Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/341

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HUMPHREYS
HUMPHREYS
313

to negotiate treaties of commerce and amity with European powers. He was absent on this mission two years, residing chiefly in Paris and London. Returning in 1786, Humphreys represented his town in the legislature, and joined with the " Hart- ford Wits" in producing the "Anarchiad" and other satiric verse. An edition of these edited by Luther G. Riggs. purport- ing to be " the first published in book - form," ap- peared in New Ha- ven in 1861. He was again invited to Mount Vernon, and resided there until the forma- tion of the Fed- eral government, when he accompa- nied Washington to New York, and remained a mem- ber of his family

until 1790. In

that year he was appointed the first U. S. minister to Portugal, and assumed his duties in 1791. He revisited this country in 1794, at which time he was given the general oversight of Barbary affairs, returned in 1795, and soon afterward married Miss Bulkly, an English lady of fortune. He resided in all seven years at Lisbon, and was then transferred to the court at Madrid as minister plenipotentiary, where he remained until he was succeeded by Charles C. Pinckney in 1802. At the beginning of the war of 1812, Connecticut appointed him to the chief command of the two regiments that were organized under the name of the " Veteran Volunteers," with the rank of brigadier-general. At the close of the war he retired to private life. On his return from Spain he had imported 100 merino sheep, and for some time he engaged in the manufacture of woollens. He received the degree of LL. D. from Brown in 1802, and from Dart- mouth in 1804, and was elected a fellow of the Royal society of London. Col. Humphreys wrote much in verse, beginning while in college. One of his poems, " An Address to the Armies of the United States " (1782), passed through several edi- tions in this country and in England, and was translated into French. His others include one on " The Happiness of America," " The Widow of Malabae," a tragedy, translated from the French of La Pierre, and " Poem on Agriculture." His "Miscellaneous Works" (New York, 1790 and 1804) were dedicated to the Duke de la Rochefou- cauld-Liancourt, who had been the poet's friend during his residence in France.


HUMPHREYS, Edward Rupert, educator, b. in England, 1 March, 1820. He was educated at the University of Cambridge, studied medicine, and in 1844 was appointed to the directorship of education in Prince Edward island. He became head classical master of the Merchiston Castle academy, near Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1848, and in 1849 was elected to a fellowship in the Educa- tional institute of Scotland. In 1852 he was ap- pointed head master of the ancient grammar-school of Cheltenham, where he remained until 1859, and erected new buildings at his own expense. In 1854 he was made president of the College of pre- ceptors, London, which office he resigned in 1859. Subsequently he came to this country, settling in Boston, Mass., where he has been assistant editor of the " Boston Post," and principal of the Boston collegiate school. He received the degree of LL. D. from King's university and King's college, Aber- deen, Scotland, in 1850. From 1861 till 1868 he contributed a series of articles to Moore's " Masonic Magazine," on the alleviation of war's necessary sufferings, which had much influence among Ma- sonic soldiers. In addition to various educational works and text-books, he is the author of "Les- sons on the Liturgy of the Protestant Episcopal Church " (Boston, 1860) ; and essays on the " Edu- cation of Military Officers " (1862), on the " Higher Education of Europe and America," and " Ameri- ca, Past, Present, and Prospective " (1870).


HUMPHREYS, Hector, clergyman, b. in Can- ton, Conn., 8 June, 1797 ; d. in Annapolis, Md., 25 June, 1857. After his graduation at Yale in 1818, he took orders in the Protestant Episcopal church. He was tutor in Trinity college from 1824 till 1826, professor of ancient languages from that time till 1830, and librarian from 1828 till 1830. From 1831 tfll his death he was president of St. John's college, Annapolis, and was also professor of his- torv and philosophv. He received the degree of D. D. from Trinitv in 1833.


HUMPHREYS, Joshua, ship-builder, b. in Haverford, Delaware co., Pa., 17 June, 1751 ; d. there 12 Jan., 1838. His grandfather, Daniel Humphreys, came from Wales to Pennsylvania, and settled in Haverford in 1682, buying a large tract of land, where they erected Quaker meeting-houses, which still remain in possession of the family. Joshua was apprenticed at an early age to a ship-carpenter in Philadelphia. Before the completion of his apprenticeship his instructor died, and he was placed in charge of the establishment. Here he was soon regarded as the first naval architect in the country, and after the adoption of the constitution of the United States, when it became necessary to organize a navy, he was consulted officially. His views, which were communicated to Robert Morris on 6 Jan., 1793. and subsequently to Gen. Henry Knox, the secretary of war, were adopted. He was the first naval constructor in the United States, and has been called the father of the American navy. His main idea was that the ships should be heavier in tonnage and artillery than their rates would seem to authorize. They were capable of enduring heavy battering, and inflicting severe injuries in a short space of time. Owing to their heavy armament the British called them " 74's in disguise." His ships were "The Constitution," "The Chesapeake," " The Congress," " The Constellation," "The President." and "The United States," which last was built under his immediate direction in his own ship-yard. — His brother, Charles, member of the Continental congress, b. in Haverford, Pa., in 1712; d. there. 11 March, 1786. For many years he was successfully engaged in milling, and was respected for his integrity of character. He was a member of the provincial assembly in 1764 and 1775. and of the general congress "in 1775-6 ; but, although he opposed the oppressive measures of Great Britain, voted against the Declaration of Independence. His home, known as the " Mansion House." was occupied by Lord Cornwallis on his return to Philadelphia from his reconnoitre to Watson's ford, on the Schuykill.— Joshua's son, Clement, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 25 Jan.. 1777; d. at sea in 1803, was made the bearer of dispatches to France during John Adams's administration. Subsequently he engaged in the East India trade, and was lost at sea between Batavia and Bombay, for the ship