Charles Humphrey was an American lawyer and politician who served as United States Representative from New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

.

Life

He was born in Little Britain

Little Britain, New York

Little Britain, New York is an area in Orange County, first settled in 1729 by Peter Mulliner, a devout Anglican, who named his farm Little Britain. The name spread to the surrounding region, which at that time was part of Ulster County, New York...

, Orange County, New York

Orange County, New York

Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...

, but moved to Newburgh, New York, at an early age and attended the Newburgh Academy

Newburgh Free Academy

Newburgh Free Academy is the public high school educating all students in grades 10-12Newburgh Free Academy is the public high school educating all students in grades 10-12Newburgh Free Academy is the public high school educating all students in grades 10-12((now 9-12) in the Newburgh Enlarged City...

. Then he studied law. He entered the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 at the beginning of the War of 1812

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

 as First Sergeant of Newburgh Company Number Five. He was commissioned a Captain in the Forty-first Regiment, United States Infantry, on August 15, 1813. After the war he resumed the study of law, and was admitted to the bar

Admission to the bar in the United States

In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...

 in Newburgh, New York on January 11, 1816. He moved to Ithaca, New York

Ithaca, New York

The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...

 in 1818, and engaged in the practice of law.

Humphrey was elected as an Adams candidate to the Nineteenth Congress

19th United States Congress

-House of Representatives:-Leadership:- Senate :* President: John C. Calhoun * President pro tempore: John Gaillard , until December 4, 1825** Nathaniel Macon , from May 20, 1826- House of Representatives :* Speaker: John W. Taylor -Members:...

, and served from March 4, 1825 to March 3, 1827).

He served as president of the village of Ithaca in 1828 and 1829. He was elected Surrogate of Tompkins County, New York

Tompkins County, New York

Tompkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and comprises the whole of the Ithaca metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,564. The county seat is Ithaca, and the county is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community...

, and served from March 4, 1831, to January 8, 1834.

He was a member from Tompkins County of the New York State Assembly

New York State Assembly

The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...

 from 1834 to 1836, when he was active in studying prison reform as well as education, and in 1842, and was Speaker

Speaker of the New York State Assembly

The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party....

 in 1835 and 1836.

He was appointed clerk of the New York Supreme Court

New York Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...

 in 1843 and held that position until 1847.

He died in Albany

Albany, New York

Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...

, Albany County, New York

Albany County, New York

Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...

, and was buried at the City Cemetery in Ithaca, N.Y.