Samuel P. Humrickhouse

Samuel Post Humrickhouse, an architect and furniture maker, was born in Shepherdstown on March 23, 1851.

Little is known of Humrickhouse’s early years but beginning in 1881 there are many mentions of him in The Shepherdstown Register. He designed and oversaw the construction or renovation of homes, schools, churches, and businesses in the area. In 1881, he was recognized in the paper for building the altar, pulpit, reading stand, baptismal font, and chairs for the newly renovated Shepherdstown German Reformed Church.

He was the architect and contractor for the expansion of Rockland, an estate just outside of Shepherdstown. In the early 1900s, he oversaw the renovation of both H.L. Snyder’s home and the Quigley House, both on German Street. He was the “superintendent” for the Shepherd College classroom building, which opened in 1897. Unfortunately, that building was destroyed by fire. He also designed the Shepherdstown Graded School and a school in Martinsburg. He exercised “general supervision” over the building of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church on King Street, and he designed a Methodist Church in Halltown, WV.

Humrickhouse died at his home on German Street on August 24, 1927. His wife Nellie lived there until her death in 1939. The house was then sold to U.S. Martin, the owner of the Opera House. Both Samuel and Nellie Humrickhouse are buried at Elmwood Cemetery. The last name on the gravestone is spelled Humrichouse.

There are two items in the Museum with a connection to Humrickhouse.  His 1890 plat map of Shepherdstown is in the Museum’s collection and is part of the recently opened map exhibit.  1890 plat map of Shepherdstown   Another is the baptismal font that he carved for the now closed German Reformed Church on German Street. Baptismal font