Mr. Humphrey Smith died at the age of 108, Nov.4, 1892. He was known as a n industrious and honest man. He was respected by all who knew him as reported in his obituary in the Springville Local News.
In the 1830s Humphrey Smith moved to Yorkshire to a 100 acre farm on “Blue Hill”. Humphrey was a colored man who was born to slave parents in 1784 near Richmond, Va. Mr. Smith when young, escaped the area of slavery and came north to freedom. He lived on Grand Island for a number of years, then in the 1830s he moved to this area about five miles east of Springville, NY. For a number of years Humphrey worked at blacksmithing, teaming and well-digging. He had two daughters and a son. The son was in the Union Army and was killed in battle.
Information from: http://www.paintedhills.org/CATTARAUGUS/cattobits.htm
Accessed 11-10-2014, Last updated on September 24, 2014