Humberstone, James

While a senior at the Henry Ford Trade School in 1927, James Humberstone came to Henry Ford's attention through articles Humberstone wrote for the school newspaper, The Artisan. Less than a year later, he was curator of Ford's vast collection of antiques and Americana then in storage in the old Dearborn Tractor Plant. Although Humberstone had no training for such work, he was soon responsible for planning the layout and arrangement of the collection in the Edison Institute (now The Henry Ford). Humberstone and his wife were the first inhabitants of the institute's Greenfield Village. Their son, James Jordan Humberstone, the only child ever born in the village, was born in the Sarah Jordan Boarding House in May of 1929. Active for many years in Henry Ford Trade School alumni activities, Humberstone remained in Ford's employ until 1936, after which he served in the U.S. Army and became owner / puplisher of the magazine, The American Boy.