The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog

1076*
The Mlssi.^Ml'ii Ivinily ([i. ioj4) minilicu- a ( .>|.,ml 111 llie Rivululi iiy \\,ii, .111. 1 .1 (...vcinor of that State,
who was also one of its bravest GeiieiaK in the War ol the Civil Keliellion.
The Tennksshe and Kkntucky Family (p. 1048), comprising 16 sons, 12 daughters, and 21 children of the
daughters— total 49—shows strong legal record, viz: Hve Lawyers and four married to Lawyers, and one to a noteii
Speaker of the Legislature; two Judges; one Sheriff; one President of an University; one Physician; one Surgeon; two
Soldiers in War of 1812; one Artist; one Editor.
The SoiTHERN Tier Counties Family, of N. Y. (p. 1054), aggregating 39 sons, 35 daughters, and children of
daughters, records one Judge; one State Senator; one Colonel; one Sergeant; one Soldier in the War of 1812; one in
the Civil War; one College Graduate.
Buying a Baby.—A story worthy of preservation and alike reflecting credit on the individual as well as noting a
family characteristic, is told of the Hon. Noah Humphrey Osborn. When a young man, he engaged for some years,
like many of his active and enterprising associates, in the business of selling clocks in the Southern States. He had
succeeded fairly well, and became the owner of his business, and was what may be called well-to-do. In his vocation he
called at a house in an obscure neighborhood in lower Pennsylvania or upper Virginia, and .isked the woman of the house
the customary question, if she would not " like to purchase a clock ? " " Yes," she replied, "I would like right well
to have a clock, but I have nothing to pay you with, unless you will take one of my babies. I have got plenty of
children, but no clock." "Well," said the dealer, willing to humor the joke, " I have plenty of clocks, but no children.
Which one of yours would you like to exchange for the clock?" "Well," said the woman, "you may have that
one," pointing to a little stubbed, shoeless and hatless boy, some two years old. "Well, my boy," said the dealer,
"would you like to go with me and ride on the wagon and help take care of the horse?" The boy was not at all
averse; so, after some further bantering, the clock was put up in its place on the wall, and the dealer then said to
the mother, "I suppose you will let his clothes go with him— it is usual to give the halter when you sell the horse."
"O, yes," said the mother, and she got his meagre traps upon him and at the conclusion Ufted him up beside the
dealer on his wagon, without a word of regret. The joke had now gone so far that the only way out, was to go through;
so, with the little boy beside him, he slowly drove away, turning his eyes from time to time over his shoulder for some
signal from the mother, to return with the child. But he looked in vain— no signal came. He spent his first night
in the immediate neighborhood, not doubting that by morning the mother would have relented, and that she would come
or send for her boy. But no mother or word came. He washed, fed and dressed the boy, riding with him by day,
and sleeping with him at night, frequently in close proximity to the parents' home, but they never came for the child.
After a time, the future Judge took the boy to one of his married sisters, paid his board and schooling, and when the
Judge settled in life, he took the boy so strangely obtained and raised him in his family, as one of his own, giving him
a fair education, and what was better, such example and council, as fitted him for good citizenship in life. When the
lad had nearly arrived at man's estate, the Judge told him the entire story, and said to him: " You are free from all
claim from me. Your parents live at such and such a place. You had better go down and visit them, and if you like,
cast in your lot among them." The young man did so, remained some weeks, but returned, saying he preferred to take
his name and his chances in life with the kind, worthy and humane man who had been his fast and firm friend from
early childhood; and so he has remained, always calling himself and being known by the name of his foster father.
A good story is told of the Hon. Elijah O. Humphrey (pp'. 381), characteristic of the historic energy of the
family. He was raised upon the paternal farm in the Genesee Valley, and situated a few miles from the historic mansion
of the Wadsworths', the owner of the largest tract of land in the Valley. The winter had been long and severe, and
the fall pasture unusually short, and toward spring his cautious father, looking over the prospect, said to Elijah, then
a lad not yet out of his teens, "Elijah, I fear we shall be short of fodder in the spring, and I wish you would hitch
up and go over and see Mr. Wadsworth, and ask if he will spare us four or five tons of hay." Elijah did as his father
desired, and was in due time ushered into the presence of the autocrat of the country, to whom he said, "My father,
Mr. Humphrey, sent me to call upon you, and ask if you could not, as a favor, sell us some hay, as he fears we shall
be short" " How much do you want?" replied Mr. Wadsworth. "Well," said Elijah, "four or five tons he thinks
will do us." "Well," returned Mr. Wadsworth, "I never sell hay, as you may know. But," he added, reflectively,
"there is a barn over in such a lot, which holds about forty tons. You may take what there is in the bam at such -
a price," naming a sum considerably below the then market value. " My father only told me to buy four or five ton,"
replied Elijah. "Yes, I know," said Mr. Wadsworth, "but I can only sell you the barn of hay, as I have named.
You may take the hay and dispose of it as you like, and settle with me at your father's convenience. I know your
family very well, and have entire confidence in the result." "W'ell," replied Elijah, "we will take the hay, and are
obliged for your good opinion." When Elijah related the circumstance to his father, he was eluded a little for his
rashness in buying so large a lot of hay. But the result justified the judgment of the boy. He sold out the hay, to
such of the neighbors as wanted it, paid Mr. Wadsworth for it, had enough for their own stock, and a very snug sum
into the bargain, thus beginning a career of honorable prosperity which continued through life.