Biographical Sketch of William Humes, Jefferson County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

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William Humes, also one of the prominent farmers and stock raisers of 
Meramec Township, was born in St. Louis, Mo., in 1852, and is the son
of Thomas and Elizabeth Ann (Ring) Humes.  The father was born in Eng-
land, and when about eighteen years of age came to the United States,
and worked a short time in the salt mines in New York.  He then went 
to Galena, Ill., making the journey on foot, and from there to St. 
Louis, where he passed the remainder of his life in the interest of
coal mining.  He had made mining almost his life long business, and
was thoroughly conversant with all its workings.  He sunk and operated
the first coal shaft that was ever sunk in the State of Missouri, and
was the inventor of what miners call the "Gin," a machine for hoisting
coal with a horse.  He was married in St. Louis, and died December 25,
1875.  His wife was born in Indiana, and died July 6, 1876.  William
grew to manhood on the farm and secured a fair education in the common
schools.  He was married in 1875 to Miss Amanda S., daughter of Oscar
F. and Jane Buchanan, who were natives of St. Louis.  Two children 
were born to this union: Oscar F. and Maud S.  After marriage Mr. 
Humes spent about two years teaming, after which he turned his atten-
tion again to farming, and remained in St. Louis County until 1884,
when he came to Jefferson County, and settled on Big River, near 
House's Springs, where he has an excellent farm of 190 acres.  While
in St. Louis County he rented a good farm, and in two years of success-
ful and able management was enabled to purchase a good home of his own.
He has also considerable property in St. Louis left him from his 
father's estate.  Politically a Democrat, his first presidential vote
was cast for Tilden, in 1876.

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