John Humphrey House
9830 W 144th Pl, Orland Park, IL 60462, USA

John Humphrey House - National Register of Historic Places

Statement of Significance:

The John Humphrey House is significant for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and qualifies under Criterion B for a significant person, John Humphrey, and Criterion C for architecture, as an example of a Four-Over-Four with a 2-story ell. The period of significance ranges from 1881 when the house was built in Orland Park until the death of John Humphrey in 1914.

While John Humphrey may be associated with other sites during his lifetime, such as the farm where he grew up or offices in Chicago he used during his law and legislative career, this house is the building he was associated with during his period of significance, the location of one of his law offices, and is best suited to representing him during his adult life and career. John Humphrey lived in the house during his most productive period in Illinois and Cook Country in the positions of lawyer, member of the Cook County Board of Supervisors, Supervisor of Orland Township, Treasurer of Orland Township, Republican Representative of the Illinois Legislature, Senator of the Seventh Senatorial District in Illinois, and first Mayor of the Village of Orland Park. His house was his anchor while he held these offices, the site of his law office, and the depository of his legal papers, books, and personal papers.

When John Humphrey first had a law office in Chicago, he traveled five miles by horse and buggy to Tinley Park to ride the train. When he heard in 1879 that the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railroad was going through Orland Township, he bought twelve acres of land near the station. He platted this land for houses and his house was the second to be built in the area later incorporated as the village of Orland Park. The new railroad with more than 12 trains a day facilitated his transportation to Chicago and Springfield. The Humphrey House provided easy access for him to attain his achievements. John Humphrey was a prominent citizen of Illinois and had a significant influence on the events and politics of his community and state. In all of the offices he participated in and gained success until his death in 1914, he made major contributions to Orland Park, the country towns of the Seventh District, and Illinois.

His Family Life
John Humphrey was born on June 20, 1838 in Wisbech, Cambridge shire, England. In 1848, he migrated with his mother Mary, stepfather John Wells, and brother Matthew, to Orland Township, Illinois. He was educated in the Orland schools, helped his family on the farm, sought gold in Caledonia, and cared for widows and families in Orland during the Civil War. He married Amelia Patrick in 1863. In the years that followed, they had seven children, three of whom lived to adulthood: Wirt, born January 6,1868, Clara, born June 20, 1876, and Maude, born March 7, 1880. From 1881 on, they lived in the new house John Humphrey built in Orland and attended grade school. They observed their father's participation in all the Township business. The citizens registered to vote in their house and sought legal advice there.

On November 30, 1893, Humphrey's elder daughter Clara was married to P. A. Myers. According to a newspaper clipping, the wedding took place in " the palatial home of Senator and Mrs, John Humphrey", Among the guests were several State Senators and Representatives and their wives: Hon. Philip Knopf, Republican Senator Hon. Philip Thiemann, and Hon. George Bass, as well as fifty or more relatives and friends.

The Humphrey House received publicity also after Amelia's death, when Senator Humphrey married Ida Stuart, his secretary, on December 14, 1898. Ida made some changes to the house and entertained her friends and relatives there. On July 13, 1900, a son, John Stuart Humphrey, was born. He maintained the house until his death on April 17, 1987, and preserved the archives, documents, and furniture.