History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, 1887



Humes Family - HAMILTON B. HUMES Biography

Hamilton B. Humes, president of the Jersey Shore Banking Company, and who is widely and favorably known as a man of original ideas and much force of character, was born in Jersey Shore, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, May 5, 1844, a descendant of a Scotch-Irish and French ancestry, prominent among whom were the Steel family and Captain Jacob Bailey, of Revolutionary fame.

John Humes, grandfather of Hamilton B. Humes, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, later lived in Milton, Pennsylvania, and was a cabinet-maker by occupation. His son, John Humes, and an uncle of Hamilton B. Humes, was one of the builders of the old canal, his partner in the work having been George Tomb, who was a well known resident of Jersey Shore from the time of his settlement in that borough up to the time of his death, January 31, 1870, and who was a son-in-law of John Humes, Sr. By the marriage of John Humes, Sr., to Mary Duncan the following children were born: Mary, Martha, Samuel, Jane, John, and Elizabeth.

Samuel Humes, father of Hamilton B. Humes, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, June 23, 1801. After completing his education in the Milton Academy, he clerked in a store at Milton for a short time. About 1824 he formed a partnership with Samuel Lloyd in the mercantile business at Jersey Shore, and afterwards established a business of his own, which later was conducted under the firm name of Samuel Humes & Son. For four decades he was engaged in business in Jersey Shore, during which long period of time he was successful in his operations and accumulated a competence by shrewd investments. He was a director in the Jersey Shore Bank, and also filled a similar position in the Jersey Shore high school. He was a member and trustee of the Presbyterian church, a Whig in politics, and for several years served as postmaster of Jersey Shore. In 1825 Mr. Humes married Anna Bailey, daughter of John Bailey, and they had one son, John Harvey, who engaged in the mercantile and contracting business, died in Delaware, June, 1898, aged seventy-one years, and was buried at Jersey Shore. Mr. Humes married for his second wife Rachel Bailey Humes, daughter of Hamilton and Anna Elmira (Bailey) Humes. Of this marriage were four children, three of whom died in infancy, and Hamilton B. Humes is the only survivor. Mr. Humes, after a long and useful life, died March 29, 1859, and his remains were interred in the cemetery at Jersey Shore.

Hamilton B. Humes attended the common schools and West Branch high school, the latter being then controlled by the Presbyterian church; also State College, Centre county, and Columbia University, New York city, matriculating in 1862 and graduating from the law department in 1865. In May, 1865, he was admitted to the bar of New York city, and shortly afterward returned to Jersey Shore, where he entered the Jersey Shore National Bank as clerk. He served in this capacity for two years, during which time John A. Gamble was president and John J. Sanderson was cashier. In 1869 a new institution was established at Jersey Shore under the firm name of Gamble, Humes & White, with John A. Gamble as president, Matthew A. Gamble as vice-president, and Hamilton B. Humes as cashier. In 1878 title was changed to the Jersey Shore Banking Company, incorporated under the state law of Pennsylvania in 1886, with Hamilton B. Humes as president, Robert McCullough as vice-president, and Robert A. Sebring as cashier, the old institution, the Jersey Shore National Bank, having been removed to Williamsport in 1871. Mr. Humes is the treasurer of the Cemetery Company, a director of the Bald Eagle Valley Railroad, and was actively interested in the building of the Electric Light and Trolley Company's line. He is a member of the Presbyterian church of Jersey Shore, was treasurer of the building committee when the structure was erected in 1894, served as superintendent of the Sunday School connected therewith for fifteen years, and also in the capacity of teacher. Mr. Humes was made a Mason in La Belle Vallee Lodge No. 232, Free and Accepted Masons of Jersey Shore, August 4, 1865, served as worshipful master, and is the oldest past master of that body. He received the capitular degrees in Lafayette Chapter No. 163, Royal Arch Masons, September 27, 1866. He was knighted in Baldwin II Commandery No. 22, Knights Templar, November 20, 1866; received the cryptic degrees in Adoniram Council No. 26, Royal and Select Masters, June 23, 1903, and in the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite attained the thirty-second degree in Williamsport Consistory, January 31, 1900. He is a noble of Irem Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine.

Mr. Humes was married June 23, 1868, to S. Floretta Sebring, born at Jersey Shore, June 22, 1845, daughter of John and Mary (Pfouts) Sebring, and five children were the issue: 1. Mary, born July 1, 1869, died May 1% 1884. 2. Samuel, born October 25, 1870, mentioned at length on a following page. 3 Rachel B., born December 15, 1872, wife of William M. Hepburn, a farmer residing near Jersey Shore; and they are the parents of one child, Floretta Humes. 4. John Sebring, born May 4, 1876, educated in the schools of Jersey Shore, Hills School of Pottstown, and Chambersburg Academy, and later was employed by the Jersey Shore Banking Company. 5. Catherine, who died in infancy. John Sebring, the father of Mrs. Humes, was born in Liberty, Tioga county, Pennsylvania, October 25, 1816, and died May 17, 1902. He was a son of Jonathan and Sarah (Corson) Sebring, and was of Holland Dutch origin. In 1842 he engaged in the mercantile business in Jersey Shore, also in the manufacturing and planing mill business, and was in partnership with John A. Gamble, to whom he afterward sold his interest. In 1865 he resumed business again in a general store, which he conducted until 1893. He was also engaged in the lime kiln business on Pine creek. His wife, Mary (Pfouts) Sebring, born February 10, 1818, three-quarters of a mile above Jersey Shore, bore him the following children: S. Floretta, wife of Hamilton B. Humes. John P., of Loveville, Centre county, Pennsylvania. Robert A., cashier in the Jersey Shore Banking Company. Elmina. Richard M., of Philadelphia. Edson, of Jersey Shore. Mary Belle, wife of John Carothers, of Jersey Shore.


Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Lycoming County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1906.










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