Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Haplogroup R2 Descendents of Avington Simpson Living in California
by Patrick Simpson

“In1841 we moved to southwest Missouri, leaving our oldest daughter, Mary Cook, behind.  We settled in Polk County, nine miles north of Bolivar, on Jefferson Road.” -Lucinda Payne Simpson

Avington Simpson, son of Reuben Simpson and Sarah Sherrill Simpson, was born in South Carolina about 1792.  He travelled with his family to what would become Wayne County, Kentucky sometime around 1802.1  He is most likely the male son of Reuben Simpson (16 thru 25 years old) listed on the 1810 U.S. Federal Census for Wayne County, Kentucky.2  Around the age of 22, in 1815, he married Lucinda Payne and they started a family.3  With the exception of his oldest daughter, Mary Frances Simpson, who married and remained behind,4 Avington moved his family to Green, Polk County, Missouri in 1841. Census and Family History Records indicate the family members who arrived in Green, Polk County, Missouri were:

Avington Simpson (Male b. 1792)
Lucinda Payne Simpson (Female b. 1797)
Moses Simpson (Male b. 1816)
Reuben Simpson (Male b. 1820)
Rachel Simpson (Female b.1822)
William Simpson (Male b. 1825)
Henry Hardin Simpson (Male b. 1827)
Lucinda W. Simpson (Female b. 1832)
Avington Wayne Simpson (Male b. 1834)
Timothy William Simpson (Male b. 1838)

For information on Avington Simpson, the reader is directed to Nona William’s Simpson Clan Volumes5 and her web-site.6


The focus of this article is Timothy William Simpson.  He is my Great Grandfather.  He is born in Wayne County, Kentucky.  His full date of birth is listed as 27 January 1838.  He is the youngest of Avington’s children.  He is listed as being less than 5 years old on the 1840 U.S. Federal Census.7  I have seen his middle name listed as Wayne and as WilliamWilliam is the middle name given by his family for his obituary, so I will consider that factual.  Sometime in 1841, the family leaves Wayne County, Kentucky to live in Green, Polk County, Missouri.

The 1850 U.S. Federal Census for Missouri shows him living with his family in District 71 of Polk County, Missouri.8  The date of the Census is October 24, 1850.  He is listed as being 12 years old.  It is at this time that the Gold Rush in California is taking place, but Timothy and his older brother Avington Wayne Simpson are too young to follow their older brothers to the California Gold Fields.  The 1850 Census for Placerville, California, taken on Christmas Eve of 1850, lists a Moses Simpson, Reubin Simpson, and William G. Simpson.  Their ages exactly match those of Avington’s children and their birthplace is listed as Kentucky.  Their occupations are listed as “Miners for Gold”.9  The time gap in between the two census records is 2 months, and it might be physically possible for them to move between Missouri and California in that time.

Timothy has two sisters:  Rachel and LucindaLucinda marries Elbert Payne on 7 January 1852,10 but he dies on 25 September of that year, and becomes the first person to be buried in Payne Cemetery.11  Thomas Early, husband of Timothy’s sister, Rachel dies in 1856.  He leaves Rachel with two children.  They are William Paris Early and Syrilda Early.    Timothy’s brother Moses Simpson dies on 15 April of 1854 and becomes the first Simpson buried in Payne Cemetery.

The 1860 U.S. Federal Census, conducted in July 1860 Shows that both widowed sisters of Timothy Simpson have returned to the family home:12

Avington Simpson (Male, Age:  68 yrs.)
Lucinda Simpson (Female, Age:  63 yrs.)
William Simpson (Male, Age:  37 yrs.)
Wayne (Avington) Simpson (Male, Age: 25 yrs.)
Timothy Simpson (Male, Age:  22 yrs.)
Lucinda (Simpson) Payne (Female, Age:  27 yrs.)
Pemilia Payne (Female, Age:  7 yrs.)
Rachel (Simpson) Early (Female, Age:  35 yrs.)
Syrilda Early (Female, Age:  4 yrs.)

Although Timothy Simpson is listed as still living at home in 1860, he is engaged to marry Lucinda Y. Payne.  In that year he purchases two 40 acre tracts of public land in Polk County13 and on 11 October 1860, Timothy and Lucinda are married.14  Also in 1860, Timothy’s sister Rachel marries James Williamson Paine of Macon County, Missouri.15  They have one daughter together.  She is named Lucinda B. Paine.  This begins an alliance of the Paine and Simpson Families that will stretch across the following 6 decades.

Missouri does not secede from the Union during the Civil War, but many of its Citizens do.  Missourians are torn apart by the Civil War.  Many families, like the Simpson’s, are originally from Southern States and feel their allegiance belongs to the confederacy.  Within this Simpson family opinions and allegiances are split.  Timothy Simpson’s mother describes this time:

“I shall not try to describe our troubles, as all know how Southern Missouri suffered during the war.  Two of my sons were in the Southern Army, and one joined the Army of the North, and my husband at the age of seventy-two was murdered in his bed.  No one knows the horror of warfare and strife, but he who has tried them.  Houses of all kinds were burned, men killed or driven from their homes.  We had some friends in Macon County, Missouri, who wrote for us to come there, that times were not so bad as where we were.  My family consisted of a widowed daughter and a little girl, and a grandson seventeen years old.  We bundled up our few goods and started for Macon County on the 5th day of Oct., 1863 and through many troubles we arrived there.”16

Timothy is one of the 2 sons who join the Confederate Army.  In August 1862, he leaves his wife and new born son, Samuel.  On 10 August he enlists in the 11th Missouri Infantry Regiment as a Second Sergeant.17  He is serving in the 11th regiment when his father is murdered in the winter of 1863.  He serves in the regiment until 1865, when it surrenders to federal troops.

At the time of his surrender, Timothy holds the rank of a Junior Second Lt. in Company G.  On 7 June 1865, Timothy signs his parole and returns home to Polk County.18

The 1870 U.S. Census shows the family of Timothy Simpson living in the Town of Green in Polk County.19  He is 32 years old and Lucinda is 26.  They now have 3 sons:

Samuel Simpson (Male, Age:  8 years)
John Simpson (Male, Age:  5 years)
Joseph Simpson (Male, Age:  1 year)

Not listed is an infant daughter who died within a year of her birth.

Throughout that decade, Timothy’s family grows yearly.  The 1880 U.S. Census 20 shows the family:

John W. Simpson (Male, Age:  14 years)
Paris “Joseph” Simpson (Male, Age:  11 years)
Jesse William Simpson (Male, Age:  9 years)
Jasper Thomas Simpson (Male, Age:  7 years)
Annie E. Simpson (Female, Age: 5 years)
Perry W. Simpson (Male, Age:  4 years)
Charles M. Simpson (Male, Age:  2 years)
Henry C. Simpson (Male, Age:  5 months)

Not listed is the oldest son, Samuel.  He is now 18 and working as a Farm Laborer.  The 1880 U.S. Census shows him living nearby as a farm laborer on his Uncle’s farm.21  In two years he is dead.  Is the cause disease or a farm accident?  Unknown.

Sometime in the year 1888, Timothy Simpson accompanied by his family and nieces and nephews of his late brother Moses Simpson, relocate to the town of Fresno, California.  The date of their arrival can be determined by information found in newspaper articles.22  He is 50 years old and his wife Lucinda is 44 years of age.  Their family:

John W. Simpson (Male, Age:  22 years)
Paris (Joseph) Simpson (Male, Age: 19 years)
Jesse William Simpson (Male, Age:  17 years)
Jasper Thomas Simpson (Male, Age: 15 years)
Annie E. Simpson (Female, Age:  13 years)
Perry W. Simpson (Male, Age:  12 years)
Charles M. Simpson (Male, Age:  10 years)
Henry C. Simpson (Male, Age:  8 years)
Ethel Simpson (Female, Age:  6 years)
Loula Simpson (Female, Age:  4 years)

Also making the journey is the family of James Williamson Paine (Married to Timothy’s sister Rachel) and the family of Hank Bissell, who has married a Paine sister.  The following is a list of Simpson family members who came west to California and their children.

1.  John Williamson Simpson and Emily Susan Paine.  John Simpson is Timothy Simpson’s nephew.  He is the son of Timothy’s deceased brother Moses Simpson.  He was born in Polk County, Missouri on 7 March 1847.  He marries Emily Susan Paine on 5 April 1868.23    Kansas State Census Records reveal the following family members:24

James (or John) Williamson Simpson Jr. (Male b. 14 June 1869)
W. Alex Simpson (Male b. 30 January 1861)
Nancy Jane Simpson (Female b. 6 January 1873)
Sarah Ann “Sadie” Simpson (Female b. 6 June 1875)
Charles Cooper Simpson (Male b. 29 December 1879)
Frank Simpson (Male b. 12 January 1882)

The 1900 U.S. Federal Census shows John Williamson Simpson and Emily Susan Simpson as residents of Township #3 in Fresno.25  In the 1910 Census he is still living in Township #3 and listed as a widower.26  He is still found in Township #3 in the 1920 27 and 1930 Census.28  He dies in Fresno, California on 12 March 1932.

2.  Lucinda Paine the only daughter of Timothy’s Sister Rachel Simpson and James Williamson Paine.  She is married to William Lock Fletcher.29  The 1900 U.S. Federal Census record shows the family living in Monterey, California.30  Her name is listed as “Lou Fletcher” The census shows the following family members:

Wilmoth Fletcher (Female b. 15 May 1890)
Imogene Fletcher (Female b. June 1893)

3.  William Moses Kepley and Lucinda Ann Simpson.  Lucinda Ann Simpson is Timothy Simpson’s niece.  She is the daughter of Timothy’s deceased brother Moses Simpson.  She was born in Polk County, Missouri on 29 September 1849 and dies in Fresno, California on 20 November 1923.  Lucinda marries William Moses Kepley on 14 March 1872.31  They do not show up in U.S. Federal Census for Fresno, California until 1910 32 when they are listed as living in Township #3.  Census records reveal the following family members:

Charles Wesley Kepley (Male b. 1874)
Mary “Mollie” E. Kepley (Female b. 1876)
Nancy J. Kepley (Female b. 1879)

Even though the 1890 Census is lost, we can look in on these Simpson families courtesy of Timothy W. Simpson’s writings.  Timothy wrote extensively about yearly family reunions and celebrations.  These writings were published in a Fresno Newspaper called the Daily Republican, which later became the Fresno Bee.  These stories provide a wealth of genealogical information regarding the Simpson, Paine, and Bissell families.  Here is one such article.  I have transcribed it exactly as it appears in the original edition of the Fresno Daily Republican on 19 May 1898.

The Paine, Bissell, and Simpson Families Annual Celebration33

On the 15th instant,34 after the gentle refreshing showers, which had fallen the previous night.  While the air was freshly impregnated with the fragrance from the flowering plants and the birds chirped forth their songs in ecstatic joy – there it was that the Paine, Bissell, and Simpson families began to assemble for the annual reunion, which for several years past they have observed in commemoration of the birthdays of three of the Paine Family.35

On account of the recent rain and the consequent dampness it was rather late when all had arrived at the home of J.C. Paine, near Fowler, the designated place for the celebration.  It was here that a brother recently returned from a visit to the southern states met a sister from Missouri,36 and another from Monterey of this state.37  Here it was that many relatives and friends met in sweet communion, who had been separated for many months, yet even years.

After the prolonged and pleasant greetings were over and the vehicles were relieved of their burdens of eatables, the senior masculines joined in discoursing upon the different topics of the day, but the feminines chose rather to discuss mostly without topics; while the juveniles of both sexes gave vent to their joyous exclamations and peals of innocent laughter.

Hush!  I hear the clink and clatter of innumerable dishes, and upon them rested the most interesting part of the program.  Soon they were placed upon the extended table, some forty feet long, located on the east porch of the residence.  When the Turkeys and Chickens were carved and the Hams were sliced, and all things were ready, then after a brief silence, with grateful hearts, the Giver of all good was remembered in humble thanks for His manifold blessing.

Soon after all were giving due respect to what was before them, and it is in order to say that none went away hungry.  “Cigars!” shouted Henry Winnis of Reedley, as he presented a box of Havanas to the delight of the men.

Listen!  For I hear the melodious tones of the piano accompanied by the softer notes of the guitar and with them mingle voices of friends who had thus joined in years gone by.  Again I hear the jingle of spoons and saucers.  What can this be?  Ice cream to a certainty, and that in most wonderful abundance.  The weather was not of a character to allow the greatest pleasure from the last part of the banquet – the thermometer registering 65 – 70 degrees above zero – not withstanding this fact no one was willing to accept the excuse for not participating.

Sweet are the recollections of these reunions from year-to-year and sweeter still while in the full enjoyment of their realities, but I reckon the joys of these reunions are not to be compared with the joys that await the faithful in that grand and glorious reunion in the sweet beyond, and when the roll is called up yonder may you and I be there.

Those present were:

Mr. & Mrs. J.C. Paine                   
Mr. & Mrs. H.L. Paine
Mr. & Mrs. H.B. Bissell
Mr. & Mrs. J.W. Simpson 38
Mrs. Molly (Mable?) Hodshire
Mrs. W.L. Fletcher 39
Mr. & Mrs. T.W. Simpson 40
Mr. & Mrs. Winnis
Mr. & Mrs. Kepley 41
Mr. & Mrs. T.E. Braley
Mr. & Mrs. Kolp
Mr. & Mrs. Bachant
Mr. &; Mrs. Barstow
Mr. &; Mrs. G.L. Garrett
Mr. &; Mrs. Frank Bissell
Mr. & Mrs. J.W. Simpson, Jr. 42
Mr. Earnest Hodshire
Mr. Frank Simpson  43
Mr. Raymond Bissell
Mr. Bissell Garrett
Mr. Jamie Paine
Mr. Charly Paine
Mr. Willie Paine
Mr. Victor Paine
Mr. Lyman Paine
Mr. Jessie Paine
Mr. Jim Kepley
Mr. Jessie Bachant
Mr. Perry Simpson 44
Mr. Clyde Bissell
Mr. Charles Bissell
Mr. Ethel Bissell
Mr. Charly Simpson 45
Mr. Mark Kolp
Mr. Emmett Lindsey
Mr. John Huntley
Miss. O. Connor
Miss. Lou Bissell
Miss Sadie Simpson 46
Miss Myrtle Garrett
Miss Leona Garrett
Miss Jessie Paine
Miss Maudie Paine
Miss Loula Simpson 47
Miss Ethel Simpson 48
Miss Willimuth Fletcher
Miss Emogene Fletcher
Miss Emma Kolp
Miss Susie Kepley
Miss Loula Kolp
Miss Winnie Bachant
Miss Ada Bachant
Miss Fannie Paine
Miss Gracie Simpson 49

From Clifton, May 18, 1898 TWS

This was one of five articles written by Timothy Simpson describing the tight knit community of families that uprooted from their Macon County, Missouri homes and moved to the State of California. 

At the turn of the 20th Century, Timothy and Lucinda Simpson are living with their son Jasper in Fresno, California.  Timothy is now in his early ‘60’s and Lucinda is 56 years of age.  Their 2 youngest daughters, Ethel (18 Years old) and Loula (16 years old) are living in the residence too.50  By 1910 their 2 youngest daughters are now married and the elderly Simpson couple are living in a house on Church Street in Fresno with their nephew, John Williamson Simpson, his granddaughter, Emily Susan Kepley, and Timothy’s  son Joseph Parris Simpson (Name misspelled by the census taker).51 Although he’s 73 years old, Timothy stays active.  He is no longer a farmer, but gives Real Estate Agent as his occupation to the Census taker.

On 9 October 1910, Timothy William Simpson and Lucinda Simpson celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.   The event earned them a small article in the Society Section of the Fresno Morning Republican Newspaper:52

“Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Simpson, residing near the corner of East and Church avenues, will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary at their home today, the invited guests being the children, grandchildren and other near relatives of the aged couple.  About fifty in all will be present.

T. W. Simpson and Miss Lucinda Payne were married in Polk County, Missouri, on October 10, 1860. They resided In Missouri until 1887, when they removed to Fresno County, where they have since lived.
Mr. and Mrs. Simpson are the parents of twelve children, ten of whom are still living, the two oldest being dead.   One died In Infancy and the other at the age of twenty years.  Those living are: J. N. Simpson of Santa Clara County; J. W. Simpson and Mrs. Anna K. Simpson, both of Yerington, NV; J. P. Simpson, J. T. Simpson, Perry W. Simpson, Charles M. Simpson, H. R. Simpson, Mrs. Ethel E. Primrose, and Mrs. Lula M. Buckman.”

Timothy William and Lucinda Simpson are recorded one final time in the 1920 U.S. Federal Census.53  He is 83 years old and she is 76 years old.  They have lived through the Civil War and World War I.  They participated in the great western migration and crossed the western plains in a wagon train to California.   On 23 June 1923, Lucinda Payne Simpson dies at the age of 79.  On 3 December 1924 the Fresno Daily Republican (Now Called “The Fresno Bee”) publishes a final article on Timothy William Simpson.

TIMOTHY WILLIAMS SIMPSON IS SUMMONED BY DEATH 54


Timothy Williams Simpson, father of JN (Joseph), JT (Jasper Thomas), and HR (Henry Robert) Simpson of Fresno died last night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ethel E. Primrose, near Caruthers.  He is survived by two other daughters, Mrs. Anna E. Forbes of Los Angeles and Mrs. Lulu M. Buckman of Oakland, and two other sons, Perry Simpson of Omaha and Charles M. Simpson of Oakland.

Simpson had lived in California 38 years.  He was 86 years old and a native of Kentucky.  Arrangements for funeral services will be made by the Mission Undertaking Company.   Interment will be made in the Masonic Plot of Mountain View Cemetery.  Simpson belonged to Fresno Lodge #247 Free and Accepted Masons.

Endnotes

1. Ancestry.com. Kentucky Land Grants [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1997. Original data: Jillson, Willard Rouse. The Kentucky Land Grants. Vol. I-II. Louisville, KY, USA: Filson Club Publications, 1925

2.United States Federal Census Year: 1810; Census Place: Wayne, Kentucky; Roll  8; Page: 373;Family History Number: 0181353; Image: 00371.

3. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004.Source number: 15341.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code: WAY.  Yates Publishing.

4. Avington Wayne Simpson’s Civil War Diary:  The Historical Society of Polk County Missouri, Bolivar, Missouri

5.  The Simpson Clan, A Collection of Newsletters, Nona Williams, R.O.F.E. Publications, Copyright 1998

6.  http://www.nonawilliams.com/names/simpson/simps001.htm#e296

7.  United States Federal Census Year: 1840; Census Place: Wayne, Kentucky; Roll 126; Page: 159; Image: 991; Family History Library Film: 0007832.

8. United States Federal Census Year: 1850; Census Place: District 71, Polk, Missouri; Roll  M432_411; Page: 66B; Image: 138

9.  United States Federal Census Year: 1850; Census Place: Placerville and Vicinity, El Dorado, California; Roll M432_34; Page: 331A; Image: 167.

10. Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004. Source number: 415.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Submitter Code: SAS

11. www.findagrave.com.  Find a Grave Memorial# 8990839 Created by: DeLoss McKnight III.  Tombstone Inscription reads: “He was the first person buried in Payne Cemetery.  This location chosen because of its beauty and wide shade trees.” Payne Cemetery, Polk County, Missouri

 12. United States Federal Census Year: 1860; Census Place: Greene, Polk, Missouri; Roll  M653_641; Page: 162; Image: 161; Family History Library Film: 803641

13. Ancestry.com. U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2008. Original data: United States Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records. Automated Records Project; Federal Land Patents, State Volumes. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/. Springfield, Virginia: Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 2007.

14. Ancestry.com. Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: Missouri Marriage Records. Jefferson City, MO, USA: Missouri State Archives. Microfilm.

 15. Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc. 2004.  Source number: 366.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Submitter Code: SAS.

16.  Avington Wayne Simpson’s Civil War Diary:  The Historical Society of Polk County Missouri, Bolivar, Missouri

17. NARA M322.  Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Missouri

18. IBID

19. United States Federal Census Year: 1870; Census Place: Greene, Polk, Missouri; Roll  M593_800; Page: 30B; Image: 64; Family History Library Film: 552299.

20. United States Federal Census Year: 1880; Census Place: Greene, Polk, Missouri; Roll  T9_710; Family History Film: 1254710; Page: 359.2000; Enumeration District: 119; Image: 0732.

 21. United States Federal Census Year: 1880; Census Place: Greene, Polk, Missouri; Roll  T9_710; Family History Film: 1254710; Page: 350.4000; Enumeration District: 119; Image: 0714.

22.  The Fresno Morning Republican; Sunday, October 9, 1910; Page #12; Column #3

23.  Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004. Source number: 28.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Submitter Code: SAS

24. Ancestry.com. Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009. Original data:  1885 Kansas Territory Census. Key West Locality, Coffey County; Microfilm Roll KS1885_26, Page #19, Line #15, Family 39

25.  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA Census Place: Township 3, Fresno, California; Roll  T623_85; Page: 26B; Enumeration District: 4.

26.  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Census Place: Township 3, Fresno, California; Roll T624_76; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 32; Image: 429.

27.  Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Year:  1920; Census Place: Township 3, Fresno, California; Roll T625_96; Page: 28B; Enumeration District: 8; Image: 401.

28. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Year: 1930; Census Place: Township 3, Fresno, California; Roll 117; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 58; Image: 865.0.

29. Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004.  Source number: 367.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Submitter Code: SAS.

30. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900.  Census Place: Monterey, Monterey, California; Roll  T623_94; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 9.

31. Ancestry.com. Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: Missouri Marriage Records. Jefferson City, MO, USA: Missouri State Archives. Microfilm.

32. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.   Census Place: Fresno Ward 8, Fresno, California; Roll T624_75; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 50; Image: 1198.

33.  The Fresno Morning Republican; Thursday, 19 May 1898; Page# 8; Column #5.

34. Timothy referred to the actual date as an “instant”.  This 15th instant is 15 May 1898

35.  Emily Susan Paine Simpson b. 5/5/1840; Missouri Ann Paine b. 5/4/1851; James C. Paine b. 5/3/1853

36. Mary “Mollie” Catherine Paine Hodshire out from Missouri

37.  Lucinda Paine Fletcher.  Only daughter of James Williamson Paine and his second wife, Rachel Simpson

38. John Williamson Simpson and Emily Susan Paine

39.  Lucinda Paine the only daughter of Timothy’s Sister Rachel Simpson and James Williamson Paine

40.  Timothy William Simpson and Lucinda Y. Payne

41.  Andrew Pinkney Kepley and Nancy Jane Simpson.  Nancy Jane Simpson is the daughter of John  William Simpson and Emily Susan Paine.

42. John (or James) William Simpson Jr. and wife Annie Forbes.

43. Frank Simpson is the son of John William Simpson Sr.

44. Perry Simpson is a son of Timothy William Simpson

45.  Either Charles M. Simpson (a son of Timothy Simpson) or Charles Cooper Simpson (a son of John William Simpson, Sr.)

46. Sarah Ann “Sadie” Simpson a daughter of John William Simpson and Emily Susan Paine.

47.  Loula Simpson a daughter of Timothy William Simpson and Lucinda Y. Payne

48.  Ethel Simpson a daughter of Timothy William Simpson and Lucinda Y. Payne

49.  Infant daughter of John (or James) William Simpson and Annie Forbes.  Dies before the 1900 Census.

50.  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.  Census Place: Township 4, Fresno, California; Roll T623_86; Page: 29B; Enumeration District: 11.

 51.Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.  Census Place: Township 3, Fresno, California; Roll T624_76; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 32; Image: 429.

52. The Fresno Morning Republican; Sunday, October 9, 1910; Society Section; Page #12; Column #3

53. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009.  Census Place: Township 3, Fresno, California; Roll T625_96; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 10; Image: 463.

54. The Fresno Bee; Wednesday, 3 December 1924; Page #8; Column #3

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

The Simpsons of early Anne Arundel Co., Maryland

The Simpsons of early Anne Arundel Co., MD
Oct., 2009 – Donald R. Simpson

Several Simpson families appear in the early records of Maryland, one of which is the family of Thomas & Elizabeth (Pierpoint) Simpson of All Hallows Parish in Anne Arundel County. Before detailing this family & their descendants, some background information on Maryland records is appropriate.

The Colony of Maryland was authorized in 1632 by royal grant and the first settlers arrived from England in 1634. The first settlers locating at the southern tip of the Colony were English Catholics escaping restrictions on their religion in England at that time. In 1649 the Maryland government passed the Act of Toleration which insured toleration of all forms of Christianity. As a consequence, many non-conformist Protestants came in central Maryland, especially from less tolerant Virginia Colony. Most of those settled in Anne Arundel County and on the eastern shore.

The Calvert family had held the Proprietorship of the Colony since the original royal grant but in 1689 the English government withdrew that proprietorship and instituted a royal government. As part of the new system, the Church of England was made the official religion and the Colony was divided into parishes of that church. Together with the establishment of those parishes was the requirement that births and marriages be recorded in the local parish of that established church. In most cases those records begin between 1690 & 1695 and though not all have been preserved, most have. In addition to recording current vital records, in some cases earlier births were recorded when some parents had all their children included in a family listing. This, together with the excellent county and colony records, has greatly aided genealogical research there. A fire in the Anne Arundel County Courthouse in 1704 caused the loss of many of the early county records including the deed books prior to 1699. However, some deeds were reconstructed & rerecorded and those are available on microfilm.

The parish register for All Hallows Parish is preserved from the beginning and contains many records of this family. The parish church still exists and is often referred to locally as the “Old Brick Church.” It is located on Solomon Island Road south of Annapolis at the junction with Brick Church Road. The extensive churchyard includes many of the early burials of the parish but the earliest legible tombstones date only to the latter half of the eighteenth century. In the fall of 2006 while on a research trip to Annapolis for a client, I was able to drive to All Hallows Church & see some of the early tombstones. I did not find any legible stones for any of the Simpsons but did not have time for a thorough search.

One of the rent rolls lists “Thomas Sympson” as in possession of a small tract of land called Jacobs Point which was located south of the South River near the head of Jacobs Creek [now called Beards Creek]. If this was their home tract then they were living within a couple of miles to the northwest of the parish church, perhaps near present State Highway 214 and on Beards Point Road. On Google Earth this is near 38 ° 55' 58" N, 76 ° 35' 55" W, while the church is at 38 54' 38" N, 76 34' 51" W.

There are multiple listings of this family in Family Files on the website, Ancestry.com, but in most cases those contain serious errors. In the book, Colonial Families of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, by Robert Barnes on pages 230 & 231, is given a brief listing and is based on sound documentation, thus avoiding the errors of the listings in Family Files. However, Barnes does not attempt to carry the account beyond listing Thomas & Elizabeth and their children. In the following treatment I have attempted to add some data and correct some of the common errors.


1. Thomas & Elizabeth (Pierpoint) Simpson.
No marriage record is known for Thomas & Elizabeth but it probably occurred before the beginning of the parish register of All Hallows Parish. Thomas’ burial is recorded in the register as 14 May, 1709. After his death, Elizabeth was married 2nd to Francis Day on 16 Nov., 1710.

Entries in All Hallows Parish Register for this family are spelled with several variations of the surname. They include the following:

Thomas Stimson & Elizabeth parents of:

John Stimson, son, b. 11 Feb., 1687;

Amos Stimson, son, b. 9 Dec., 1690;

Richard Stimson, son, b. 28 Feb., 1692;

Rachell Stimson, dau., b. 27 March, 1697

Francis Stimson, son of Richard Stimson & Rebecca, bapt. 1 March, 1721/2.

John Simson, son of Thomas & Elizabeth buried 30 April, 1700.

Francis Pierpoint, baptized 8 July, 1700.

Elizabeth Simson, wife of Thomas, baptized 8 July, 1700

Amos Simson, of Thomas & Elizabeth, baptized 08 July, 1700.

Richard Simson, of Thomas & Elizabeth, baptized 08 July, 1700.

Rachel Simson, of Thomas & Elizabeth, baptized 08 July, 1700.

Mary Simson, of Thomas & Elizabeth, born 26 Dec., 1700, & bapt. 26 July, 1702.

Thomas Simson and Elizabeth parents of Sarah Simson daughter, born 12 March, 1703,and bapt. 5 June, 1704.

John son of Thomas and Elizabeth Simson, b. 21 Dec., 1707, bapt. 08 Aug., 1708.

Thomas Simson buried 14 May., 1709.

Francis Day and Elizabeth Simson married 16 Nov., 1710.

Francis Stimson, son of Richard Stimson and Rebecca, bapt., 1 March, 1721/2.

[The baptism of Richard & Rebecca’s son, Francis Simpson, was recorded twice.]

[NOTE: Francis Pierpoint was a brother of Elizabeth (Pierpoint) Simpson and his and Elizabeth’s were apparently adult baptisms. They, being from a Quaker family, had probably not had infant baptism in the Anglican church. For a discussion of the Pierpoint family see near the end of this article.]

The Testamentary Proceedings of the Prerogative Court of Maryland show that on 8 Aug., 1709, Elisabeth Simpson posted bond as administratrix of Thomas Simpson, deceased, with surety by James Lewis & Amos Pierpoint. The same under date of 5 Aug., 1710, shows that the accounts of Elisabeth Simpson, administratrix of Thomas Simpson were exhibited in the Court. [Abstracts of the Testamentary Proceedings of the Prerogative Court of Maryland, vol. XI, p. 181, & vol. XIII, p.51, by V. L. Skinner, Jr.]

Anne Arundel County Deed Book PK, p. 414, as abstracted in Abstracts of Land Records, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, vol. III, edited by Rosemary B. Dodd, Patricia M. Bausell, has “Eliz. Simpson, widow, and Amos Pairpoint, Anne Arundel Co., planter, are firmly bound to Amos Simpson, Richd. Simpson, Rachell Simpson, Mary Simpson, Sarah Simpson, and John Simpson, orphans of Thomas Simpson, late of Anne Arundel Co., deceased, in sum of £38.08.03. Dated 15 Aug., 1711. The condition is that they are to receive payment when they come of age respectively. Signed Eliz. (X) Simpson, Amos Pearpoint. Witnessed by Char. Kilburn, John Teak.” There may be an error in dating this record and perhaps should be 15 Aug., 1710, since in Nov., 1710, Elizabeth was married to Francis Day.

2. The Children.
A. John Simpson [1st], b. 11 Feb., 1687/8; buried 30 April, 1700.

B. Amos Simpson, b. 09 Dec., 1690; d. about 1748; married 1st 24 April, 1716, at All Hallows Parish, Elizabeth Duval; married 2nd by 1725, Levina Reynolds, daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth Reynolds.

The record mentioned above listing the orphan children of Thomas & Elizabeth Simpson indicates that at the time of that record (15 Aug., 1710?) Amos was still not “of age,” i.e. still not 21 years old. This would suggest that he was born after 1688 at the earliest, and possibly no earlier than 1690 if that record was actually made in Aug.,1711. If born in 1690 he would have been about 25 when married to his first wife.

Some authors have claimed that Amos’ first wife, Elizabeth Duval, was the Elizabeth (Jones) Duval, widow of John Duval. [see for instance Donna Valley Russell’s “First Families of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 1649 - 1658, vol 2: The Headrights,” where on page 42 she states that John Duvall, the son of Maureen Duvall, was married to Elizabeth Jones, daughter of William Jones of South River, and that Elizabeth married second on 24 April, 1716, Amos Simpson. In the same work on page 83, Donna states that William Jones sold on 17 August, 1689, to “John and [daughter] Elizabeth Duvall a tract of land between South and Severn Rivers.”] If John Duval & Elizabeth Jones were already married by 1689, then Elizabeth must have been at least 18 years old (born ca. 1661) and may have been older. She would have been at least 55 years old when married to Amos Simpson and it seems unlikely she could have been the same Elizabeth Duval who married Amos Simpson. However, lacking any evidence of Elizabeth’s age the Elizabeth Duval who married Amos Simpson remains an uncertainty.

Among the deed records of Anne Arundel County there is one dated 02 April, 1725, & recorded 13 May, 1725, from Thomas E. Reynolds & wife, Eliza Reynolds, of Anne Arundel County to “our loving son-in-law Amos Simpson and loving daughter Levina Simpson” of the said county. This was for a two hundred & ten acre tract called “Amoses Choice,” taken out of an eight hundred thirty acre tract called “Food Plenty.”

In Abstracts of the Inventories of the Prerogative Court, Libers 37 - 47, 1748 -1751, by V. L. Skinner, Jr., on page 24 is listed an inventory for the Estate of Amos Symson of Anne Arundel County, made Dec. 17, 1748, & filed with the Court, Dec., 19, 1748, by the Administrator, Amos Simpson [Jr.], and mentioning Thomas Sympson, Charles Sympson, Lydia Stringer, & D. Dulany attorney for Mr. William Hunt. Mr. Hunt was a merchant in the local Village of Londontown on the South River.


C. Richard Simpson, b. 28 Feb., 1692/3; d. 1762, Anne Arundel Co., MD; & was married to Rebecca, probably ca. 1715. There is some reason to think that Rebecca was the Rebecca Gaither, b. 24 May, 1695, Anne Arundel Co., daughter of John & Ruth Gaither, however that is not yet proven. I do not yet find any marriage record for Richard though his death is recorded in All Hallows Parish Register.

Richard & Rebecca had several children some of whom later moved to Frederick County, Maryland and lived in the eastern part of that county near Libertytown.

D. Rachel Simpson, b. 27 March, 1696.

E. Mary Simpson, b. 26 Dec., 1700, chr. 05 Jan., 1702; married 08 Nov., 1723, to John Pierce.

F. Sarah Simpson, b. 12 March, 1703, chr. 05 June, 1704; married probably ca. 1722 to Gilbert Pattison.

G. John Simpson, b. 21 Dec., 1707, chr. 08 Aug., 1708; All Hallows Parish Register has the following: “John Sympson and Isabelle Rawlings, married 11 Nov., 1730.”

The records of St Margaret’s, the parish church of Westminster Parish, Anne Arundel County, has the following: “ John Stimpson and Elizabeth Raulings, married 11 Nov., 1730.” Also at St. Margarets were recorded the following. “ John Stimpson and Elizabeth, parents of; John Stimson, son, b. 11 June, 1732; Elizabeth Stimpson, daughter, b. 11 Nov., 1734; Elianer Stimpson, daughter, b. 5 April, 1736; Francis Stimpson, son, b. 25 Nov., 1742; Sarah Stimpson, daughter, b. 2 Nov., 1745; Thomas Stimpson, son, b. 20 Feb., 1739. Thomas Stimpson (of John and Elizabeth) d. 8 Jan., 1745. John Stimpson, d. 12 March, 1752.

[Elizabeth was born 30 Sept., 1713, the daughter of John & Eleanor (Ridgely) Rawlings of Anne Arundel Co.]


The Pierpoint Family.

Proof that Elizabeth (Pierpoint) Simpson was a daughter of Henry & Elizabeth Pierpoint is found in the will of her brother, Jabez Pierpoint, of Baltimore County. Jabez made his will on Oct. 1, 1720, and it was probated 24 April, 1721. In it he mentioned his sisters including “Eliza Dea, Mary Davis & Sarah Warfield.” After the death of Thomas Simpson, his widow, Elizabeth (Pierpoint) Simpson, was married in 1710 to Francis Day. Added evidence is seen in the records of Thomas Simpson’s estate in which Amos Pierpoint was one of the sureties for Elizabeth’s bond of administration. Also as stated above, Elizabeth Simpson, widow, and Amos Pierpoint, planter, gave bond to guarantee payment to the children when they would come of age.

Henry Pierpoint & wife, Elizabeth, with five children, arrived in Maryland in 1685, probably from Isle of Wight County, Virginia. A listing of the children of Henry & Elizabeth Pierpoint is given in Robert Barnes’ “Baltimore County Families,” p. 507, & is based on a chart in the Maryland Historical Society compiled by a Mr. Stickney. They were: Amos, d. 1718 s.p.; Jabez, d. 1721 s.p.; Moses; Elizabeth, m. 1st Thomas Simson & 2nd Francis Day; Hannah, b. by 1655; Charles, b. c. 1680; Francis, d. s.p. having m. Elizabeth Mitchell; Mary, m. Thomas Davis; Sarah, m. Alexander Warfield.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Thomas & Sarah (Maberry) Simpson of Fayette County, Indiana

Family & Descendants of Thomas & Sarah (Maberry) Simpson of Fayette County, Indiana
July, 2009 – by Don Simpson

Preface

A proper scholarly account should give footnoted documentary support for all claims. It has not been possible due to limits of available time to do that in this present treatment. Therefore the reader is cautioned to be aware that the data below has only occasional source citations. Time constraints prevent checking all sources of data, therefore the following surely must contain some error: caveat emptor, let the buyer (or in this case reader) beware! The information is drawn from the usual sources for genealogy and for the experienced researcher should be apparent without citation. Most of those sources were the federal censuses, the published abstracts of county marriage records, published cemetery records and such. In addition I have in some cases, copied data from “Family Trees” on Ancestry.com and the reader is probably aware that much in that source is not to be trusted for accuracy. Even so, some of those trees seem to be more trustworthy than the usual and contain good data that can be helpful and speed the process of finding records of individuals & families.

Some of the families below have been relatively easy to document while others have required much searching and have been the source of much frustration. In some cases the census records of a family do not agree from one census to another and cause great uncertainty even when supplemented by other records. In other cases the vital & tombstone records are problematic. Despite all these, the descendants of this couple have generally left a host of good records that help in documenting their family history. This treatment does not attempt to find or recount all such records and hopefully some of the readers will have additional records that they will be willing to share. The author would appreciate receiving suggestions, corrections or additions to the following but be aware it may not be possible to post corrections or revisions with any promptness: I do work on many other genealogy projects unrelated to these people.

Origins.

Research to determine the origin and ancestry of Thomas Simpson, Sr., of early Fayette County, Indiana, has so far been unsuccessful. Evidence so far gathered is contradictory and of questionable accuracy. Nevertheless, certain pieces of information seem to be correct, in particular the identity of his wife and her origin, though her parentage is not certain.

Thomas was married to Sarah Maberry (or Mabry) about 1793, though no marriage record is known nor the location where the marriage took place. One possibility is that it may have occurred in central or western North Carolina where some of the early marriage bonds have been lost. Discussion of Sarah’s possible origin and family are in a separate Maberry report (below).

Evidence for the origin of Thomas is taken from the 1880 census entries for their surviving children and from published biographical sketches of some descendants. Most of these sources agree that Sarah was born in Virginia (a few say North Carolina), but disagree as to Thomas’ birthplace. At least two of the children thought that Thomas was born in Maryland while at least two others thought he was born in Georgia. It is even possible that he was born in one of the Carolinas but it is not yet possible to be certain of any of these. It does appear that Dr. Solomon Simpson may have had a somewhat more detailed knowledge of his father’s origin, but his claim cannot yet be confirmed. He stated that his father was born in Georgia and that his grandfather had been a soldier in the American Revolution and had served under General Francis Marion. General Marion’s field of operation was in South Carolina where he resided, but since the force that he commanded was a kind of “Guerilla” force there are problems in trying to confirm service under his command. The mode of operation was for General Marion to call on volunteers to come to his command and after a battle or operation to disband, melting back into the countryside. Thus there were no known records or lists kept by the General or his officers. Later work by historians in South Carolina has resulted in lists of those for whom there are pay vouchers preserved at the state archive but those do not specifically state the command under whom the service was performed. Such lists that I have seen do not include any Simpson.

From the birthplaces of the children and from information in the biographical sketches of two sons, it appears that Thomas & Sarah were resident in North Carolina about 1794, then were in Tennessee for several years, then arrived in the southwest corner of Ohio about 1804 or 1805. From there they moved into what is now Jennings Township of Fayette County, Indiana, in about 1809. Fayette County was not created until 1819 so that the earlier records of them such as the marriages of the children, are found in the parent counties even though they probably occurred in what later was Fayette County. When they first moved into now Fayette County they were then in old Dearborne County which has lost some of it’s earliest records, especially the earliest land records. In 1811 Franklin County was created and they would have been in that county until 1819 when Fayette County was created. They did not move from the original farm in Jennings Township, but the county boundaries were changed by creation of new counties and that accounts for their appearance in records of those counties.

Thomas was buried in Little Simpson Cemetery in Jennings Township, Fayette County as are several of his descendants & their spouses. While there is no listing of a tombstone for Sarah she is probably also buried there. The published record of that cemetery is in “Old Cemeteries, Fayette County, Indiana,” by the Indian Hill Chapter, Daughters of the American Colonists, Connersville, Indiana [no publication date]. The record for him is: “Simpson, Thomas, First Settler on Simpson Creek Age 74 y, 13 da., 2-5-1848.”

The Children & their Families.

1. Tabitha (Simpson) Dawson.

The censuses of 1850, 1860 & 1870 are consistent in all listing Tabitha’s birthplace as North Carolina. Her tombstone in Whiteneck Cemetery, Pleasant Township, Grant County, Indiana, has “died Nov 26, 1874, age 80 years, 10 months, 22 days.” From that a birth date of 04 Jan., 1794, is calculated. She was married 26 March, 1818, to William Dawson. Since Fayette County, Indiana, was not created until 1819, the part they were resident in was still part of Franklin County and the marriage was recorded there.

At the 1820 census they were listed resident in Old Brownsville [now Waterloo] Township of Fayette County. Waterloo Township adjoins Jennings Township on the north and they were probably only a short distance from the farm of Thomas & Sarah (Maberry) Simpson which was in Jennings Twp.

A biographical sketch of their grandson, Isaiah Dawson, indicates that William & Tabitha were in Wayne County in 1826 when their son (Isaiah’s father), Nathan Dawson, was born. By the 1830 census they were in Rush County, Indiana, and sometime before 1840 they moved on to Grant County, Indiana.

William died in 1844 and is buried in Whiteneck Cemetery, Pleasant Township, Grant County, Indiana. Tabitha was listed in that township on the censuses of 1850, 1860 & 1870. At the 1870 census she was listed in the household of her son, John A. Dawson, but the biographical sketch of Isaiah states she died at the home of son, Nathan Dawson. Tabitha is also buried in Whiteneck Cemetery in Grant County. The cemetery listing is found in a DAR publication on Inidana Cemeteries and is on FHL microfilm #849,923.

The children of William & Tabitha Dawson, as known to me at present, were: Thomas, b. ca. 1819; Henry, b. ca. 1821; Garrison, b. ca. 1823; William, b. ca. 1825; Nathan, b. ca. 1827; Sarah Jane, b. probably ca. 1929; John A., b. ca. 1831; & Margaret, b. ca. 1836.

2. Nathaniel Simpson.

There are still several gaps in our knowledge of the family of Nathaniel & Morning (Ramsey) Simpson. Nathaniel was married in 1817 to Morning Ramsey and the marriage was recorded in Franklin County, Indiana, though it probably occurred in what is now Fayette County. The creation of Fayette County in 1819 was mostly out of old Franklin County with some out of old Wayne County. Marriages performed in what is now Fayette County in 1817 would have been recorded in one of the parent counties; in this case Franklin County. On the 1850 census Nathaniel was listed as age 57 but it seems more likely he was about age 55. That census entry has his birthplace as Indiana which is surely not so, and evidence from the census records of his children is conflicting and uncertain. Since Nathaniel’s sister, Tabitha, was recorded on three censuses as born in North Carolina, it is possible Nathaniel could have been born there also or perhaps in Tennessee.

Nathaniel & family were on the 1820 census in Delaware County, Indiana, and at the 1830 census in Shelby County, Indiana. Their location at the 1840 census was probably somewhere in Missouri but they have not been found yet on that census. At the 1850 census Nathaniel was living with a daughter & son-in-law in Atchison County, Missouri. Based on the listing of neighbors it appears they were probably in the northern part of Holt Township near the Iowa line. Nathaniel has not yet been found on later censuses nor on any death or cemetery record. Nothing is known to me about the death or burial of his wife, Morning (Ramsey) Simpson.

The children of Nathaniel & Morning known to me at present were: Thomas R., b. 15 May, 1820; Elizabeth, b. ca. 1822; Maria, b. ca. 1824; George W., b. 08 Feb., 1830; Nathan Powell, b. 28 April, 1832; Jesse Franklin, b. 28 April, 1834; John Keeny, b. ca. 1837; & Joshua, b. ca. 1839. In addition, several listings on Ancestry.com include three daughters, Ermilla, b. 1818; Sarah, b. 1818; & Sabetha Ann, b. ca. 1828, but for these three I have seen no record whatsoever. Nathan P. & Elizabeth remained in Atchison Co., MO, while the others moved elsewhere, Thomas R. & George W. to Bates Co., MO, Maria, Jesse F. & John K. to California, and Joshua I have not been able to trace. The middle names for Jesse and John are taken from the “Great Register of Voters” of San Joaquin County, California [FHL film #977,281].

2a. Thomas R. Simpson.

Thomas R. & wife, Casandra (Fulton) Simpson, had at least 8 children based on census records. Thomas & Casandra are buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Bates County, Missouri. Their children (as known to me at present) were: Cynthia Caroline, b. ca. 1841; Elvira, b. ca. 1846; Thomas C., b. ca. 1852; Sophia E., b. ca. 1854; James N., b. ca. 1857; Jefferson Davis, b. ca. 1861; Danna, b. ca. 1863; & Lee P., b. ca. 1868.

2b. Elizabeth Simpson.

Elizabeth was married in Missouri probably about 1842 (no marriage record known to me) to Samuel Clevenger. At the 1850 census they were in Atchison County, Missouri, Samuel as age 34, born MO, a teamster, and Elizabeth, age 26, b. IN. Living with them was Elizabeth’s father, “Nathan Simpson,” age 57, b. IN (sic., should probably be NC), also a teamster, and his younger Simpson children. That census lists two children for Samuel & Elizabeth Clevenger, a daughter, age 7, whose name is uncertain, and a son, George W., age 3, both born in MO. The 1860 census lists Samuel Clevenger as living with Benjamin & Maria (Simpson) Fugitt in San Joaquin Co., CA, but I have not found any listing of Elizabeth or the children. Nothing more is known to me about this family.

2c. Maria Simpson.

Maria was married in Atchison Co., MO, on 08 April, 1847, to Benjamin Fugitt. The 1850 census shows that their daughter Emily was born about 1848 in Missouri and daughter Elizabeth about July 1850 in Nebraska Territory. By 28 Sept., 1850, they were recorded on the census living at Diamond Spring, El Dorado County, California. Living with them was Maria’s brother, Jesse F. Simpson, age 16 (see below). Benjamin & Maria were listed on the 1860 census in Elkhorn Township of San Joaquin County, CA, and on the 1870 census in Liberty Twp., San Joaquin Co. I have not found them on the 1880 census though their son, John Fugitt, was listed then still in Liberty Twp. The children of Benjamin & Maria that are known to me at present were: Emily J., b. ca. 1848 in MO; Elizabeth, b. ca. July, 1850 in Nebraska Territory; Mary, b. ca. 1852 in CA; & John, b. ca. 1854 in CA.

2d. George W. Simpson

George was married first on 20 Jan., 1850, in Atchison County, MO, to Caroline Kinder and they had 4 children: Sarah, b. ca. 1851; Mary, b. ca. 1852; Benjamin, b. ca. 1854; & Nathaniel, b. ca. 1856. Caroline died about 1857 and George W. married second on 23 Feb., 1858, in Atchison County to Malinda Chapman. George & Malinda moved to Bates County where they had two sons, Thomas Benton Simpson, b. ca. 1859, and John Albert Simpson, b. ca. 1861. George & Malinda may have moved, shortly after the birth of John Albert, to Nemaha Count, Nebraska. When George enlisted in the Kansas Cavalry unit in July, 1863, the record says he was a resident of Brownsville, Nebraska.

George W. Simpson served during the Civil War as a private in Company G, 2nd Regiment, Kansas Volunteer Cavalry (Union). That regiment was mainly active in the area of northwestern Arkansas and northeastern Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). His service record says he “died of disease at Fayetteville, Arkansas” on 23 Nov., 1863. After George’s death Malinda married Ira Parker and lived in Nemaha County, Nebraska. At the 1870 census their household included her two Simpson boys, Thomas B. & John A. Simpson. Malinda Parker, later applied for a pension based on George’s service and as guardian of his children. I do not know what happened to the children of George’s first marriage.

2e. Nathan Powell Simpson was married in Atchison Co., MO, on 8 Jan., 1851, to Margaret B. Martin. They were listed on the censuses of 1860 through 1900 living in Polk Township of Atchison County. Most of their children remained in that area or in adjacent parts of Iowa and are buried in Cemeteries there. Nathan died 17 Feb., 1907, and Margaret on 3 May, 1904. Both are buried in Grange Hall Cemetery in Polk Twp., Atchison Co. Combining census and cemetery records it is possible to compile a list of the children in this family. Also, there is an excellent listing of the family by an anonymous contributor in “One World Tree” on Ancestry.com. That source has much data on the families of the children. It does err in listing David R. Simpson as a son when he was actually a grandson and son of George R. & Julia (Milsap) Simpson.

The children as known to me at present were: Francis Maria, b. 26 Dec., 1851, d. 01 Aug., 1906, buried in Grange Hall Cem.; Nathan Thomas, b. 30 Jan., 1853, d. 25 Oct., 1929, bur. Grange Hall Cem.; Marshall (known only from the listing on Ancestry), b. 25 July, 1854, d. 25 July, 1854; William Huston (also known only from the Ancestry listing), b. 26 July, 1855; George R., b. Jan., 1857 (at the 1910 census, George R., age 52, was living in Thayer Co., Nebraska, with his widowed daughter-in-law, Anna, widow of David R, and grandson, George, age10 months); Mary Catharine, b. Nov., 1859, d. June, 1919, buried Grange Hall Cem.; Jeanette B., b. 24 May, 1862, d. 1 Jan., 1936, in Page Co., Iowa; John Henry, b. 08 Dec., 1863, d. 30 March, 1934, in Freemont Co., Iowa; Susan Retta, b. 8 Nov., 1865, d. 20 Nov., 1952, bur. Grange Hall Cem.; Elnora, b. 10 Nov., 1867, d. 21 Nov., 1891; Charles M., b. 22 Dec., 1869, d. 4 Nov., 1941, Freemont Co., Iowa; Magetia (Maggie), b. 4 Jan., 1872, d. 28 April, 1882, bur. Grange Hall Cem.; James Albert, b. 24 March, 1874, d. 23 June, 1850, buried High Creek Cemetery, Polk Twp., Atchison Co., MO; Jessie Joseph, b. Dec., 1877, d. 11 April, 1939, Johnson Co., Iowa.

2f. Jesse Franklin Simpson was listed in his father’s household in Atchison Co., MO, when the census taker visited them on 26 Aug., 1850, though he may have already left home to join his sister & brother-in-law, Benjamin & Maria (Simpson) Fugitt on their trip to California. Jesse F. was listed again on the 1850 census on 28 September when the census taker in Diamond Springs, El Dorado County, California, visited the household of Benjamin & Maria (Simpson) Fugitt and listed him living with them. Benjamin & Jesse were listed with occupation as miners and since this area was part of the goldfields it is likely they had joined the Gold Rush to California and perhaps made the trip overland between July & the end of September.

Jesse was married in San Joaquin County, California, in 1854 to Sarah Jane Thompson, daughter of Bernard & Clarisa (Herriman) Thompson. At the 1860 census they were in Elkhorn Township of San Joaquin County and by 1870 they were living in the town of Stockton. On the 1880 census they were living in Jackson County, Oregon. There are several pedigrees in Family Files on Ancestry.com that include Jesse and most give his death as 1880 but that is probably because that is the last federal census that lists him. Jesse is mentioned in Jackson County Court records as having attended court in 1888 and was then living about two miles from the Jacksonville courthouse. I have seen no record of him after that date and it is likely he died between 1888 & 1900.

2g. John Keeny Simpson was married in San Joaquin County on 7 Nov., 1859, to Roxana Clark. On the 1860 census John K. & Roxana were living in Elkhorn Township, he was listed as age 23, born in Missouri, she as age 16, born New York. At the 1870 census John & family were still in San Joaquin County and John was listed as age 38, born Missouri. His wife was listed as Rosanna, age 31, also born Missouri. Presumably the ages on the 1870 census are wrong and Roxanna was there written as Rosanna. Their children on the 1870 census were Milton H., age 9; Lucy A., age 6; Maria, age 4; & Eliza, age 2, all born in California.

John is listed on the San Joaquin County Great Register where each years entry gives his full name, birthplace (Missouri) and residence within the county. The great registers for this county are preserved and available on microfilm from 1867 to 1898 with some years missing. Beginning in 1867 & up through 1877 he is listed in Liberty Township, then in 1880 he was in the Village of Acampo which is located just north of Lodi. By 1888 he was in Stockton and on the 1890 register he was no longer listed. The county death register [FHL film #1,845,025] lists the death on 13 Sept., 1890, of a John Simpson, age 55, male, married, “nativity unknown;” cause of death - accidentally run over; reported by Dr. Wm. S. Reade, Coroner. I think this is probably for John Keeny Simpson even though the age is about nine years too young.

2h. So far I have no information on what happened to Nathaniel & Morning’s youngest son, Joshua Simpson. He was listed on the 1850 census as age 10, born MO, in the household of his father in Atchison Co., MO.

3. Joshua Simpson (son of Thomas & Sarah Simpson).

Joshua was born about 1797 in Tennessee and died in 1845 in Wabash County, Indiana. He was married on 5 Aug., 1819, in Wayne County, Indiana, to Betsy Martin, b. ca. 1798 in Kentucky, d. 29 Sept., 1875, and is buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Chester Township, Wabash Co., Indiana. Sometime between 1830 & 1840 Joshua & Betsy moved from Wayne County to Wabash County settling in Chester Township.

After Joshua’s death, Betsy married second on 28 March, 1850, in Wabash County to George N. Neff. George & Betsy continued to live in Chester Twp. of Wabash County where they were listed on the censuses of 1850, 1860 &1870. Betsy was past childbearing age when married to George and all his Neff children were by his first wife.

The known children of Joshua & Betsy (Martin) Simpson were: Jesse H., b. ca. 1820; Aaron M. b. 18 Sept., 1822; George W., b. ca. 1825; James C., b. ca. 1827; Andrew H., b. ca. 1830; Rebecca A., b. ca. 1832; Sophronia H. b. 20 July, 1834; & Louisa, b. ca. 1836.

3a. Jesse H. Simpson was married on 7 April, 1847, in Whitley Co., IN, to Ann M., whose maiden surname is not known to me. Ann was a widow with three Swihart children, the two oldest having been born in Ohio, the youngest in Indiana. Sometime after 1853 Jesse & Ann moved to Iowa. They were listed on the Iowa State Census of 1856 living in Jefferson County, and were still in Iowa when their daughter, Frances T., was born in about Dec., 1859 or Jan., 1860. However, by July, 1860, they were living in Champaign County, Illinois, where they were listed on the US census living in the Village of Tolomo. They were still in that village at the 1870 & 1880 censuses. Jesse & Ann’s children based on the censuses of 1850 through 1880 were: Herbert E., b. ca. 1848; Willis P., b. ca. 1852; Jessie A. (female), b. ca. 1854; Frances T. (female), b. 1859 or 1860; & Lizzie T., b. ca. 1863.

3b. Aaron M. Simpson, b. 18 Sept., 1821, Wayne County, IN, d. 5 Aug., 1896, probably in Monroe Twp. of Kosciusko County, IN. He was married 14 Oct., 1849, in Wabash Co., IN, to Ann M. Hagmire or Hogmire, b. 10 Feb., 1823, in Maryland, d. 10 Jan., 1883. At the 1850 census Aaron & Ann were listed adjacent the household of his mother & step-father in Wabash County. On the censuses of 1860 through 1880 they were listed in Monroe Township of Kosciusko County. The “Combination Atlas Map of Kosciusko County,” published in 1879 by Kingman Brothers has a short biographical sketch of Aaron which stated that he was the first Justice of the Peace in Monroe Township. It also stated that he & Ann had been parents of five children of whom only one, daughter Olive, was still living (1879). The listing of their children is taken from census and cemetery records. They were: Irena, b. 7 Jan., 1851, d. 10 Feb 1860; Daniel J. Simpson, b.17 Feb., 1852, d. 18 Jan., 1876; Amelia B., b. 8 Feb., 1854, d. 22 Feb., 1860; infant daughter, b. & d. unknown; & Olive Prudence, b. ca. 1863. Though all this family probably died on their farm in Monroe Township, Kosciusko County, they are all buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Chester Township of Wabash County, Indiana.

3c. George W. Simpson was born ca. 1825, and was married on 17 Jan., 1847, in Wabash County to Caroline Johnson. On the 1850 census George & Caroline were listed in Wabash County adjacent his brothers Aaron and Jesse H. At the 1860 census they were living in Washington Township of Chickasaw County, Iowa. I have not found this family on the 1870 census but by the 1880 census they were in Beloit Township of Mitchell County, Kansas. I have not found record of this family after the 1880 census.

The children as listed on the censuses of 1850, 1860 & 1880 were: Amanda, b. late 1847; Ellen, b. 1849; Mary, b. ca. 1851; Sophronia, b. ca. 1853; Henry, b. ca. 1855; Betsy, b. ca. 1857; Ida, b. ca. 1861; Ernest, b. ca. 1863; William, b. ca. 1866; Herbert, b. ca. 1868; Katie, b. ca. 1873; & Hattie, b. ca. 1875.

3d. James C. Simpson was born ca. 1827, and was married on 6 Oct., 1851, in Wabash County to Martha Ann Hall. On the 1860 census they were living in Jenkins Township of Mitchell County, Iowa, and on the 1870 were in Ellis Township of Hardin County, Iowa. By 1880 they were living in Plum Creek Township of Mitchell County, Kansas. I do not have record of them after the 1880 census

The known children of James & Martha were: Elizabeth, b. ca. 1852; Susan, b. ca. 1854; Henry, b. ca. 1856; Sarah, b. ca. 1857; Joshua, b. ca. 1859; Andrew, b. ca. 1861; George, b. ca. 1863; John, b. ca. 1868; & Louisa, b. 1870.

3e. Andrew H. Simpson and his family have been the most difficult and confusing of all this Simpson clan to assemble, and there is much uncertainty in the following account. The reader should use it with caution. Andrew was born ca. 1831, and was married to his first wife, Nancy Darrow, daughter of James & Mary Darrow, on 19 Oct., 1851, in Wabash Co., IN. It is certain, based mostly on tombstone data, that they had the following children: Jane, b. 22 Aug., 1852, d. 6 April, 1871; Mary, b. ca. 1854 [based on age at 1860 census; no tombstone known]; Jasper, b. 13 April, 1856, d. 8 Feb., 1870; Newton, b. 17 April, 1858, d. 2 Dec., 1876; George, b. 23 Nov., 18?? [probably 1860; see below], d. 2 June, 1862. The transcription of the tombstone data for George is “George, son of A. H. & N. Simpson died June 2, 1862, age (3)-6-9.” The placing of 3 in parenthesis seems to indicate uncertainty in reading and probably should have been 2 (see discussion below of the 1860 census. These children, excepting Mary, are all buried in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Chester Township, Wabash County, Indiana. The recording of this cemetery is published in “Cemetery Records for Pleasant, Chester and Paw Paw Townships, Wabash County, Indiana,” compiled by Lester H. Binnie, 1970. Additional children of Andrew H. who were probably by Nancy were: Mary, b. ca. 1863; Ida, b. ca. 1866; Arthur, b. ca. 1867, d. 1920, Mitchell Co., KS; & Eva, b. ca. April, 1870.

This family was still in Wabash Co. at the 1860 census living next to Andrew’s mother & step-father, George & Betsy (Martin, Simpson) Neff, but the census entry is confused, listing Andrew as “Alonzo H. Simpson,” and his wife as “Eliza.” The children listed there are: Jane, age 8, Mary, age 6, Jasper, age 4, & Newton, age 2. George is not listed there and was probably born after the census was taken; presumably on 23 Nov., 1860. If the wife in this household was Nancy then there were additional children but if she was a second wife named Elizabeth then the children born after 1860 were her’s. Evidence that she was Nancy is the tombstone for son, George which says he was a “son of A.H. & N. Simpson.

Some researchers on the Darrow family have listed on Ancestry.com that Nancy died 10 May, 1871, in Wabash County though I have not seen any record to confirm that. The 1870 census, taken on 21 July, adds to the uncertainty by listing the children without the parents and in listing all persons by initial rather than by name. These children were still living next to Andrew’s mother & step-father; the same location as at the 1860 census. The listing there was: “Simson,” J[ane]., female, age 18; N(should be M[ary], female, age 16; M(should be N[ewton], male, age 12; M[ary again?], female, age 7; I[da], female, age 5; A[rthur], male, age 3; & E[va], female, age 4/12.

I at first thought that the first Mary may actually have been the Mariah Simpson who was married to Louis Signs on 19 Oct., 1875, in Wabash County. This couple were listed living in North Manchester, a village in Chester Township, at the 1880, 1900 & 1910 censuses. However, a biographical sketch of Lewis Signs in a history of Wabash County states that his wife, Mariah was a daughter of a Richard Simpson. On the 1880 census Mariah indicated her father was born Ohio and on the 1900 that he was born Maine. Thus it is clear she was not a daughter of Andrew H. Simpson.

Andrew was married again on 19 Dec., 1871, in Wabash County to Mary L. Butler. Their children (as known to me at present) were: Fanny G., b. ca. 1872; Nellie M. [listed on the 1900 census as Hellen M., b. Aug., 1876], b. ca. 1876; & a daughter [listed on the 1880 census as unnamed baby (female), but on the 1900 census as “Mary A, daughter, b. April, 1877"] b. ca. 1877. It is unlikely that Andrew would have had more than one daughter named Mary living at the same time (even if by separate wives) so there may be much error in the listing of the children on the census records.

At the 1900 census Andrew, his last wife, & two daughters were listed in Beloit Township of Mitchell County, Kansas. Andrew’s second (or third ?) wife, Mary (Butler) Simpson, died 21 March, 1884, and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Beloit, Mitchell Co., KS. Andrew was married in Mitchell County to his last wife, Lydia Rickard, on 8 Oct., 1885. Andrew died there on 22 Dec., 1904, and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery.

3f. Rebecca A. Simpson was born 15 March, 1832, & died 12 March, 1877. She was married in Wabash Co. on 5 Nov., 1856, to Cornelius McPherson (b. 10 Sept., 1831, d. 28 Jan., 1886). One source on Ancestry.com seems to indicate that both were buried in Spring Creek Cemetery in Kosciusko County. Birth & death dates are copied from “Wise Roots” in Family Trees on Ancestry.com.

The children of Cornelius & Rebecca McPherson as shown on census records were: Samuel, b. ca. 1857; Mary E., b. ca. 1860; Emma R., b. ca. 1862; Oliver M., b. ca 1864; George W., b. ca. 1866; Isaac C., b. ca. 1868; Harriet, b. ca. 1870; Heber N., b. ca. 1872; & Anna L., b. ca. 1876.

3g. Sophronia H. Simpson was born 20 July, 1834 & died 23 May, 1856. She was buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Chester Township of Wabash County, Indiana. The birth date is calculated from the age at death as given on the tombstone.

3h. Louisa Simpson was born 24 Aug., 1836, and died 5 Aug., 1910, in Kosciusko County. She was married in Wabash County on 5 March, 1854, to Nelson B. Norris. Nelson & Louisa were on the censuses on 1860, 1870, &1880 in Monroe Township of Kosciusko County. At the 1900 census Louisa, a widow, was living in the town of Pierceton in Kosciusko County.

Based on census data, Nelson & Louisa Norris had the following children: Alice V., b. ca. 1855; Sophronia E., b. ca. 1857; Edgar W., b. ca. 1860; Jenny A., b. ca. 1864; Anna M., b. ca. 1866; & James W., b. ca. 1868.

4. Thomas Simpson, Jr.

A biographical sketch of Thomas & family was included in “History of Fayette County, Indiana,” published by Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, in 1885. In it he is called “Maj. Thomas Simpson, retired, Waterloo Township,” and his birth was given as 20 June, 1800, in Tennessee. It further states that he was married 2 Aug., 1826, to Joanna S. White, daughter of Joseph & Mary (Heaton) White. It does not say where they were married and I have not located that marriage record.

Thomas & Joanna are buried in Springersville Cemetery in Waterloo Township, Fayette County. From the data on their tombstones their births & deaths are: Thomas b. 20 June, 1800, d. 27 Aug., 1887; & Joanna, b. 2 Dec., 1805, d. 2 Jan., 1896. That cemetery record is published in “Old Cemeteries, Fayette County, Indiana.”

They were listed on the censuses in Fayette County from 1830 through 1880. On the 1880 census the birthplace of Thomas is given as Tennessee, for his father “born Maryland” & mother “born Virginia.” This agrees with the account in the biographical sketch in so far as the birthplace of the father but for the mother he there gave North Carolina. For Joanna it gives birthplace as Ohio, her father born Maryland, & mother born Pennsylvania.

The biographical sketch says that Thomas & Joanna were parents of eight children, “Three of them are now (1885) living: Nancy F. Thompson, Elizabeth W. Cris, and Mira M. Smalley. The deceased are Sarah E., Mary H., Cynthia A., Amanda M. and Salome.” The children’s data as known to me at present is based mostly on census, marriage & cemetery records and is as follows.

4a. Nancy F., b. ca. 1827, married 10 Sept., 1850, Fayette Co., to G. C. W. Thompson.

4b. Sarah E., b. ca. 1829, married 26 Aug., 1849, Fayette Co., to Oliver H. Fullen, probably died between 1850 & 1860, Hendricks Co., Indiana.

4c. Mary H., b. 29 Aug., 1834, died 15 Oct., 1868, buried in Springersville Cem., married 7 Oct., 1860, Fayette Co., to John H. Schriver [Schriber on marriage, but Schriver on censuses].

4d. Elizabeth W., b. ca. 1837, married 27 Dec., 1855, Fayette Co., to John M. Christ.

4e. Cynthia A., b. ca. 1839.

4f. Amanda M., b. unknown, probably died before the 1850 census.

4g. Mira M., b. 1844, d. 1927, buried in Springersville Cem., married 11 Nov., 1862, Fayette Co., to Edward M. Smalley.

4h. Salome, b. unknown, probably died before the 1850 census.

5. William Simpson.

William was born 20 July, 1802, in Tennessee, and died in Fayette County, Indiana, on 7 Feb., 1883. He is buried in the Little Simpson Cemetery, Jennings Township, Fayette County. He was married first to Sarah Turner in Fayette County on 11 April, 1823. The marriage record gives her name as Sarah Sutton but the biographical sketch of their son, Francis M. Simpson, says she was Sarah Turner, daughter of Amos & Sarah Turner. No Amos Turner can be found that matches her parents but an Amos Sutton was listed on the 1820 census near Thomas Simpson in Jennings Township. Other elements of the sketch of Francis M. Simpson exhibit errors and it seems more likely his mother’s maiden name was Sutton rather than Turner. Sarah died 21 July, 1843, and is buried in the Little Simpson Cemetery. William was married second to Ada Gabia (or Galey?) in Fayette County on 3 Nov., 1844. Ada died 2 Oct., 1886, and is also buried in Little Simpson Cemetery.

William & Sarah had 8 known children; John J., b. 30 April, 1824, d. 9 Aug., 1865, Grant Co., IN; William J., b. ca. 1828; Benjamin F., b. 4 Jan., 1830, d. 20 Feb., 1906; Thomas M., b. ca. 1832, d. 16 Jan., 1865; Sarah J., b. 01 March, 1834, d. 6 May 1834 [1833 fide tombstone but that is unlikely]; Elizabeth, b. possibly ca. 1836?; George W., b. ca. 1838; & Francis Marion, b. 15 Sept., 1840.

William & his second wife, Ada (Gabia or Galey?) Simpson had seven known children: Henry C., b. 30 April, 1846; Joshua T., b. ca. 1847; Lydia Jane, b. ca. 1849; Sarah E., b. ca. 1853; Nancy, b. ca. 1859; Daniel, b. ca. 1861; & Oliver P. Morton Simpson, b. ca. 1863.

The children of William & Sarah.

5a. John J. Simpson was married in Wabash County on 5 Dec., 1848, to Phelinda Leach who was born ca. 1830 in Ohio. By the 1850 census they were back in Fayette County, but soon thereafter moved to Pleasant Twp., Grant County, & lived near the Dawson & Sutton relatives. John died in 1865 & is buried in the Whiteneck Cemetery in Pleasant Twp. By the 1870 census Phelinda and the three surviving children were living just a few miles further north in the village of Somerset in the southwest corner of Wabash County. In 1880 as Filenda Simpson she was in Noble Twp., Wabash County with son Francis, age 18, & a daughter, Mary, age 9 (?).

Based on census and cemetery records their children were: William, b. 3 March, 1857, d. 11 Sept., 1864, bur. Whiteneck Cem., Pleasant Twp., Grant Co., IN; Eliza Emeline, b. 13 April, 1858, d. 4 April, 1877, bur. Whiteneck Cem.; Ada, b. ca. 1860; Francis (male), b. ca. 1862; & T. Minnie, b. 9 March, 1863, d. 11 Sept., 1864, bur. Whiteneck Cem.

5b. William Jackson Simpson was married to Sarah Fiant on 16 Sept., 1849, in Fayette County. At the 1850 census they were living in Fayette County next to John & Elizabeth (Simpson) Honeus, and with them were two Fiant women, presumably Sarah’s relatives. At the 1860, 1870 & 1880 censuses they were resident in Ervin Township of Howard County, Indiana.

Their children based on the census records were: Elizabeth H. A., b. ca. 1851; Francis A. (male), b. ca. 1857; Sarah Ellen, b. ca. 1859; William H., b. ca. 1862; & Marion T., b. ca. 1808.

5c. Benjamin F. Simpson, b. 4 Jan., 1830, d. 20 Feb., 1906, is buried in Little Simpson Cemetery, Jennings Township. He was married 31 Aug., 1851, in Fayette County to Melinda Jane Strong, b. 22 Feb., 1831, d.19 Jan., 1899, buried in Little Simpson Cemetery.
There is a biographical sketch of Benjamin on page 316 of the History of Fayette County published by Beers in 1885 (cited above). It states he was the son of William Simpson and that “he was married, August 31, 1851, to Jane, daughter of Richard and Susanna Strong, after which he learned the plasterers’ trade, which in connection with farming, he has followed twenty six years.” It further stated that he had fifteen children “and those now living are Frank, Nancy, Susan, Emma, Charley, John, Thomas, Alvah, Vincent G., Josephine, Rosa. The deceased are Mary, William D., Henry A. and Alice.”

The children based on the listing in the sketch, census, and cemetery records are as follows. Franklin, b. abt 1852; J. A. (daughter), b. 29 Oct., 1853, d. 25 Sept., 1854, [known only from the tombstone listing but possibly the daughter named in the sketch as Mary (?) among the deceased children]; William D., b. 2 Jan., 1855, 16 Jan., 1857; Nancy, b. ca. 1856; Susan, b. ca. 1858; Henry A., b. 2 Dec., 1860, 11 March 1875; Emma, b. ca. 1862; Adda, b. 1 Feb., 1864, d. 26 Aug., 1864 [possibly the Alice mentioned in the sketch?]; Charles, b. ca. 1865; John, b. ca. 1867; Alva, b. ca. 1869; Thomas O., b. 1871, d. 1923; Vincent G., b. ca. 1873; Josephine, b. ca. 1875; & Rosa, b. ca. 1879.

5d. Thomas M. Simpson, b. 8 April, 1832, d. 16 Jan., 1865. These dates are from the listing by Jes Simpson in Ancestry.com. The biographical sketch for his brother, Francis Marion Simpson, said his Thomas M. Simpson died of disease contracted in the army.

5e. Sarah J. Simpson, b. 1 March, 1833, d. 6 May, 1833, buried in Little Simpson Cemetery; known only from the cemetery record.

5f. George W. Simpson, b. ca. 1838. The sketch for Francis Marion Simpson says that George W. died of disease contracted in the army.

5g. Francis Marion Simpson, b. 15 Sept., 1840, was married

The children of William & Ada.

5h. Henry C. Simpson was born 30 April, 1846, died 28 May, 1896, buried in Springersville Cemetery in Waterloo Township, Fayette County. He was married 21 Dec., 1867, in Fayette Co., to Narcissa S. Monger who was born 4 June, 1845, d. 17 Aug., 1887, also buried in Springersville Cem.

5i. Joshua T. Simpson, b. 1847, d. 1924, married on 3 Sept., 1868, Fayette County, to Mary Elizabeth Spitler. Further data on this couple & their descendants is to be found in Jes Simpson’s Family Tree on Ancestry.com.

5j. Lydia Jane Simpson
5k. Sarah E. Simpson
5l. Nancy Simpson
5m. Daniel Simpson
5n. Oliver P. Morton Simpson

6. Sarah (Simpson) Sutton.

Sarah was born about 1804 in Ohio. Her death date is uncertain. A listing of this family on Ancestry.com by Stacy Cox gives her death as 1883 but without location or source citation. She was married in Fayette County in 1823 to Platt Sutton who was born in Dauphin County, PA, in 1795, and died in Grant County, Indiana, in 1864. He is buried in the Prickett Cemetery in Pleasant Township, Grant County. Sarah’s place of death and burial is not yet known to me.

On the 1830 census Sarah was listed as head of household living in Fayette County, Indiana, but by the 1840 census Platt was listed as head of household and living in Grant County, Indiana. On the 1850 & 1860 censuses they were living in Pleasant Township of Grant County.

Sometime prior to the 1840 census Platt & Sarah moved to Grant County, Indiana where they settled in Pleasant Township not far from where Sarah’s sister, Tabitha (Simpson) Dawson was living. Platt received a patent for a quarter section of land in Pleasant Township in 1849 but they probably were living on it long before the date of the patent.

The children of Platt & Sarah (Simpson) Sutton as known to me at present were: Sarah Jane, b. abt 1832; Elizabeth, b. ca. 1834; Thomas, b. 04 April, 1836, d. 5 Dec., 1869; Electa, b. ca. 1838; William H., b. ca 1840; Jessie P., b. 11 Dec., 1842, d. 6 April, 1848; John, b. ca. 1843; Amanda, b. ca. 1847; Nancy J., b. ca. 1850; & Mary E., b. ca. 1852. There were probably about three of four other children born 1824 to 1830 for whom I have no information.

7. John Simpson was born about 1807 in Ohio & died 1866 in Montgomery County, Indiana. He was married in Franklin County, Indiana, on 16 Aug., 1828, to Mariah Bastion who was born ca. 1809 in New York. They were probably the couple listed as John Simpson on the 1830 census of Franklin County but by the 1840 census they were listed in Crawfordsville in Montgomery County, Indiana. On the 1850 & 1860 censuses they were listed in Union Township of Montgomery County.

John & Mariah had no children of their own but from the censuses it appears they raised other children. On the 1850 census their household included David Laughlin, age 10; Josiah Sampson, age 10; and Susan Sampson, age 8. On the 1860 census Mariah is listed as Mariah C. Simpson and in the household were Susan Sampson, age 18, and John H. Sampson, age 1 year. John Simpson left a will in Montgomery County made & probated in 1866 in which he named his wife as “Christie Ann Maria Simpson,” and adopted boy, John Henry Simpson. On the 1870 census the household is listed as “Christian Simpson, female, age 61, b. NY; John Simpson, age 11, b. Indiana; Anthony Bastion, age 57, b. NY; & Henry Bastion, age 14, b. IN. I have not found any of these people on the 1880 census.

8. Henry Simpson

Henry Simpson was born 14 May, 1809, in Ohio, & died 27 Oct., 1858, in Fayette County, Indiana. He is buried in Little Simpson Cemetery, Jennings Township, Fayette County. He was married in Union County, Indiana, on 2 Feb., 1830, to Malinda E. Lemmons who was born ca. 1813, in Kentucky, died 30 Nov, 1891, and is also buried in Little Simpson Cemetery.

This couple were in Jennings Twp., Fayette Co., at the 1840 & 1850 censuses. Sometime after John’s death Malinda moved to Champaign County, Illinois where she was listed on the 1860 & 1870 censuses but by 1880 she was living with daughter Margaret back in Fayette County, Indiana. Malinda left a will in Fayette County which mentioned her children and some of the grandchildren as well at their location at the time of writing the will in 1891.

The children as recorded on the censuses, cemetery records, and in Malinda’s will were: Thomas L., b. ca. 1830; Jefferson, b. 21 Sept., 1832, d. 8 June, 1853, buried in Little Simpson Cem.; Sarah E., b. ca. 1835; James H., b. ca. 1837; Mary Jane, b. ca. 1839; Margaret E., b. ca. 1841; Robert D., b. ca. 1844; John A., b. ca. 1846; Tabitha A., b. ca. 1849; & Samantha J. who is known only from the cemetery record of Little Simpson Cemetery where she is listed as “Samantha J. daughter of H. & M. Simpson,” without dates.

9. Elizabeth (Simpson) Honeas.

Elizabeth was born 29 Sept., 1811, died 16 Aug., 1898, & is buried in Little Simpson Cemetery. She was married 24 Dec., 1835, in Fayette County to John Honeas who was born 11 Aug., 1811, died 6 Jan., 1886, & is also buried in Little Simpson Cem.

John & Elizabeth resided in Jennings Twp., Fayette Co., near her parents and are listed there on the censuses of 1850, 1860, etc. On the 1880 census Elizabeth was listed as born in Indiana, father born Georgia, & mother born Virginia.

Their children as listed in censuses and cemetery records were: William Henry, b. Jan., 1838, d. 16 Dec., 1914; Sarah Ellen, b. 4 April, 1841, d. 10 April, 1871, bur. Little Simpson Cem.; Thomas, b. ca. 1843; Peter, b. 13 May, 1845, d. 19 Dec., 1871, bur. Little Simpson Cem.; James B., b. ca. 1847; Mary E., b. Sept., 1849, d. 8 March, 1857, bur. Little Simpson Cem.; Nancy A. b. 18 July, 1851, d. 20 June, 1854, but. Little Simpson Cem.; & John, b. ca. 1853.

10. Jesse Simpson.

Jesse is mentioned as a child of Thomas & Sarah in the sketch of Thomas, Jr., (see above) but without further data. The only dates for Jesse that I have seen are those posted by Jes Simpson in his Family Tree on Ancestry.com, where he gives Jesse as born May, 1813, died 27 March, 1816. I have not seen the source of this information.

11. Solomon Simpson.

Solomon Simpson was born 15 Feb., 1815, & died 14 May, 1887, in Howard County, Indiana. He was married 15 Oct., 1835, in Union Co., IN, to Lovicia Conaway who was born 27 Feb., 1817, & died 5 April, 1876, in Howard County.

Solomon Simpson was a physician, farmer, & merchant in the Village of West Liberty in Union Township of Howard County, Indiana. The published work called “Counties of Howard and Tipton, Indiana, Historical and Biographical,” edited by Charles Blanchard and published by F. A. Battey & Co., Chicago, 1883, had a detailed biographical sketch which includes the listing of his children with their birth dates. Of special interest in the sketch is the following statement.
Dr. Solomon Simpson, one of the prominent farmers and merchants of West Liberty, is the youngest of a family of eleven children born to Thomas and Sarah (Mabray) Simpson, natives of Georgia and Virginia, and of English descent. Thomas Simpson came to Indiana in 1809, and settled upon the creek now bearing his name, in Fayette County. His father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war under Gen. Marion, and he was a soldier in the war of 1812. Mr. Simpson remained upon his farm, near Connersville, until his death in 1847. Dr. Simpson was born February 15, 1815, and was reared on the farm. At the age of twenty, he was married to Lovicia Conaway, born February 27, 1817, daughter of James & Sarah (Sparks) Conaway, natives of South Carolina, and of English descent. Shortly after his marriage Mr Simpson began the study of medicine, and soon entered into a practice which he continued for about forty years, twenty-five of which were spent in Rush County; he sold his farm in 1865, came to Howard County, and purchased 200 acres of land north of West Liberty, where he now resides.”

Their children were: Marilda J., b. 4 Sept., 1836; Mary H., b. 10 Jan., 1838; Daniel W., b. 19 Oct., 1839 or 1840 (?); Sarah A., b. 13 Dec., 1842; R. Henry Lee, b. 4 July, 1845; Marshal T., b. 28 Aug., 1847; John C., b. 2 Feb., 1851; James T., b. 18 Nov., 1852; Solomon Franklin, b. 23 Nov., 1854; Lovicia A. b. 8 July, 1857; & Nancy C., b. 18 June, 1859. The children’s births are given in the sketch cited above.