Carey, Charles Henry.  "History of Oregon." Vol. 2. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer
Historical Pub. Co., 1922.  p. 633.
 
LESTER WARREN HUMPHREYS

    For many decades America thrilled with the story of the bravery and the
loyalty of the "Boys in Blue." Then came another momentous period in which the
country needed the aid of her patriotic sons and there was immediate response
and a new glory chapter was written in American annals. Aside from the valor
displayed by the khaki-clad troops who marched to the defense of democracy in
Europe, the outstanding characteristic is perhaps the modesty with which these
men have told the tale of their deeds overseas. The war records, however, speak
graphically although concisely of what has been done, and that Major Lester
Warren Humphreys has received the Belgian Croix de Guerre tells the story of his
military service. In private life he is a well known Portland lawyer, now
serving as United States district attorney. He was born in Brookville,
Pennsylvania. May 20, 1883, and is a son of Thomas N. Humphreys and a grandson
of John A. Humphreys, both of whom followed the occupation of milling. The
grandfather was a soldier of the Civil war, serving with the rank of first
lieutenant in the One Hundred and Third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry until
1864, and for nine months of that period was in Andersonville prison.  The
father, Thomas N. Humphreys, was born in Pennsylvania in 1859 and was married in
that state to Miss Margaret E. Yost, whose birth also occurred in that
commonwealth.  She passed away in Oregon in 1898, while Mr. Humphreys is now
living in Ashland, Oregon, having come with his family to this state in
September, 1885.
     Major Humphreys at the time of the removal to the northwest was but two
years of age.  He attended the country and town schools, pursuing his studies in
the public schools of Salem and of Foster and also at Myrtle Creek, Oregon.
Later he became a pupil in the Oregon Agricultural College, and with a desire to
become a member of the bar, entered the law department of Oregon State
University in Portland, from which he was graduated with the class of 1908.  The
same year he was admitted to practice in the courts of this state and has since
been an active representative of the profession in Portland save for the period
of his service in the World war.  In his chosen calling he has made steady
progress as the result of the thoroughness and care with which he prepares his
cases and the precision with which he presents the evidence before court or
jury.  He is now filling the office of United States district attorney, his
record reflecting credit upon his selection for this position.
     With America's advent into the World war Mr. Humphreys joined the army.  In
April, 1917, he was commissioned by President Wilson as first lieutenant of the
Infantry Reserve Corps and in May of that year entered the officers' training
camp at the Presidio in San Francisco.  In August he was promoted to a captaincy
and in October, 1918, was advanced to the rank of major.  In June, 1918, he went
overseas with the Ninety-first Division.  He attended the First Corps School,
commanded Company M, Three Hundred and Sixty-fourth Infantry, and went into the
Argonne as operations officer of the Three Hundred and Sixty-fourth Infantry.
On his military record appear the names of some of the most important battle
fronts of the war.  He was on active duty at St. Mihiel on the 12th of
September, 1918, and participated in the famous Argonne-Meuse drive from the
26th of September until the 4th of October.  He also participated in the
Lys-Scheldt offensive in Belgium from the 29th of October until the 11th of
November, 1918, when the signing of the armistice put an end to all further
direct military activities.  The story of his service is best told in the fact
that he won the Belgian Croix de Guerre, which was conferred upon him on the
16th of April, 1919, and he was honorably discharged from military service in
the United States army at Camp Dix, New Jersey, June 19, 1919.  Following his
return home, or on the 19th of November, he was appointed by President Wilson to
the position of United States attorney for the district of Oregon.
     On the 6th of November, 1906, in Portland, Major Humphreys was married and
has two sons:  Lester W. Jr., born in 1907; and Richard Howard, in 1913.  Mr.
Humphreys is a member of the Anglers Club, the Golf Club and the Salmon Club of
Portland, is also a Master Mason and gives his political endorsement to the
democratic party.
 
 
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in May 2007 by Diana Smith.  Submitter has
no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.