HomeMy WebLinkAboutDoctor Humphrey 2016 Sue Thompson NL ArticleDoctor Humphrey (Fact or Fiction) Sue Thompson Enfield Town Historian
On August 12, 1977, a young man was driving on Trumbulls Corners Road in Enfield when he saw a man standing on the side of the road with a small black bag in his hands. He stopped and
asked him whether he wanted a lift. The man got in the front seat of the car. At this point the young man could see that the black bag was a doctor’s medicine bag. He asked the doctor
who he was and where he was going but the he never said a word. When they got near the intersection of Rumsey Hill and Trumbulls Corner roads, the doctor motioned for the young man
to stop. The Doctor got out. The young man then reported that the doctor just disappeared. But when he glanced at the seat where he had been sitting there sat a bottle of Humphreys
Witch Hazel Oil. The young man, now older of course, still has the bottle and tells this story over and over again.
True Facts On the 24th day of December 1923, Louis C. Leonard of Enfield, N.Y. became Louis F.L. Humphrey. Louis was born April 27, 1887, the son of Carrie Rumsey and Parker Leonard,
Rumey Hill Road. When Louis was thirty-six years of age he made the decision to change his name. According to hearsay, Louis was quite "taken" with Dr. Frederick Humphrey's patent
medicines of the day (Humphreys Witch Hazel Oil) and this may have contributed to his choice of name. The fact that he chose the initials "F.L." with his new name would indicate this
might well have been among his reasons.
The rest of the story….Alan Chaffee, Newfield Town Historian, recently shared items regarding Louis. One was a Veterinary Manual, Humphrey’s Veterinary Specifics “for every living thing
on the farm”. Humphrey’s Homeo. Med. Co. New York. Louis had written his name in the book – Louis F. L. Humphreys – May 6, 1914. There were prescription notes on treating horses with
colic with Wild Yams/china Root) dosage was 5 to 60 drops page 249 Blackwoodsmateriamedica. “Anson Nobles (was at Art Kelsey’s) and a man at the blacksmiths over to Meckleburg said it
worked”. Mr. Charley Dolloway a horse “Traider” that lives in Mecklenburg uses it also. Louis made note that he and Carrie Rumsey got some and tried it on Startle but it didn’t work
at all. There were papers also questioning the date of his birth. He stated he was 23 years old on April 27, 1912. He noted he needed to check with the school to confirm this date.
A report to E.W. Updike school commissioner District No. 10 (Nobles School House) town of Enfield term commencing September 12, 1904. Pupils Mark Rumsey; Ralph Rumsey; Lester Holly;
Walter Whitney; Clarence Curry; Harry Leonard; Randall Goldsmith; Louis Leonard; Elvira Holly. Written on this report was Louis F.L. Humphrey’s 15 yrs old April 27, 1904; 45 years old
April 27, 1935.
Don’t forget to check my Throw Back Thursday, articles every Thursday. You can find these articles on the towns website – www.townofenfield.org. In my weekly “Throw Back Thursday”
series I share a little bit of Enfield’s History. Do you have a photo of a past event, bldg., etc. of Enfield you would like to share? Email the photo to historian@townofenfield.org.
and I’ll feature it in an upcoming article. I also invite readers to share their memories of each of our weekly photos by sending a message to historian@townofenfield.org.
Enfield Town Web Site – www.townofenfield.org
Just a reminder if you are holding a public event please send me the information and I can place it on the web site. (susan-thompson@townofenfield.org).
All Town Board meetings, public hearings, “Official” Town Committee meetings are placed on the website. You can also find minutes on the site for all the meetings.
Don’t forget to sign up to receive the “posting” notices from our website.
If you don’t have ready access to a computer and want to know about our town meetings you can give the Town Clerk’s office a phone call 607-273-8256or stop in to visit them at 168 Enfield
Main Road.
A few sites to check on the “Top Menu” of the website:
“Resources” – Documents - Public Laserfiche, you can do your own “historical research” with the many town documents we have placed there.
“Throw Back Thursday” weekly historical articles under “News” on the top menu.