The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog

FAMILY 1.
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I- John' Humphreys (about the sixth or seventh generation from Philip) was born in
County Armagh, Ireland. He married Margaret Carlisle, a distant relative, and also related to
the Finleys, of the same county. All were Presbyterians of the Scottish type.
Children:
I. David Carlisle, = b. in 1741; m. Margaret Finley. Family 2.
II. JoHN=- (called Jack); surgeon of an East Indiaman; died at sea; said to have been rich.
III. William =; m. —— McClung. Family 3.
5. IV. Alexander^ (Dr.); m. Mary Brown. Family 4.
6. V. Nathaniel^; remained in Ireland; m. Mosman.*
VI. Mary^; m. Alexander McCalLf
VII. Betsy- m. in Ireland, Niblock.
VIII. Hannah-; m. Kane; came to America; had three sons. Her youngest son,
Andrew Kane, studied medicine with his uncle, Alexander Humphreys; settled in
Goochland County, Va., and became eminent. Through the influence of Thomas
Jefferson he was offered a professorship in the University of Virginia, but declined.
Senator Thomas H. Benton, in his last illness, sent for him, but he arrived too
late to be of any service.
10. IX. JoHN^ (2d); remained in Ireland.
11. X Robert =; remained in Ireland.
12. XL Margaret =; remained in Ireland.
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FAMILY 2.
13- David Carlisle' Humphreys [2] (M'r) was bom in Ireland, in 1741; came—
when about 22 or 23 years of age— to America, and settled near his distant relative, William
Finley, of Chester (afterwards Adams) County, Pa. He at first engaged in business as a merchant,
but after his marriage, removed to Augusta County, Va., where he purchased a farm, near Green-
ville, on which he resided until his death, in 1826, aged 85 years. He married about 1770,
Margaret Finley. He was a soldier in the Revolution, in the company of a Captain Cunningham.
David Carlisle Humphreys was a man of sterling integrity and devoted piety—a Presbyterian
of the Scotch-Irish type. He lived several miles from church (Bethel, Augusta County, Va. ). On
Sabbath mornings, after arriving at church, and before entering, he would gather his family around
him and have them repeat the answer to the question of the shorter Catechism, "What is effectual
calling?" It is not surprising that his family became earnest Christians and his sons elders in
the church.
He read a great deal for a farmer, generally employing his leisure in that way. When old
he was (to the young men especially) an object of dread to his acquaintances, on account of the
many puzzling questions he would ask, to find out, as he would say, whether they were "geese"
or not. Most of the anecdotes of him that have been handed down relate to a period when his
mind was somewhat impaired by age. He retained the English custom of calling attention to a
public speaker in whom he was interested by occasionally crying out '
' hear, hear. " At one time,
* Nathaniel Humphreys had three sons—David, John and James. Elizabeth, a grand-daughter of James, married Dr Buttcrworth.
They came to America, and settled in Little Rock, Ark.
t Mary (Humphrey) McCall's children were: (i) John: d. in Ireland. His sons, Joseph and Alexander, came to America (Tenn).
One son of Alexander is in California: another in Arkansas. (2) Thomas; d. in Ireland. (3) Alexander. (4) David: d. single, in Smith
County, Tenn. (5) Robert; d. in Pennsylvania. 161 Janf; m Jeffrey, of Manchester, England. Mrs. Kerfoot, her dau,. res. (1870)
at the old homestead. 7I Hannah. S;. Betuv. 9; Ancelii.e.
t A former Robert had died young.