onondaga County, New York, Hiram Humphrey was a small lad when his parents removed to Attica, where he grew to a mans estate. In 1806 he started westward in search of a desirable place in which to locate, journeying with teams through the almost unbroken wilderness to Warren County, Pennsylvania. In Columbus Township he bought sixty acres of land, a small part of which was partly cleared. Moving into the log house which had been built in the opening, he at once began, with characteristic enterprise and courage, the improvement of a homestead. Successful in his operations, he cleared the land, put up substantial frame buildings, and was there engaged in tilling the soil until his death, at the age of eighty-eight years. Hiram Humphrey married Betsey Hills, a native, it is thought, of Canajoharie, New York. Her father Adino Hills, was a pioneer settler of Eagle, Genesee County. She died at the age of fifty-six years, leaving four children, Ardelia, Horatio, James M., and Lovica.

About three years old when his parents located in Warren County, Pennsylvania, James M. Humphrey obtained his early education in the typical log schoolhouse of pioneer times, with its earth and stick chimney, and its huge fireplace. The seats were rough slabs, with wooden pins inserted for legs, and as there were no desks the pupils used a board placed along one side of the building to write upon. Leaving home at the age of twenty-three years, Mr. Humphrey purchased a timbered tract of land in the town of French Creek, Chautauqua County, New York, and there set up housekeeping in a log cabin. He cleared the land, erected a fine set of buildings, and was there prosperously engaged in general farming until 1892, making a specialty of raising fine graded stock. Renting his farm in that year, Mr. Humphrey removed to Corry, purchasing the house which he has since occupied, and in his pleasant home is living retired from active labor, devoting his time to the management of his personal interests.

Mr. Humphrey has been twice married. He married first, in 1849, Electa Whitford, who was born in Chenango County, New York, a daughter of Ezekiel and Ruth (Rice) Whitford. She died in 1897. On June 11, 1900, Mr. Humphrey married for his second wife Mrs. Almira (Dewing) Smith, daughter of Eliha and Oprah (Brown) Dewing, and widow of Henry Delos Smith. She was born at French Creek, Chautauqua County, New York, May 18, 1838. One of the first fourteen settlers of French Creek Township, Elihu Dewing followed a trail made by blazing trees in journeying from Canada, his native place, to his new home in the wilderness, there being then neither railroads nor canals across the country. Indians still inhabited the forests, and deer, bears, wolves and other wild animals were plentiful, and oftentimes destructive. Buying a tract of timbered land, he built a small log cabin, in which Mrs. Humphrey was born, which for a number of years the family occupied. The settlers lived on the products of the soil, and all dressed in homespun garments fashioned by the women of the household from material which they carded, spun and wove from wool and flax raised on the farm. A few years later, having placed a part of his land under culture, Mr. Dewing sold at an advantage, and migrated to Kansas. Becoming a pioneer of Sedgwick County, he bought a tract of prairie land near the present site of the now flourishing city of Wichita, which was then a small hamlet. During the unusally dry seasons that followed, many settlers of that locality lost heart, and left the country. He, however, persevered, improved his land, and before his death had the gratification of seeing the country round-about well settled, populous and prosperous. His wife was a native of New York, having been born in Lockport, a daughter of William and Mary (Weaver) Brown.

Henry Delos Smith, Mrs. Humphrey's first husband, was born in Columbus, Warren County, Pennsylvania, a son of Chauncey and Fanny (Eagles) Smith, pioneers of that place. After his marriage, he settled on a farm in French Creek Township, and was there prosperously engaged in agricultural persuits until his death, in 1894. To him and his wife, now Mrs. Humphrey, four children were born, namely; Elmer E., who married Florence Woods, Katie M. who married George P. Brown, died at the age of twenty-four years, and Millie Mary, wife of James H. Humphrey, has two adopted children, Floy May and Charles Raymond. His wife died May 5, 1909.

By his first marriage, Mr. Humphrey reared five children, as follows; Eveline E., Mary J., Chloe A., James H., and George M. Eveline E., wife of Walter Sessions, has four children, Ora, Harry, Addie, Tessie. Mary J., wife of Levant Olmstead, has four children, Frank, James, Belle, and Elbert. James H., as above mentioned, married Millie Mary Smith. George, who married Estella Wallace, has two children, Cecil and Ruth. Harry Sessions, Mr. Humphrey's grandson, married Alice _______, and they have two children, Beatrice and Harold. Elmer Ellis Brown was brought up after his mothers death by Mrs. Humphrey, and now has the care of her farming property. He married Eva Moore, and they have one child Alvan Kenneth Brown. Mr. Humphrey cast his first presidential vote for Zachary Taylor, the hero of the Mexican War. For many years after the formation of the Republican party, he was one of its stanchest supporters, but is now independant in politics, voting for the best men and measures, regardless of party affiliations.

James M. Humphrey