The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog

(a) Mary Catherine" (Duflield), b. 9 Apr., m. Mary Nolan. He d. 16 Jan., 1S25
993
1779; m. 14 .'\pr., 1798, Dr. John x. 42 yrs; had two children.
Church. She d. 9 Feb., 1804, leav- (d) John Potts' (Duffield), b. 2 Nov.,
ing no children. Res.- in Philadelphia. 1784; m. (i) Sally Handy; m. (2) iu
(h) Martha Rutter' (Dnfficid), b. 5 Aug., 1821, Bishop. He became a sca-
1780; m. in Apr., 1806, Dr. Henry captain, and afterward a merchant.
Neill. For account of their ten chil- He d. in 1830, leaving six children.
dren see John Neil and his Descendants; (e) Rebecca Grace' (Duffield), b. 7 Sept.,
also Fani. 137, S.- for son Dr. Henry' 1786; m. John S. (son of George)
Neill, who married Lucy' Humphrey, Martin. Shed. 2i Nov., 1843. Res.
dau. of Pres. Heman^ Humphrey. Snow Hill, Md.; had twelve children,
(c) Edward' (Duffield), b. in Dec, 1783; three of whom died young.
(2) Sarah.s b. 10 Sept., 1756; m. Stacy Hepbum; had f5vc children. (3) Elizabeth,"
b. 10 Sept., 1761; m. II Apr., 1791, Francis Ingraham; had four children. (4)
Edward.s b. in 1764; occupied the old Duffield homestead, known as "Benlield." He
was a gentleman of refinement and high integrity. He died unmarried, in 1836. At
his death his property was, by his request, divided among the children of his sisters,
Sarah" and Elizabeth," and his brother. Dr. Benjamin" Duffield. His will, the children
_ and grand-children in these several families, and other records, also the Duffield coat
of arms, may be found in Dr. Henry Neill's work, John h'eill and his Descendants.
FAMILY 6.
'9- Joshua' Humphreys [14J (Joshua,^ Daniel,^ Samuel') was born in Haverford,
Pa., 17 June, 1751. He married Mary Davids, of Philadelphia, who was born 28 Dec, 1757.
He died at Ponte Reading, Pa., 12 Jan., 1838, in the 87th year of his age, with all his mental
faculties unimpaired to the last. His wife died at Haverford, Pa., 12 Aug., 1805, aged 47 years.
Joshua Humphreys was in some sense the father of the American Navy—at least in that
which relates to its construction and armament. He was a distinguished ship-builder of Phila-
delphia when the fleet of -six frigates was ordered by Congress to be built, in 1794, and the
models for their construction which were furnished by him were finally adopted. On the 2Sth of
June, 1794, he was appointed the constructor and master-builder of the forty-four-gun ship to be
built in Philadelphia (the "United States"), with a salary of $2,000 per annum, commencing
May 1st, 1794, "in consideration of his incessant application to the public interests, in adjusting
the principles of the ships, drawing drafts, and making models, etc." He continued in office, as
naval constructor, until Oct. 26, 1801.
It is a singular coincidence that at the time he was writing the following letter, his grand-
son and namesake was a passed-midshipman on board the frigate "United States" (then in the
Mediterranean), which he had constructed:*
" Havre Township, Delaware Co., Pa.
"Dear Sir.— On my son Samuel's retmn from Boston, he presented me with a very handsome walking cane,
made out of a part of the Frigate 'Constitution' ('Old Ironsides'), which was taken out of her while under your
repairs. This cane is of double value to me on account of its having been taken from one of the Frigates I constructed
in the year 1794, forty-two years ago, under the administration of the ever memorable Washington and
Gen. Knox, his then Secretary of War. The five Frigates, the 'United States,' the 'President,' and 'Constitu-
tion,' forty-fours, the 'Constellation,' and 'Congress,' thirty-sixes, were all built by the drafts and moulds sent
on by me to the difTerent Ports where they were to be built. The moulds and drafts for the 'Chesapeak' were
also sent on by me to Mr. Pennock, Navy Agent at Norfolk, for a 44, the same size of the large Frigates and the
keel laid. But as there was no person there who understood the drafts and moulds, a Josiah Foxan, an Englishman,
who was in the mould loft with me, who copied some of the drafts that were sent on from here to the difTerent
' See New England Hiitorkal and Genealogical Reghley, xxiv., J04.