MY PATERNAL GRANDFATHER, JOHN STEPHEN WAITE HUMPHREY, WAS THE SON OF MATHEW J. HUMPHREYS AND MARTHA LOUELLEN CHENAULT HUMPHREYS.HE HAD ONE BROTHER AND SIX SISTERS. HE WAS BORN IN GREENBRIER COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA ON THE FAMILY FARM JUST OUTSIDE OF LEWISBURG. HE dropped the "s" off of Humphreys when he came to Texas.
Moved to Missouri with his parents in 1879, did carpenter work, met and married Nancy Emaline Matlock on April 13, 1884 IN WRIGHT County., Missouri. He began to drove horses to Texas, came to Abilene in December 1890 where he settled for the rest of his life. This date is pin-pointed by cousin, Virginia Osborne because she knew the family arrived in Abilene 3 months after her mother, Hattie, was born in Sept. 1890. The city was just being laid out.
The reason for coming to Abilene was the Texas and Pacific Railroad and Abilene was becoming a "boom" town with jobs and new construction.

John became a general contractor in Abilene, Texas, building many of the large homes in Abilene with one of his later and largest jobs being the education building of the First Baptist Church-still being used (2014). Like so many
in this country his business failed during the depression.

5) John and Nancy lived for about 25 years at 1201 Mulberry, Abilene, Texas. Various of the
children lived with them, providing food in payment for rent. This was the case when my mother, father, Ruby and I (Ronald) began living there in 1936. John built this house in 1920 and it is still in use today (2014). In 1942 he planted a pecan tree in the back yard and it is a large and
beautiful tree in 2014.
6) I have many pleasant memories of the 6 years we lived there. The main things I remember of John was: (1) his fishing. He would get up very
early in the morning, crank his 1929 Dodge up and head out to Lake Kirby or Abilene. Many a time his catch was the meat of the week. It was on one of these trips, when he was about 80, that he "ran a stop sign" coming onto the Anson-Abilene highway and was hit by a car. He suffered broken ribs and cuts, the car was demolished, he received a ticket and that ended his driving. (2) his sitting in his favorite place to sit, chew tobacco (brown mule), spit and whittle was just outside the back door where it was shaded in the afternoon (3) jury sitting. He made frequent trips to the court house where he and his friends sat outside chewing and waiting to be called to a jury duty. Things were different then and besides they were paid a couple of dollars
for their effort.
7) On John's tombstone his date of birth is stated as Aug. 25, 1863. This is not correct for two reasons. First, all my life I always heard family members say that he was born just before the Civil War ended. Second, 1863 is listed as his older brother, Joseph's date of birth. This was given by cousin, Pat Newman, daughter of Joseph and I believe her records are correct.
Interesting points on John's name: His maternal grandfather was named
Stephen. Waite could have come from a "loved" and highly regarded
physician by the name of James Y. Waite.(History of Monroe Co., WVA., page 413).
8) State of Texas Death Records gives death date of July 30, 1948. On the back of his picture is written "died Friday, July 30, 1948. However, his tombstone reads August 18, 1948. Who is right?

He is survived by five daughters, 3 sons, 22 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren, 6 great great grandchildren, and two sisters. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy and two sons, Jesse and Edwin.

OBIT FROM ABILENE REPORTER NEWS
FUNERAL SERVICE FOR J.W. HUMPHREY, ABILENIAN 63 YEARS will be conducted at 5 p.m. Sunday at Elliott's Chapel of Memories by Dr. M.A. Jenkens, former pastor of the First Baptist Church. Burial will be in IOOF section of the Abilene City Cemetery.

Mr. Humphrey, 84, died at 5:00 p.m. Friday in Breckenridge at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Lula Wright, where he had been visiting for the past month. His Abilene residence was at 1201 Mulberry.
A building contractor for many years, Mr. Humphrey resided in Abilene 63 years. He was a native of Greensbrier County, West Virginia.
Survivors are five daughters, Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Artie Wyatt of New Mexico, Mrs. Fannie Anthony of Breckenridge, Mrs. Leeora Gooch and Ruby Humphrey of Abilene; two sisters, Mrs. Sadie Rutherford of Mission and Mrs. Rose Bowyer of Anson; 22 grandchildren., 24 great-grandchildren and six great-great-granddchildren.
Pallbearers will be grandsons: J.B. Wright, Grady Osborne, Dick Smith, JONNIE WYATT, WALTER SANDERS AND BILLY F. ANTHONY. Arrangements by Elliott's Funeral Home.
NOTE FROM THE PHOTO A LARGE NOSE. JOHN SUFFERED FROM ACROMEAGLY. Acromegaly (pronounced /ˌækrɵˈmɛɡəli/; from Greek άκρος akros "extreme" or "extremities" and μεγάλος megalos "large") is a syndrome that results when the anterior pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone (GH) after epiphyseal plate closure at puberty. A number of disorders may increase the pituitary's GH output, although most commonly it involves a GH producing tumor called pituitary adenoma, derived from a distinct type of cell (somatotrophs).

Acromegaly most commonly affects adults in middle age, and can result in severe disfigurement, serious complicating conditions, and premature death if unchecked. Because of its insidious pathogenesis and slow progression, the disease is hard to diagnose in the early stages and is frequently missed for many years, until changes in external features, especially of the face, become noticeable. IN JOHN'S LIFETIME THE CAUSE AND TREATMENT WAS UNKNOWN.
Cause of death was a stroke.