The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-05-09
OIL MAGNATE
ACCIDENTALLY
SHOT TO DEATH
Col. A. E. Humphreys of Den
yer Killed While Preparing
For Hunting Trip

Denver. May. 9.-(P,-Colonel a. F..
Humphreys, who rose fropi ii back
woods school teacher to make and
lose millions in lumber and mining
in his youth. finally to recoup vast
fortune in Oil. which he devoted to
"helping Gods children" is dead.
Colonel Humphreys accidentally
shot himself to death at his home
here yesterday while packing guns
and fishing tackle.
Leaving the dinner table where he
told Mrs. Humphreys and his two
sons. Ira b., and A. +. Humphreys,
Jr.. of plans for his trip to Wagon
Gap. Colorado, he retired to the room
where he stored his outdoor para
phernalia.
He apparently was examining a
shot gun when the weapon was DIS
charged. The charge struck him in
the face. He died within three hours
after reaching hospital.
Started as School Teacher
Born at Sissonville, W. Va. in
1860, he graduated from Marshall
college. at Huntington, W. Va. and
obtained a teachers certificate before
he was 16 years old He later at
tended Ohio Northern University.
He accepted his first position as a
teacher at Sissonville at a salary of
$25 month.
Declaring he was unable to coun-
tenance ribaldry incident to noun
tain election held III his school a
week after he started teaching, he
resigned and Joined his father in a
country store. Father and son soon
left the grocery business to launch
lumber enterprise. They met a
series Of misfortunes and, at the age
of ~, Colonel Humphreys found him
self 100000 in debt.
In 1887 he left the south for Rip
ley. Ohio, where he married Alice X.
Boyd. They settled at Duluth, where
he reentered the lumber business.
Developed Mesaba Range
While staying at a frame hotel in
the timber country. he overheard
three lumberjacks discussing a rich
| ore strike. The next day he secured
an option on II tracts of 40 acres
| each with Il $1,000 check which he
| said he beat to the bank on which il
was drawn at Charleston, W. Va
| Friends gave him financial backing
and he. organized the company which
| started the first big development Of
| the Mesaba Range.
| Within five years he located mining
| properties worth today more than /;
hundred million dollars. Wher
| wealth seemed assured, he was caught
| in the panic Of 1893 and lost more
than a million dollars
He next prospected in British Col
umbia, where he opened valuabl,
| silver and gold camps, but in lS9;
| he returned to West Virginia to en-
/ ter coal mining.
Successful in Oil Business \
| The west called again and he came
here in 1896. where for l6 years ht
4 prospected for various minerals witt
unusual success.
Then he entered the oil bushes.
and after some wild cat operations
near Tulsa. Okla, made the bigges
| strike Of his life in the Big Mudd,
field Of Wyoming Other successes il
Texas fields followed.
His philanthropic work was par
Of the vow he made when illness
threatened his life some years ago.
IF God grants me life. shall
give all have and all / shall max
~ the future to the Forwarding o
His Glory through helping His chill
4 dren." he vowed.
He kept the vow by establishin
the Humphreys foundation, with
! tContinued on pAke tArss)
sS