Michael Humphrey, one of the
Pioneers of Clayton County, was born in County Limerick,
Ireland, Sept. 29, 1834, and emigrated to Canada in 1848.
he remained there one year, then went to Racine, Wis.,
where he was employed by Judge Burchard, and had the
entire supervision of his farm for four years. In 1853 he
came to Clayton County and located on his present farm,
where he has resided for thirty years. In 1856 he married
Mary McGuire, who was born in County Caven, Ireland, in
1831. They have six children – Kate, Mary, Lewis,
Lizzie, Peter and Theresa. Mr. Humphrey came to the
county poor, but by industry has accumulated an ample
competency. He owns 280 acres of land in Clayton County
and 1,000 acres in Allamakee County, valued at $15,000.
Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey are members of the Roman Catholic
church at Monona, and have done much to build it up. He
has a fine stone residence which was built in 1869, at a
cost of $4,500, with a beautiful grove surrounding it.
His father died soon after coming to the country, and his
mother died in Clayton County, at the advanced age of
seventy-two. source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa, 1882, p. 1044-1045 |