The Humphrey Family...

(Printed in THE MILLER COUNTY AUTOGRAM-SENTINEL in the column, 'WINDOW TO THE PAST', Dec. 20, 2012)
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The Humphrey family was among Missouri's earliest settlers. They were in Miller County when it was still called Missouri Territory. In 1822, John Humphrey married Nancy Skaggs, and their marriage was recorded in Gasconade County. Five years later, in 1827, John's brother, Nathaniel Humphrey, married Sarah/Sally Jamison, also in Gasconade County. I believe they were new settlers in the Big Tavern country of present-day northeast Miller County. When the two couples married in the 1820s the land was in Gasconade County.

From 1834-1837, it was part of Pulaski County, and finally, after February 1837, they were permanent settlers of Miller County. As the county boundaries were extended over two decades of the early 19th century, the Humphrey family remained in their homesteads, perhaps unaware they had lived in three different Missouri counties but had never moved!

In 1840, Nathaniel and John Humphrey, with their families, were living in Osage Township (Miller County) a few miles southwest of present-day St. Elizabeth. Both men were natives of Kentucky. John was born circa 1796 and Nathaniel about 1808. Sally Jamison Humphrey, wife of Nathaniel, must have died sometime prior to 1839 because in that year he married Jane Airhart/Ahart who was living in the same area with her mother, Ann Airhart.

Nathaniel reared his children in Osage Township near the Big Tavern Creek. Later, in 1844, he married his third wife, Susan Airhart, sister to Jane. Nathaniel had several children by his three wives, but I found the names of only three: Orrena born c/1836; Stephen born c/1837; and James born about 1838.

John and Nancy (Skaggs) Humphrey left the Big Tavern area of Osage Township and moved south to Richwoods Township before 1850 locating in the Brays Mill area.

They became parents of several children including:
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1. William Humphrey b. c/1824 m. (no record found)
2. Wilbert Humphrey b. c/1824 (twin to William) m. 1- Agnes Blankenship  2-Martha Shepherd
3. Sarah Humphrey b. c/1832 m. John Patterson
4. Andrew Humphrey b. c/1833 m. Elizabeth J.__________
5. Stephen Humphrey b. c/1834 m. Louisa Bolinger (Sherley?)
6. Altha Humphrey b. c/1836 m. no record found
7. Willis Humphrey b. c/1838 m. Mahala Clark
8. Franklin Humphrey b. c/1843 m. no record found
9. Mastin/Martin Humphrey b. c/1846 m. Laura Belle Russell
l0. Lucinda Humphrey b. c/1851 m. William N. Humphrey
11. James Madison Humphrey b. c/ 185_____ m. 1-Sarah___________
2- Mary E. Humphrey b. ____

The descendants of these Humphrey families married into the families of Blankenship, Dake, Rowden, Grady, Hawkins, Groves, Newhart, Bowden, Slone, Shepherd, Lawson, Tyler, Morrow, Patterson, Clark, Russell, Hensley, Renfrow, Wilson, Helton, Cross, Crismon, Atwell, Sooter, Whitaker, Shelton, McKee, and the list goes on................

As you can see, the descendants of the two Humphrey families who came to Miller County are numerous today. The tradition of this early pioneering family of Missouri has been deeply embedded in our county for many generations. They left a fine ancestral heritage for their children, their children's children and on down through the corridors of time..............