Greene-Putnam County IN Archives Biographies.....Humphreys, Andrew 1821 - 
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Author: Goodspeed (1884)

   HON. ANDREW HUMPHREYS, who for so many years has been the most prominent
politician in Greene County, and the confessed leader of the local Democracy,
was born in Anderson County, Tenn., on the 20th of March, 1821. His parents
early moved to Putnam County, Ind., where he was reared to manhood, receiving
but a limited education at the district schools. In 1840, his marriage with Miss
Eliza Johnson, daughter of Jonah Johnson, of Ohio, occurred, and two years later
he moved to Greene County, where his parents had preceded him, and where they
lived until their respective deaths—the mother in 1861, and the father in 1863.
Upon his arrival in the new county, Mr. Humphreys commenced working at his
trade—blacksmithing—but a year later took his first step in the long political
career which has given him a State and even National reputation. He was elected
Justice of the Peace in 1843, and re-elected in 1846, serving until 1849. He had
scarcely reached the county ere he began the study of law, and the perusal of
the works of the best minds of past centuries, for he was aspiring, energetic,
self-poised and confident, and felt that he had abilities for greater fields of
usefulness than his shop afforded. In the time from 1842 to 1849, his experience
of men and parties ripened, his mind expanded under rigid self-instruction, and
he was fully fitted for his illustrious political career. In 1849, he was
nominated for the Legislature by the Democracy against Marcus H. Shryer, the
most prominent Whig at that time in the county, and to the surprise of many was
elected by 130 majority. He was renominated in 1850 against Edward Beasly, and
again carried the election by 129 majority. In 1851, he defeated R. H. Rousseau,
a very popular, able and brilliant man, by 190 majority. In 1852, he defeated
Major Livingston for the State Senate by thirty-eight majority. In 1854, lie was
elected Representative over Mr. Throop by 600 majority, and in 1856 defeated
Edward Beasly for the same position by a majority of 32. In 1859, President
Buchanan appointed him Indian Agent of the Territory of Utah, which position he
held with the highest credit until September, 1861, when he resigned. During a
portion of this time, he was Assistant United States Marshal of Utah Territory,
which he resigned in June, 1860. In 1807, he suffered his first and last defeat.
He was candidate for the Legislature, but was defeated by Thomas R. Mason by
ninety votes. The majority against the remainder of the ticket was in the
hundreds. In 1864, he retired Mr. Mason for the State Senate in the district
composed of the counties of Greene and Daviess by 562 votes. His majority in his
own county was 351. In 1876, he resigned his seat in the Senate and was elected
to Congress to fill the unexpired term of Gov. Williams. He was nominated in
1878 for Senator against his protest, and defeated J. R. Baxter by fifty-four
majority, and at this session was made Chairman of the Committee on Ways and
Means, a merited acknowledgment of his leadership in the House.

Additional Comments:
Stockton Township Biographies

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF GREENE AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES,
STATE OF INDIANA,
FROM THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE PRESENT; TOGETHER WITH INTERESTING BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES, REMINISCENCES, NOTES, ETC.

ILLUSTRATED.

CHICAGO: GOODSPEED BROS. & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1884.

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