| Notes |
- Abel Humphrys was a rich merchant in Manchester - according to Francis Humphrys (b.1909) grandson of Rev.Walter Humphrys.
Abel and his wife, Jane, went to live in North America some time in 1796, and five children were born there. Abel was a merchant, plying his trade between Philadelphia and Cuba. He died in Havana on 12 February 1808, possibly of yellow fever which was rife. The children (aged by now from 16 to 23!!) were all baptised in 1821 at the Mosley St Unitarian Chapel, Manchester.
John and Elizabeth Humphrys were also in North America (Northumberland, Pennsylvania) where a daughter, Jane, was born on 3 August 1800. She too was baptised at Mosley St
Chapel, on 2 August 1812. (See more on John and Elizabeth in the entry for Jane Grundy)
1800 United States Federal Census lists the household of Abel Humphrys (Township of Philadelphia Dock Ward; County of Philadelphia; State of Pennsylvania; Roll 43, Page 268)
1 free white male, 25 - 40
2 free white females, under 10
2 (?) free white females, 15-25
3 (?) free white females, 25-45
1 other free person
0 slaves
1810 United States Federal Census (Township of New York Ward 10; County of New York;
State of New York; Roll 32, page 668)
1 free white male, 10-15
1 free white male, 25-45
1 free white female, 10-15
1 free white female, 25-45
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In the biography of thomas Cooper - born in Manchester in 1769 and a member of the Manchester Lit & Phil. and became famous in America as a 'pioneer of nullification and secession' called Abel Humprhys of South Second Street, Pennsylvania, "a bitter English Federalist" (Source: HathiTrust Digital Library)
(The following was not 'our' Abel. could have been an uncle.) On 29 March 1749 at Atherstoneon-Stour, an Abel Humphrys married Ann Zouch, daughter of John Zouch, Milcoat, gentleman
(his Will, 1753). Was he the uncle ‘our’ Abel?
In ‘The Streets & Inhabitants of Birmingham in 1770’ by S Timmins (1886) Humphrys listings
include:
p.19 Corbetts Alley, Humphrys Abel, draper
p.27 (Street A-D) 73. Humphrys & Sons, Merchants
Generation 1 (cont.)
p.28 (Street !-D). 103. Humphrys William, Factor
p.64 (Street N-Z). 10. Humphrys George, Factor
Records of the Old Meeting House, Birmingham, have the baptisms of George H in 1774 and
William 1779. Nothing for Abel or John
Abel married Jane Grundy 1796 in Bury
John married her sister, Elizabeth
Had brothers John, George, William (from Will extract of George Junior, who died in Philadelphia
17 Oct 1798, probate 6 July 1799.) Abel is named as Executor and brother. Other brothers
listed are John and William.
The Naturalisation Records for Philadelphia (filed in the Pennsylvania Supreme court) has the
records for
George 9 September 1795
Abel 15 December 1796
John 24 May 1798
From the Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, (‘From Section II,
Alphabetical Index of Naturalization Records, 1794-1880, Maritime Records, Port of
Philadelphia,. Entries include names of applicants, countries of former allegiance, courst of
record, and declaration dates.’) P.300
Abel Humphreys, 1796, Philadelphia (Source publication 9297)
George Humphreys, 1795, Philadelphia (9297. Page 301)
John Humphreys, 1798, Philadelphia (9297)
Abel’s children are named in his Will extract. He died in Havanna, Cuba, on 12 Feb 1808 with
probate on 2 May 1808. His wife is Jane Humphreys, his children Sarah, Harriot, George, John
and Elizabeth. Executor was John Philip of Northumberland, Simon Gratz, Philadelphia, and
Samuel Clarkson of sd city and sd wife Jane Humphreys of Philadelphia.
Sarah born 1798
Harriet born 1800
George born 1801
John born 1802
Elizabeth born 1806
Abel is named in the Baggage Lists of 6 ships which plied their trade between Cuba and
Philadelphia:
Trips from Havana arriving in Philadelphia on
28 Nov 1804 on the Schooner Fox
Generation 1 (cont.)
227 Sep 1805 on the brig Belle Air (‘supercargo’)
8 Feb 1806 on the brig Smilax
26 Aug 1806 on the brig Cyrus (‘supercargo, res Phila.’)
23 Dec 1806 on the brig Susanna (‘& black servant’)
13 Aug 1807 on the brig Nancy (& servant’)
Did he die of yellow fever?
(On 28 April 1817 Jane Humphreys (Mrs) and son sailed on the Electra from Havana. Perhaps
this was George, who was to marry Frances Henry.
All of Abel’s Children were baptised in the Mosley Street Unitarian Chapel, Manchester, in
1821, and none of the family appears to have remained in the US. Elizabeth, John and Jane
returned earlier.
In early Northumberland County, (about 1793 -75) a group of Englishmen had an ambitious
scheme for settling the backwoods of Pennsylvania with an ideal democratic community
governed by the dictates of 'natural religion'. Abel Humphrys, was one of these men.
The Chester Chronicle of 9 September 1796 has an artivcle titled Republic of America which
includes the following extract:
Mr Humphries, formerly of Birmingham, has built a beautiful seat on the banks of the Susqhehanna near Sunbury exactly on the same plan as his country seat near Birmingham. He returned in May last to this country to marry Miss Grundy of Bury, in Lancashire, and took his beautiful bride to his new settlement in the month of July following.
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Barker - Humphrys Family Tree
- 1808
