 |
|
 |
|
GEORGE HUMPHREY, a substantial farmer of Big Grove township, Benton county, where he owns one hundred and sixty acres of well improved land, in section 35, has lived here since February, 1873. He came to Iowa a poor boy, alone, from England, and by his untiring efforts, with the assistance of his industrious wife, has been able to accumulate a competence. He had earned his passage money by carrying mail, and various other work, carefully saving every spare penny until he had enough. Mr. Humphrey was born in Yorkshire, England, May 7, 1851, and is a son of William and Jane (Pinckney) Humphrey, both of whom died in England. William Humphrey was a carpenter, and George also learned and followed the trade in his native country, and also for some three months after he arrived in Chicago in the spring of 1872. He spent several months in Illinois before locating in Benton county. He has made all modern improvements on his farm, and has erected substantial buildings. In the fall of 1909 he retired from active life, and in the spring of 1910 moved to Vinton, where he has purchased a home. Politically he is a Prohibitionist, though formerly a Republican; he has served as a member of the school board and as district supervisor. Mr. Humphrey is a member of the Society of Friends; the church of this sect was formerly located in Big Grove township.
Mr. Humphrey married, in Benton county, Mary, daughter of M. C. Stortz, a farmer, who formerly lived in Illinois and afterwards came to Benton county. She was born near Aurora, Illinois, but was reared in Benton county. Mr. Humphrey and his wife became parents of five children, namely: Lizzie, wife of Arthur A. Goodell, a farmer of Eden township, and the mother of four sons; Anna, wife of Kenneth Shaw, of Platte, Charles Mix county, South Dakota, who has two sons; Georgia, wife of William Lahr, engaged in real estate and loan business in Bismarck, North Dakota; Ella, who married Cliff Norwood, engaged in real estate and insurance business in Vinton, and has one daughter; and Louis, who has just attained his majority and recently married Cora Wolf lives at home and operates the home farm. Elma, Henry, Firmin, Irvin, Emery and Leo, all at home except the eldest daughter, Carrie, who is the wife of Albert J. Boddicker and resides in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 |
