From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,"  Vol. I, pages 705-706.
Brant & Fuller, 1890.


WILLIAM B. HUMPHREYS

William B. Humphreys, of Moundsville, a member of the well-known firm 
of Weaver & Humphreys, manufactures of brooms, is a native of 
Ireland, having been born in county Tyrone, March 21, 1843.  His 
parents, Samuel and Mary Humphreys, were of Scotch-Irish descent.  
The father came to Anerica in 1848, and had reached Pittsburgh, when 
in February, fourteen days after his arrival, he died of ship fever, 
at the age of about forty years.  In the following July the mother 
and seven children came to America, and settled at Pittsburgh, where 
she died in June, 1863, at the age of fifty years.  She was a woman 
of great resolution and industry and tenderly provided for her 
orphaned children.  William B. Humphreys began work in 1852, in a 
glass manufactory at Pittsburgh, August 11, 1862, when he enlisted in 
Young's independent battery G, of Pennsylvania volunteers, with which 
he served until June 22, 1865.  On his return from the army he 
entered the oil business at Oil City, buying oil and boating it to 
Pittsburgh, and continued at this until 1870, when he embarked in 
broom manufacture.  He was superintendent for Watt, Lang & Co., at 
Allegheny until 1877, when he came to Moundsville and became 
associated with A. Weaver in a firm which is one of the largest broom 
producers in the United States, turning out about 150 dozen per day.  
He is a liberal and enterprising man, popular in social life, and 
successful in business.  He is a member of the Masonic order, the 
G.A.R., the A.O.U.W., and the National Union.  March 10, 1870, he was 
married to Mary A. Logan, daughter of William Logan, of Butler 
county, Penn., and they have five children, Robert N., Kate, Charles 
W., Ellinor and Sarah.  Mrs. Humphreys is a member of the 
Presbyterian church.     


(Linda Fluharty)