JOSEPH HUMBERSTONE

Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Fayette County by Gresham and Wiley, 1889, p551

"Joseph H Humberstone, one of the young, steady and industrious farmers of Henry Clay township, is a son of Jacob Humberstone and Louisa Shaw Humberstone, and was born in Henry Clay township, Fayette County, Penna, November 26, 1861.

His paternal grandfather, William Humberstone, was a native and resident of Frostburg, Maryland.  He was a republican and a member of the Lutheran church and a farmer by occupation.

His maternal grandfather, William Shaw, was born at Barton, Maryland, was a carpenter by occupation, a republican in politics and a Methodist in religion. [Note:Joseph's proven maternal line is George Shaw & Elizabeth Nainby,  Rev William Shaw & Charlotte Trimble,  Henry N. Shaw & Sidney Thompson,  Lousia Shaw Humbertson. Rev William b 1757 in England; Henry N in 1791 in Cresaptown, MD; Louisa b 1821 probably at Pekill Hill farm. The town of Barton was founded in 1853.]

Jacob Humberstone, father of Joseph H Humberstone, was born at Frostburg, Maryland, in 1826 and at thirty years of age removed to his present location on the National Road in Henry Clay township.  He has principally been engaged in farming and is of the same political faith and belief of his father.

Jacob Humberstone enlisted in 1862 in the Two Hundred and Twelfth Pennsylvania Regiment of the Line, heavy artillery, and served nine months.

He owns a good property including the old Brown wagon stand on the National Road which was established by Thomas Brown about 1798.  Brown's log building was replaced in 1826 by the present large and fine two story stone house in which a hotel was kept as late as 1865.

Joseph S Humberstone was one of a family of eight children, and received his education in the common schools of his native township.  He has always given his time to farming except eighteen months that he served as a telegraph operator at Marshalltown, Iowa.  He was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Tharspecken of Marshalltown, Iowa.

J S Humberstone is a republican and was a delegate to the republican State Convention which met at Harrisburg on the 7th of August 1889, and nominated Boyer for state treasurer.  Mr Humberstone has a comfortable home, and is kept busily engaged in the management of his farm and the care of his business interests."

[Notes provided by Carol Askey]

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