The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog

(P. 527.) Judge Guy Humphreys McMastf.r [2571] spent his early life in Bath, N. Y.,
whither his parents removed when he was six months old. At the age of eighteen (1847) he was
graduated from Hamilton College, in his native State, in class with Gen. Joseph R. Hawley and
Charles Dudley Warner. Two years after graduation he wrote "Carmen Bellicosum," which he
contributed to the Knickerbocker Magazine the same year. In the following year (1850) he wrote
a history of Steuben County, of which Bath is a part. He soon engaged in the study of the law,
and after practicing several years, was elected "(in 1863) County Judge and Surrogate, which office
he has held ever since, except for a period of six years.
Mr. McMaster's poetical work, besides the poem named, consists of "A Dream of Thanks-
giving Eve," written in 1863, and contributed to the Hartford Courant; a historical piece delivered
at the centennial celebration of the Battle of Newtown (N. Y.) m 1879; a poem read before the
alumni of Hamilton College in 1880; "The Professor's Guest-Chamber," a midsummer-night idyl;
and several campaign songs. He possesses fine ability as an essayist, as well as a verse-writer;
but he rarely sets himself seriously to work in either direction. His versatility, as also the extent
and thoroughness of his reading of ancient and current literature, distinguish him among the
educated men of his section. A life-long acquaintance speaks of the grasp of his mind as
'
' something appalling.
"
Although mainly occupied with the duties of his position, he has in the last thirty years,
besides writing the poems mentioned, written many able political editorials and some graphic and
entertaining letters of travel for the Steuben Courier, published at Bath.
By his neighbors he is said to be more universally respected and esteemed in the community
than any other citizen, while the worthiest people of the State pay tribute to his moral
excellences.
OziaS Humphrey. ^^ have been unable to secure any definite information as to the
parentage of this Ozias. His descendants say that he had no brothers or sisters; that he was a
man who said but little about his early life; and that they never knew that Ozias was a peculiarly
"family" name. Mrs. Euphrasia Baird {nee. Humphrey), of Holly, Mich., says that she thinks
that the name of the father of Ozias Humphrey was also Ozias, for she remembers about a
stranger from Connecticut inquiring fpr Ozias Humphrey's son, meaning her father.
The following is a part of a history which was read at a reunion of the Humphrey family,
at Hemlock Lake, in 1881:
"OziAS Humphrey was born in the town of Simsbury, Conn., in the year 1789. His
mother's maiden name was Anna Andruss. He married Parnal Douglass, one of a numerous
family living in the town of New Hartford. She was born in that town, 3 May, 1793. Her grand-
father Douglass was one of four brothers who came from Scotland, and perhaps was a descendant
of old Archibald Bell-the-cat. At any rate, from one of these brothers is descended the Hon.
Stephen A. Douglass, the great war-democrat of Illinois.
Shortly after their marriage, Ozias and his wife removed to Otsego Co., N. Y. : thence they
removed to Madison County. In 1817 they removed to Owasco, Cayuga County, and lived there
five years. At this time came a desire to see their native land once more, and ihey returned to
Simsbury.
While living in Simsbury, Ozias Humphrey followed for a short time the vocation of tin-
pcddler. He traveled to Boston and back on a peddling tour, .but either the business was not
congenial to him, or else he did not possess the requisite qualities to make it a success, and soon
the peddler-wagon knew him no more. In 1826 he served a year as keeper of the State prison,
at Wethersfield. He was a member of the Connecticut Militia; was a musician in a regiment in
the war of 181 2, which regiment was stationed at New London at the time of the attempted
descent on the coast by the British llect. He had learned the trade of a cooper, and had also