As a youth, Humphreys was apprenticed to a shipbuilder in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; most of the major shipbuilders in Philadelphia were, like Humphreys, followers of the
Quaker faith. At some point during his apprenticeship, Humphreys was transferred to a different master, who died unexpectedly in 1774. Despite his youth and unfinished training, Humphreys inherited ownership of his master's yard. During the
American Revolutionary War he was active as a builder and outfitter of
privateering vessels and played a major part in planning the 32-gun
frigate before the
British capture of Philadelphia halted that effort. In postwar Philadelphia, Humphreys gained a reputation as the city's best shipbuilder and quickly became a wealthy man. His main shipyard complex was on the
Delaware River in the
Southwark neighborhood. When
Congress passed the
Naval Act of 1794 providing for the construction of
six frigates, it called on him to design them. He was appointed "Master Naval Constructor" on June 28, 1794, and began work on these ships, the beginnings of the U.S. Navy. Reputedly, one of the inspirations for his
frigate designs was the
South Carolina, planned by an innovative French shipwright. His designs called for ships that were longer and wider than usual, sat lower in the water and were able to equal the speed of any other fighting ships. The ships Humphrey built were more stable than other ships at the time and could carry as many guns on one deck as others did on two decks. The USS
United States was built under Humphreys' direction in Philadelphia, and was the first of the new ships to be launched on May 10, 1797. These vessels were larger than other ships of their class and formed the core of the American navy during the
War of 1812, where they fought several victorious actions against the
Royal Navy, although two were captured by the British. His six
frigates were: •
USS United States (1797) •
USS Constellation (1797) •
USS Constitution (1797) •
USS Chesapeake (1799) •
USS Congress (1799) •
USS President (1800) In 1789, Humphreys was elected to the
American Philosophical Society. ==Family==