Sebastian-Crawford County ArArchives Biographies.....Humphreys, John Thomas & Belle 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 July 18, 2009, 11:31 am

Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

JOHN THOMAS HUMPHREYS.
    Although many years have been added to the cycle of the centuries since John
Thomas Humphreys departed this life, he is still remembered by those who were
his friends and associates in life because of the sterling qualities of his
character and the strong friendships which he made. He was born in Charlestown,
Virginia, March 30, 1830, and in early manhood went to California, making his
way to the Pacific coast during the time of the gold excitement in the far west.
He was educated in Virginia and having studied law was admitted to practice in
Van Buren, Arkansas.

    It was while in Van Buren, Arkansas, in the latter part of the '50s that Mr.
Humphreys met the lady who afterward became his wife. In November, 1860, he
wedded Miss Belle Aldridge, a daughter of Thomas and Amanda M. (Jones) Aldridge,
the former a native of Alabama, while the latter was born in Kentucky. They
became early settlers of Arkansas, making their way to this state in the early
'30s and the father at one time owned considerable land and a large number of
slaves. Some of the descendants of the slaves are still living upon the original
farm and in fact two are still living there who were born in slavery. The farm
is situated twenty-five miles east of Fort Smith and is yet known as the
Aldridge place. There were two sons and three daughters in the Aldridge family
and both sons served in the Confederate army. H. T. Aldridge was killed in the
last battle of the war, while delivering a message, and Thomas H. Aldridge died
from the effects of disease contracted in the service. He was a member of the
Masonic fraternity. Mrs. Humphreys is the only surviving member of the family.
Mr. Aldridge settled near Charleston, Arkansas, and was a cotton dealer. He also
conducted a small merchandise store for the benefit of his employes and his
neighbors. After the outbreak of the Civil war he went to Texas as a refugee and
there died in 1863. The mother of Mrs. Humphreys died June 21, 1883, her last
days being spent on the same plot of ground on which Mrs. Humphreys now resides.

    Following his marriage, John Thomas Humphreys resided in Van Buren,
Arkansas, for three or four months, or until after the outbreak of hostilities
between the north and the south, when he organized a company of infantry at Van
Buren and was captain of this company during the Oak Hills fight. After this
fight the company was disbanded and he organized a company of artillery and was
captain of this company in the Elk Hill battle. He served throughout the war and
was in command of a battalion for some time east of the Mississippi river. It
was during a part of this time that his family resided in Texas as refugees.

    Mr. and Mrs. Humphreys were the parents of six children: Eustace W., who
died in infancy; Thomas Hadden, a supreme court judge of Arkansas; G. A., a
practicing physician who has followed his profession in New York city for the
past quarter of a century; John, who is living in Shreveport, Louisiana; Ora
Belle, now deceased; and Birdie, the wife of A. J. Coniff, living with her
mother at Fort Smith.

    In his political views Mr. Humphreys was a democrat. After the close of the
Civil war he practiced law for a time in Fort Smith, devoting several years to
the profession. Later he went to San Francisco, where he served as assistant
city attorney. He departed this life about 1893 or 1894, his remains being
interred in one of the cemeteries of the city that borders the Golden Gate. He
was a Presbyterian in his religious faith and enjoyed the esteem, confidence and
high regard of all who knew him.

    Mrs. Humphreys reared her family and is deserving of great credit. Left with
only limited financial resources she kept her children together and bought ten
acres of land, where she now lives. Some time later this was subdivided and
platted and is known as Humphreys place. Later she bought twenty acres adjoining
and developed an excellent addition, which was named in honor of her father and
known as the Aldridge addition. Mrs. Humphreys has displayed excellent business
ability in the management of all her affairs, winning a substantial measure of
success as the years have gone by. She is a consistent member of the Christian
church and enjoys the high esteem of all who know her, while her friends
throughout the community are many.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922


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