David Humphreys - Hartford, CT
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neoc1
N 41° 45.859 W 072° 40.970
18T E 692615 N 4626204
A statue of poet and Brigadier General David Humphreys is located in the second niche on the second level above the west entrance to the State Capitol in Hartford, CT.
Waymark Code: WMQAD1
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 01/22/2016
Views: 2
The State Capitol Building in Hartford has several sculptures honoring individuals important in Connecticut's history. The marble statue of David Humphreys is in a niche on second elevation of the west side of the building. The 6' high by 2.5' by 2' statue of David Humphreys was created by Hermon A. MacNeil and was installed in 1922.
The marble statue of David Humphreys, the second on the left of four figures, is standing in a Gothic style marble niche. He is wearing a vest, ascot, a long tailed coat with ruffled sleeves,and knee high stockings. His right arm is bent at the elbow to waist level and he holding a book against his side with his right hand. His palm of his left hand is on the top of a staff the bottom of which touches the plinth by his left foot. The marble plinth he is standing on is inscribed: HUMPHREYS
David Humphreys was born in Derby, CT on July 10, 1752. He was educated at Yale College and became a member of a group of poets and writers, along with Joel Barlow, Timothy Dwight IV, John Trumbull and Lemuel Hopkins, known as the “Hartford Wits.” In 1788, he wrote, Essay on the Life of the Honorable Major-General Israel Putnam. In 1802, he wrote an anti-slavery poem entitled "A Poem on the Industry of the United States of America." He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1804, a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in June 1807, and American Antiquarian Society in 1813.
During the Revolutionary War he was an aide-de-camp, the secretary-aide to General Washington. He enlisted the first colored troops into the Continental Army, the Second Company of the Fourth Regiment, formed in 1781, and was honored for is actions at the Battle of Yorktown. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During the War of 1812 he served with the rank of Brigadier General.
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