The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog

DESCENDANTS OF
MAJOR WILLIAM HUMPHREY.
or' 1'IvEI^To^s^.
Of Major William Humphrey, of Tiverton, R. I., wc have been able to get only
meagre records. It is stated that he was born in 1746!; and it is not known where he was born
nor who were his parents.
The following extract from a letter written by Mrs. Lucy Monroe, of Seekonk, Mass.,
grand-daughter of Major William, contains all the information we have as to his parentage:
"As to our grand-father's birth or parentage, nothing is known, with the e.xception of this,
that he was an orphan, and that our great grand-father Monroe had the care of him, and that he
bound him out to a man in Swanzey, Mass., but that he was treated so badly that the neighbors
wrote to great grand-father Monroe, and he went over to Swanzey and took him home, and
brought him up as one of his own, etc. '
He was married at Seekonk, Mass., 4 Dec, 1783, to Lydia, dau. of Nathan and Hannah
(Allen), Monroe, born at Seekonk, Mass., 5 June, 1760. He moved to Tiverton, R. I., about
1787, and remained there the rest of his life. He died 3 (or i) Julv, 1832. His wife died 26
Sept., 1843.
He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war— a member of the ist R. I. Regiment It is
evident thit he started out holding some subordinate office, but was soon made Captain, and later
a Major, Zachary Taylor Humphrey, of Walhonding, Ohio, son of William and grand-son of
Major William, has the commission issued to him as Major, and signed by George Washington.
He also has a medal given him at that time, and perhaps a sash. George, of Tiverton, son of
George and grand-son of Major William, has his sword and hat, as we understand.
Major William went with Arnold on the Quebec expedition; was captured, and was a pris-
oner nine months at Quebec. During that time he kept a journal, in which he made daily entries.
That journal is in the posses.aion of Elizabeth Kohr, daughter of Squire and grand-daughter of
Major William Humphrey. The journal begins in this way:
,
"Sept. 9. 1775. Left Prospect Hill fort in order to join the party going on a secret expe-
" dition, under the command of Col. Benedict Arnold, consisting of two batallions, one commanded
"by Lieut. -Col. Enoe, the other by Lieut. -Col. Green. The first batallion consisted of i Col.,
" I Maj., I Adjt., I Quartermaster, i Surgeon, 7 Capt's, viz.: Smith, Hendricks, Ward, Lopham,
" McCobb, Hubbard and Thayer; the same number of officers in the other batallion, witii six
" Capt's, Morgan, Williams, Harnarb, Goodrich, Dearborn and Scott."
• The Humphreys of this line are greatly indebted for this information concerning their .nncestry to J. Otis Humphrey, Esq.. of the
firm of Greene, Eurnett & Humphrey, attorneys and counsellors at law, of Springfield, HI.
t If 1746 is the correct date, it gives use to a suspicion that he tnay have been the William [252] page 863. George Humphrey, of
Providence, R. I, (grand-son of Maj. William), writes May 18. 1885: "I find, by an old deed, that Jonas Humphrey deeded half of his
farm in Rehoboth, to my gmnd-father William." Could this Jonas be the Jonas [265) page 86_j, brother of William (252). If so, these
clues might prove Maj. William to have been of the Weymouth (Mass.] stock.