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Below is a family biography included in The History of Switzerland County, Indiana published by Weakley, Harraman & Co. in 1885.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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ARTHUR HUMPHREY, was born August 25, 1798, in Corinth, Vt. He was the son of Ebenezer and Huldah (Keeney; Humphrey, also natives of Vermont He came when eighteen years of age from his native State to this locality, walking all the way and carrying his haversack upon his back. His father was a soldier of 1812, and was a pensioner of the Government. Arthur settled here about 1814, and entered lands on the hills back six miles from Patriot near Bark Works. Here he lived with his parents till his marriage, then began for himself, his parents residing there till their deaths. After his marriage, he purchased a farm two miles back of Patriot in the woods and cleared it up, residing there about thirty years. He then purchased land in the Bottom, and became quite wealthy, owning 1,100 acres in Palmetto and Egypt Bottoms. He did a general farming business and later in life dealt in notes and securities to a large extent. He married Catharine Tripp, born in New York 1804, a daughter of ___and Eva (Hagerman) Tripp, and they reared five children: Huldah, Elias, Cornelius, Lodina, wife of James T. Bodkin; Almira, wife of Thomas E. Abbott. The father died November 24, 1857; mother. August 22, 1858. Mr. Humphrey was a man of great business qualifications, and in his lifetime did a great deal of hard labor. Cornelius H. Humphrey, born in this county, December 5, 1830, was a son of Arthur Humphrey, above mentioned. He grew to maturity in this his native county on the farm, and was a farmer all his life. He obtained a common school education, and September 6, 1854, was married to Jane Harris, daughter of Jacob R. Harris, by Rev. Elijah W. Burriss. He resided on the farm in Mexico Bottom about two years and then came to Egypt Bottom where he lived several years after He did a general farming and stock raising business, and also dealt in produce on the river to a considerable extent. He gave up active labor about 1869 and rented his farm for a few seasons, and moved to Patriot where he died February 16, 1872. He was a man of good business judgment and quite successful in his undertakings. For about three years before his death he conducted a grocery store at Patriot. He reared five children: Abbie A., wife of William F. North; Katie G., wife of E. E. North; Clara H., wife of A. L. North; Mary H., wife of Hugh Espey; Cornelius H., at home.

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This family biography is one of 215 biographies included in The History of Switzerland County, Indiana published in 1885 by Weakley, Harraman & Co.  For the complete description, click here: Switzerland County, Indiana History and Genealogy

View additional Switzerland County, Indiana family biographies here: Switzerland County, Indiana Biographies

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