Judge C. W. Humphreys of Santa Ana, was born in Mason County, Kentucky, and is a son of Robert Humphreys. Following is a history of the family as furnished to the subject of this sketch by his father at the age of eighty-eight years:
“Shortly after the close of the Revolutionary War, four brothers, by the name of Humphreys, with their families emigrated from Tyrone County, Ireland, to Virginia, to either Greenbriar or Monroe County. Their names were Richard, John, Robert and Samuel. My grandfather was Robert. His sons were James, John, Robert; daughters, Mollie, Nancy and Jane. John Humphreys married Jane Ward and moved to (now) Mason County, Kentucky, in 1792, in company with Simon Kenton and other early pioneers of Kentucky. He moved thence to what was then known as Mad river valley, Ohio, in 1799, and raised sons-James, Robert, Charles, Ward, John, William, Henry, Andrew and Lewis; daughters- Phoebe, Rebecca, and Betsey, who died at the age of thirteen years. Father died March 19, 1857, in his ninety-fourth year. The other three brothers, originally from Ireland, are scattered far and wide with their descendants. My grandfather Ward was raised in Virginia, and of Irish descent. My grandmother’s maiden name was Lockhart. They had sons-William, John, James and Charles; daughters-Hannah, Betsey, Phebe, and my mother, Jane Humphreys. She died March, 1849. Grandfather Ward was killed at Point Pleasant, October 1, 1847, in the battle fought between troops commanded by General Lewis, of the whites, and the Indian chief, Cornstalk. He was buried on the battlefield and his grave was unknown. His son, John, was stolen by Indians at the age of two years, and raised as one of them. He fought, and was killed in a battle against his own people and the Indians. He had children-Rebecca, Sutaunney, and a son whose English name was Ward. They emigrated many years ago with their tribe west of the Mississippi River, and nothing further is known of them.
Joseph Waters, together with his first wife (whose maiden name was Lansdale) and family, lived near Annapolis, Maryland; emigrated thence to Kentucky about 1792, and settled in Mason County, and had sons-Richard, Samuel and William; daughters -Elizabeth, Sally, Henrietta, Nancy, Polly, Peggy and Harriet,-all now dead.”
From the foregoing sketch the reader will see that the lines of Judge Humphreys’ ancestry have been well kept, and of this he is justly proud. His father was sheriff of Mason County, Kentucky, for a period of sixteen years, and he was a well known and highly respected citizen.
Judge Humphreys came to Santa Ana in 1874. Here he was elected justice of the peace in 1875 and held the office until 1887: he now holds his ninth commission as notary public, the first of which was given him by Governor Irwin. He was a pioneer real-estate man in Santa Ana, and has done a large loan and insurance business, conveyancing, however, being his specialty. He married Cordelia Franklin, of Mason County, Kentucky; and they have had six children. The three living are Frank, Hattie and Jennie, and the three deceased are Charles, who died at the age of twenty-five years; Robert, who died at the age of nineteen years, and George E., who died at the early age of two and a half years.
