SENATE, 7th General Assembly, 1807; representing counties of Montgomery, Dickson, Robertson, and Stewart; served from convening of Assembly Sept 21, 1807 to Dec 3, 1807, on which date he resigned; on same day was elected by joint convention of both houses of legislature to newly created state Superior Court of Law and Equity; Assembly adjourned following day. Born at Staunton, VA, in 1777 or 1778; son of Joshua and Anne Katherine (Jones) Humphreys. "Pursued preparatory studies"; studied law and admitted to bar, 1801. Married Jan 31, 1805, to Mary West, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Clark) West; she was probably a native of Bertie County NC; children – West Hughes, Charles Jones, Elizabeth, Joshua P., Georgianna, and Robert West. Grew to manhood in Lexington, KY; commenced practice of law at Nashville, Davidson County; removed to Clarksville, Montgomery County, at undetermined date before 1806; named trustee of Rural Academy, Clarksville, 1806. Elected to Superior Court of Law and Equity, Dec 3, 1807; in 1809 the legislature abolished the Superior Court of Law and Equity and, on Nov 16, same year, created a Superior Court of Errors and Appeals along with five judicial circuits; at that time the legislature elected Humphreys judge of 5th Judicial Circuit; he served from Nov 21, 1809 to 1813; elected as a Democrat to US House of Representatives, 13th congress, and served from Mar 4, 1813 to Mar 3, 1815; unsuccessful candidate for US Senate on Whig ticket, 1817; again elected judge of 5th Judicial Circuit, serving from 1818 to 1836; unsuccessful candidate for Governor, 1835. Humphreys County, created 1809, is named in his honor. At end of judicial term, 1836, moved to Hernando, MS, to engage in banking business until his death; sources differ as to whether death occurred Jan 9, Jan 19, or Mar 1, 1834; buried in Methodist Cemetery, Hernando. Father of West Hughes Humphreys, sometime member TN General Assembly.

Sources: Humphreys, Humphreys Genealogy, 12-13, 40-41; Biographical Directory of the American Congress; Senate Journal, 7th General Assembly 1807, pp 185, 188; Senate Journal, 8th General Assembly, 1809, pp 186-87; Miller's Manual, 180, 182; Tennessee Reports, Vol 176, p 867; Green, Lives of the Judges of the Supreme Court of Tennessee, 56; Caldwell, Bench and Bar, 17; Beach, Along the Warioto, 88, 136, 158; Goodspeed, History of Humphreys County, 848; Nashville American, Oct 17, 1882; Nashville Tennessee, Nov 21, 1914.
 

Biographies submitted by Jill Hastings-Johnson, Montgomery County Archivist