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DESCENDANTS of WILLIAM GASTON HUMPHREY
Thank you Linda for contributing much of this information


Generation No. 1
    William Gaston Humphrey Sr.was born 1835 in West Hoatley, Brighton, Sussex, England, and died 25 Apr 1914 in Paris Crossing, Jennings County, Indiana. He married Anna Buckman 1858 in Cincinnatti, Ohio. She was born 1835 in England, she was William Gastons early sweetheart and he sent for her to come to the US and marry him. she died 10 Mar 1909 in Paris Crossing, Jennings County, Indiana.

William Gaston & Anna (Buckman)Humphrey are buried in Coffee Creek Baptist Cemetery, Paris Crossing, Jennings County, Indiana.

Children of William Humphrey and Anna Buckman are:
1. William G. Humphrey, born 29 Nov 1859 in Ohio; died 21 Jan 1927 in Paris Crossing, Jennings County, Indiana.
2. Elizabeth "Liza" Humphrey, born 1862 in Indiana.
3. Lottie Humphrey, born 1864 in Indiana.
4. Alfred Humphrey, born 1865 in Indiana. He married Ora Mae Harman; died 03 Jul 1922.

Generation No. 2
William G. Humphrey Jr. (William Gaston) was born 29 Nov 1859 in Ohio, and died 21 Jan 1927 in Paris Crossing, Jennings County, Indiana. He married Emma Emily Smith 21 Feb 1884 in Cincinnatti, Ohio, daughter of William Smith and Rebbeca Corbin. She was born 27 Apr 1864 in Indiana, and died 1962 in Seymour, Jackson County, Indiana.

Emma Emily Smith was buried 1962, Coffee Creek Baptist Cemetery, Paris Crossing, Jennings County, Indiana

Father of Emma Emily Smith is William B. Smith was born 1832 in Jefferson County, Indiana, and died 26 Apr 1865. He married Rebbeca Corbin 15 Jul 1851. She was born 02 Feb 1832, and died 03 Nov 1914.

William B. Smith: died 26 Apr 1865, In the explosion & fire on steamer Sultana on Mississippi River at the end of the Civil War. Military service: 1863, Fought at Vicksburg, with Indiana Cavalry, Taken prisoner of war 12/14/1864 at Painted Rock, Alabama.



The Sultana Tragedy--The steamboat Sultana was a Mississippi River paddlewheeler destroyed in an explosion on 27 April 1865. This resulted in the greatest maritime disaster in United States History. An Estimated 1,800 of the 2,400 passangers were killed. Under the command of Captain J.C. Mason of St. Louis, the Sultana left New Orleans on April 21, 1865 with 75 to 100 cabin passangers, deck passengers and numerous head of livestock bound for market in St. Louis. At Vicksburg, Mississippi, she stopped for a series of hasty repairs to the boilers and to take on more passengers. Rather than have a bad boiler replaced, a small patch weld job was done to reinforce a leaking area. This repair only took about a day, whereas to replace the boiler completely would have taken about three days. Captain Mason was itching to be on his way and had the patch job done because it was faster. During her time in port, men tried to muscle, bribe, and threaten their way on board, until the ship was bursting at the seams with soldiers. More than two thousand men crowded aboard.

Most of the new passengers were Union soldiers, chiefly from Ohio and just released fro Confederate prison camps such as Catawaba and Andersonville. The US government had contracted with the Sultana to transport these former prisoners of war back to theri homes. With a legal capacity of only 376, the Sultana was severely overcrowded. Many of her passangers had been weakened by their incarceration and associated illnesses. Passengers were pached into every available berth, and the overflow was so severe that the decks were completely packed.

The cause of the explosion was a leaky and poorly repaired steam boiler. The boiler (or boilers) gave way when the steamer was about 7 to 9 miles north of Memphis at 2:00 A.M. in a terrific explosion that sent some of the passengers on deck into the water and destroyed a good portion of the ship. Hot coals scattered by the explosion soon turned the remaining superstructure into an inferno, the glare of which could be seen in Memphis.

The first boat on the scene at about 3:00 A.M. was the southbound steamer Bostonia II which overtook the burning wreck and rescued scores of survivors. The bulk drifted to the west bank and sank about dawn off the tiny settlement of Mound City, Arkansas. Other vessels joined the rescue, including the steamer Arkansas, the Jenny Lind the Essex and the Navy sidewheel gunboat USS Tyler, manned by volunteers. Her regular crew had been discharged days before

Passengers who survived the initial explosion had to risk their lives in the flooding waters of the Mississippi or burn with the ship. Many died of drowning or hypothermia. Some survivors where plucked from trees along the Arkansas shore. Bodies of victims continued to be found downriver for months, some as far as Vicksburg. Many bodies were never recovered. The Sultana's officers, including Captain Mason, were among those who perished.

About 500 survivors, many with severe burns, were transported to hospitals in Memphis. Up to 300 of them died later from burns or exposure. Newspaper accounts indicate that the people of Memphis had sympathy for the victims despite the fact that they had recently been enemies. The Chicago Opera Trupe staged a benefit, the crew of the Essex raised $1,000, and the mayor took in three survivors

Monuments and historical markers to the Sultana and its victims have been erected at Memphis, Tennessee; Muncie, Indiana; Marion Arkansas; Vicksburg, Mississippi; Cincinnati, Ohio; Knoxville, Tennessee; Hillsdale, Michigan and Mansfield, Ohio.



Children of William Smith and Rebbeca Corbin are:
1. Emma Emily Smith
2. Charles Smith, born 1856.
3. John Smith, born 1861.
4. Alice Smith, born 1863.

More About William G. Humphrey:
Residence: 1900, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana

Children of William Humphrey and Emma Smith are:

1. Ira William Humphrey, born 01 Mar 1885 in Indiana; died 02 Nov 1974.
2. Anna Rebecca Humphrey, born 24 Oct 1887 in Indiana; died 1960.
3. Elsie Harriet Humphrey, born 29 Aug 1888 in Indiana; died 01 Nov 1975 in Garden City, Michigan.
4. Emily B. Humphrey, born 04 Apr 1891 in Indiana; died 26 Aug 1979.
5. Arnold R. Humphrey, born 02 Jul 1895 in Indiana; died 29 Jun 1975.
6. Elizabeth "Lizzie" Humphrey, born 16 Nov 1899 in Indiana; died 04 Feb 1928.
7. Alfred Smith Humphrey, born 31 Mar 1900 in Indiana; died Aug 1985 in Paris Crossing, Jennings, Indiana, United States of America.
Generation No. 3
Ira William Humphrey (William G., William Gaston) was born 01 Mar 1885 in Indiana, and died 02 Nov 1974. He married Violet Lowry 12 Oct 1905, daughter of Charles Lowry born 1861 and Rose born 1862. She was born 1887 in Jefferson County, Indiana.

More About Ira William Humphrey:
Residence: 1900, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana

More About Violet Lowry:
Residence: 1900, Graham, Jefferson, Indiana

Children of Ira Humphrey and Violet Lowry are:
1. Bruce Humphrey.
2. Lottie Humphrey.


Anna Rebecca Humphrey (William G., William Gaston) was born 24 Oct 1887 in Indiana, and died 1960. She married Jesse F. Cook 22 Apr 1909, son of Unknown Cook and Eliza Gray. He was born Nov 1886 in Indiana.

More About Anna Rebecca Humphrey:
Residence: 1900, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana

More About Jesse F. Cook:
"My mother Frances Smith remembers Jesse Cook he used to sit on the porch of the Humphreys Store and twiddle his fingers, one day when mother was there someone (city slicker type) asked him if that was all he ever did. He answered by saying "No sometimes I go this way" and proceeded to twiddle in the reverse direction from the way he had been. Mother said it was really funny because he was just deadpan when he said it."

Residence: 1920, Spencer, Jennings, Indiana Children of Anna Humphrey and Jesse Cook are:

1. Florence M. Cook, born 27 Jan 1910 in Jennings County, Indiana. She married Earnest Schill; born 03 Aug 1908.

Notes for Florence M. Cook:
In 1930 census she is living with Everett Deputy and Emily B. Humphrey Deputy in Columbus, Indiana
Residence: 112 N. Colorado Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana

Florence M. Cook (school picture)


2. Genevive Cook, born 13 Feb 1912 in Jennings County, Indiana. She married Hubert McPeek; born 06 Jan 1905.
More About Genevive Cook: 396 Daughtery, Columbus, Indiana

3. Alice Marie Cook, born 04 Sep 1921 in Jennings County, Indiana. She married Leland E Cochran; born 30 Jan 1918 in Indiana; died 22 Jun 2001 in Scipio, Jennings, Indiana, United States of America.
Alice Marie Cook:Residence: 1930, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana
Leland E Cochran: Residence: 1930, Graham, Jefferson, Indiana

Alice Marie Cook Cochran (school picture)

4.Betty Lue Cook (Anna Rebecca Humphrey, William G., William Gaston) was born 19 May 1927 in Jennings County, Indiana.
She married Jerry Phillips. He was born 19 May 1918.
More About Betty Lue Cook:
Residence: 1930, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana
Children of Betty Cook and Jerry Phillips are:
1. Donna Kay Phillips, born 11 Feb 1954.
2. Gary Phillips, born 06 Dec 1956 in Indiana.
3. Jerry Phillips, born 06 Dec 1956.

Betty Lue Cook Phillips (school picture)

5. Emily Cook, born in Jennings County, Indiana.

6. J Fredrick Cook, born 1914 in Jennings County, Indiana; died 11 Aug 1930.
J Fredrick Cook:
Cause of Death: 1930, Drowned
Residence: 1920, Spencer, Jennings, Indiana

8. Elsie Harriet Humphrey (William G., William Gaston) was born 29 Aug 1888 in Indiana, and died 01 Nov 1975 in Garden
City, Michigan. She married William Harry Odor 29 Jun 1905 in North Vernon, Jennings County, Indiana, son of Isaac Odor and Eliza Maddox.
He was born 20 Mar 1884 in Poplar Grove, Owen County, Kentucky, and died 04 Apr 1962 in Pontiac, Michigan.

More About Elsie Harriet Humphrey:
Residence: 1900, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana
Children of Elsie Humphrey and William Odor are:
1. Humphrey Ralph Odor born 07 Mar 1906 in Paris Crossing Jennings County, Indiana; died 03 Feb 1982
2. William Smith Odor, born 06 Dec 1908 in North Vernon, Jennings County, Indiana
3. Gertrude Odor, born 1912; died 1912
4. Alfred LeRoy "Fritz" Odor, born 08 Nov 1913 in Paris Crossing, Jennings County, Indiana; died 15 May 1994
5. Howard Victor Odor born 07 Oct 1917 in Newport, Kentucky, and died 07 Aug 2002 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He married Lillian Kwiecien,
28 Aug 1939 in Detroit, Michigan daughter of Frank Kwiecien and Agnes Poitkowska. She was born 16 Feb 1921 in Buffalo, New York.

Children of Howard Odor and Lillian Kwiecien are:
1. Nancy Ann Marie Odor, born 17 Dec 1941 in Detroit, Michigan. She married Lawrence James Miller.
2. Linda Elsie Odor, born 30 Dec 1947 in Detroit, Michigan. She married (1) Stanley Papich. She married (2) Otis Chancey.
3. Lillian Rita "Susie" Odor, born 18 Oct 1949 in Detroit, Michigan. She married (1) Steve Decoster; died 1971. She married     (2)Towne Besel.

9. Emily B. Humphrey (William G., William Gaston) was born 04 Apr 1891 in Indiana, and died 26 Aug 1979. She married Dr. Everett Perry Deputy 06 Jan 1910, son of Perry Deputy and Lillie. He was born 19 Apr 1891 in Illinois.

More About Emily B. Humphrey:
Residence: 1900, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana
More About Dr. Everett Perry Deputy:
Residence: 1900, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana

Children of Emily Humphrey and Everett Deputy are:

1. Everett Earl Deputy, born 1922 in Indiana.
More About Everett Earl Deputy:
Residence: 1930, Columbus, Bartholomew, Indiana
2. Ethel Dorothy Deputy, born 1915.
More About Ethel Dorothy Deputy:
Residence: 1930, Columbus, Bartholomew, Indiana
3. Robert Deputy.
4. Edith M. Deputy, born 1913 in Indiana.
More About Edith M. Deputy:
Residence: 1930, Columbus, Bartholomew, Indiana
5. Perry W. Deputy, born 1915 in Michigan.
More About Perry W. Deputy:
Residence: 1930, Columbus, Bartholomew, Indiana

10. Arnold R. Humphrey (William G., William Gaston) was born 02 Jul 1895 in Indiana, and died 29 Jun 1975. He married
Pearl V. Dawson 14 Mar 1914. She was born 03 Dec 1891 in Indiana.

More About Arnold R. Humphrey:
Residence: 1900, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana
More About Pearl V. Dawson:
Residence: 1920, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana

Children of Arnold Humphrey and Pearl Dawson are:
1. Ralph R. Humphrey, born 1915 in Jennings County, Indiana. He married Bernice.
More About Ralph R. Humphrey:
Residence: 1920, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana
2. William G. Humphrey, born 1917 in Jennings County, Indiana.
More About Williard G. Humphrey:
Residence: 1920, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana
3. Virginia Humphrey, born 1916 in Jennings County, Indiana. She married Boyd Kinder; born 1920 in Jennings County, Indiana.

More About Virginia Humphrey:
Residence: 769 N. Riley, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46201
Virginia Humphrey married Boyd Kinder who was born in 1920 in Jennings County, Indiana he was the son of James Arthur Kinder. James Arthur Kinder was the son of Jasper Kinder born 1862 and Laura O. Johnson born 1869.

Virginia Humphrey Kinder (school picture)

11. Elizabeth "Lizzie" Humphrey (William G., William Gaston) was born 16 Nov 1899 in Indiana, and died 04 Feb 1928. She married Delbert Pfeiffer 07 Oct 1923. He was born 14 Apr 1887 in Indiana.
More About Elizabeth "Lizzie" Humphrey:
Residence: 1900, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana
More About Delbert Pfeiffer:
Residence: 1920, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana, at one time Principle of Paris Crossing School.

Children of Elizabeth Humphrey and Delbert Pfeiffer are:
1. Willa Jane Pfeiffer, born 1924 in Indiana. She married a Mitchell.
More About Willa Jane Pfeiffer:
Residence: Box 861, Orleta, California
Willa Jane Pfeiffer (school picture)

2. Leo Mitchell Pfeiffer, born 1926 in Indiana.

12. Alfred Smith Humphrey (William G., William Gaston) was born 31 Mar 1900 in Indiana, and died Aug 1985 in Paris Crossing, Jennings, Indiana, United States of America. He married Ethel Louise Bare 25 Dec 1921. She was born 18 Oct 1901.
More About Alfred Smith Humphrey:
Residence: 1900, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana
More About Ethel L. Bear/Bare; Parents; William O. Bare and Lillie B. Page Lillie Page was the daughter of John Andrew Page and Louisa Caroline Heitman, They were married May 31,, 1869 at Vernon, IN and settled near Commiskey. John worked in Eli Wells Mill. John Andrew Page served in the Civil War, joining in 1863, Company M, 8th Regiment Indiana Volunteer Calvary. He was a Corporal before being mustered out in Lexington, North Carolina in 1865. John A. Pages father was William Page of Harrodsburg, Kentucky. His mother was Matilda Darland Page. Matilda died shortly after John was born. William then married Sarah Burton they raised their family on a farm in Jackson County, Indiana.
Residence: 1930, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana
Child of Alfred Humphrey and Ethel Bear is:

1. Catherine Humphrey, born February 10, 1923. She married William Harrod Coons.
More About Catherine Humphrey:
Residence: 1930, Montgomery, Jennings, Indiana


HUMPHREY FAMILY PHOTOS
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Alfred & Elizabeth Humphrey, children of W.G. Humphrey II



William Gaston Humphrey & Emma Emily Smith Humphrey (Wedding Photo)



Rebecca Corbin Smith, mother of Emma Emily Humphrey



Emma Hurmphrey on the porch of her home in Paris Crossing - this home is still there and beautifully cared for.



Humphrey's store Paris Crossing, Indiana - when it was owned by Arnold & Pearl Humphrey



Alfred "Fritz" Humphrey is on the right in this photo.



Back row, Rebecca Corbin Smith, William Gaston Humphrey I, Anna Buckman Humphrey,
Front row, Emma & William Gaston Humphrey II, Elise & William Henry Odor: baby Humphrey Ralph Odor
about 1904/05



Humphrey family in front of their "House on the Hill" in Paris Crossing, Jennings County, Indiana 1904/1905.
This home is also still standing and well cared for in Paris Crossing.



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