The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog

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but ihey both died wliilc the matter was under consideration in the Legislature. As the atTair
then stood, the bill for a division of the town had passed one t>f the houses, and but a little
greater effort at that juncture would have been needed to carry it through the other house, and,
with the Governor's signature, make it a law.
We may well believe that Rev. Parson Smith, in his half century of service as pastor of the
First Church in Weymouth, found in his work no more hearty and efficient supporter than Major
Humphrey, nor one upon whom he could more thoroughly rely. Mr. Humphrey united with the
church about the date of Mr. Smith's settlement, and his connection with it continued for some
fifteen years after the death of the latter. We may also judge that he was a firm friend and supporter
of education and learning, from the frequency with which his name oceiirs upon the town
and parish records in connection with school matters.
Major Humphrey was tw-ice married, the first time 5 December, 1734, to his neighbor,
Ann, daughter of John and Mary (Symes), Torrev. She was a native of Old Spain, and born 28
May, 1715, a descendant of Captain William Torrey, the well known "Clerk of the Deputies,"
and one of the most prominent of Weymouth's early settlers. She died 17 December, 1751, at
the age of thirty-six years and seven months, and was buried in the Old North burying-ground.
On 22 Mch., 1753, Maj. Humphrey was married a second time. This wife was Silence, daughter
of Ezra and Silence (Randall), Whitmarsh. She was also a native of Weymouth, born 22 November,
1732, and consequently twenty-one years the junior of her husband. Her father, Ezra Whitmarsh,
Jr., v.as a graduate of Harvard College in 1723, and a noted man of his day. He was
schoolmaster, selectman, and town clerk for many years, besides doing a large part of the law
business of his neighbors. Mrs. Humphrey survived her husband for more than twenty-four years,
and died 26 November, 1822, at the age of ninety years and four days, according to the town
record, although her grave-stone in the old North burying-ground reads eighty-nine and one-half
years. She was for years a paralytic, and helpless. While the old mansion was burning, within
a vear of her death, she sat calmly in her chair, and was among the last to be removed.
As before mentioned, but little is known of the social life of Major Humphrey, excepting
what is gathered from a few traditional incidents. He lived at a time when the paternal rule was
of the strictest, and the children were held closely to it, and this household was no exception.
The family government was that of fear rather than affection, and even when the latter was known
it was so mingled with reverence that it seldom approached intimacy in its relations. The children
were always kept at a respectful distance, and a wholesome restraint was held to be necessary in
order to preserve the proper degree of discipline. In this family the rigor of this custom was in
nothing relaxed, and tradition has it that the children were not permitted to speak above a whisper
in their father's jjresence, unless in reply to questions from their elders. To laugh in his presence
would have been an unheard-of offence, and deserving of severe punishment. Without any doubt
the desired result was produced, and the father, who was one of the rulers of the town, a lawmaker
of the State, and a high dignitary in the church, might not fail to be the autocrat by his
own fireside, and was looked up to with reverence amounting to awe. Perhaps the children were
sometimes quite willing that their father should be absent from home for a while in attendance
upon his official duties.
From the records that have been cited there is ample testimony as to his standing in the
community, and of the estimation in which he was held by his fellow citizens, who were under
no obligation to do him honor, except that demanded by his character and services; and they
were well qualified to be his judges in these particulars. He was honored and esteemed for his
sterling qualities. His counsel was sought because his w-isdom had been fully proved. His ser-
vices were invited because his abilities had been thoroughly tested, and his town and State were
in urgent need of men of his worth and integrity; and because he was trustworthy, he was
implicitly confided in. He lived at a time when his country required wisdom, courage and