The Shadow
The 21st annual Humphries Reunion was held Saturday, July 24, at the home of Iram Ray and Josephine Humphries, in Roanoke.
There were approximately 25 family members present.
The family members are descendants of the three children of William Humphries and Ruth Persinger Humphries.
The first Humphries family settled in the Alleghany County area around 1766. The Humphries family of Alleghany County belong to a class of pioneers noted for their industry, hospitality and honesty. They were ambitious, persistent, frugal, conservative and religious.
From the records of the first Humphries family settling in Rich Patch, up to the present day, they have been noted for the same characteristics.
There have been several preachers in the family – William Allen Humphries, Oliver Humphries and Morton Humphries, they were affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church.
There were a number of class leaders, Sunday school teachers, trustees and stewards in the family. They were ambitious and anxious to rise above their environment.
In the old days many of them could not write, but they were eager to learn and by intelligent application and making use of every opportunity, many of the descendants have acquired a broad and liberal education. From this family have descended teachers, preachers, farmers and men who have held various offices of trust and responsibility.
It is believed John Humphries cleared the first land in the Rich Patch and was, if not the first, among the very first white settlers there. John Humphries was granted 540 acres of land in Rich Patch, on May 21, 1794, by land patent.
These were heroic people. It took grit and fortitude, endurance and an unfailing, unwavering faith to come into the wilderness as these people did, and in the midst of perils, both seen and unseen, established a home, with their own hands.
It took a man strong in body and great in faith to do it, and let us not forget those heroic women who came and many of them from homes of ease, came out with full confidence in their men to carry on.
They should be honored and remembered. Theirs was the work of real labor and faith. They must have been possessed of an unwavering faith to have accomplished so much in the very midst of untold dangers.
The three children for whom this reunion represents were Henry Humphries and wife Samantha Steers Humphries; also Charles K. Humphries and wife Nancy Simmons Humphries; David Morton Humphries and wife Martha Jane Byer Humphries.
Linda Stull Boggs of Hot Springs called the group together and welcomed everyone. A few announcements were made and the prayer for the meal was given by Elmer Seward of Poquoson.
A wonderful meal of many home cooked items and great fellowship was enjoyed by all.
Iram Ray Humphries, Roanoke, gave a short devotional. He took his passage from James 2:14. He spoke on the value of family and the family unit. He recalled the many good memories and good times he and his siblings had as they were growing up. Giving all the praise to God who helped guide his parents in their beliefs and bestowing those same beliefs on all their children.
We recognized those that had passed away since our last reunion; Calvin Staton, Bill Daniel and Bob Brown.
Prizes were awarded in the following categories:
Oldest family member attending: Ina Humphries Dunn, 94, of Roanoke.
Youngest family member attending: Abbie Humphries, 5, of Roanoke.
Married longest: Iran Ray and Josephine Humphries, 53 years of Roanoke.
Traveling the most distance to attend: Ana Ibarra, La Paz, Mexico and her sister Antoinette Ibarra of France.
Abbie Humphries or Roanoke guessed the closest to the exact number of Skittles in a jar; winning the jar of goodies. There were 547 in the jar and Abbie guessed 500.
