While working on the descendants of Thomas & Sarah (Maberry) Simpson of Fayette County, Indiana, I recently came across the following.
Among the children of Nathaniel & Morning (Ramsey) Simpson were:
Maria, b. ca. 1824,
Jesse F., b. ca. 1834, &
John K. b. ca. 1836.
Maria was married in Atchison Co., MO, in 1847 to Benjamin Fugitt. The 1850 census shows that they had a daughter, Emily, born 1848 in MO, then daughter Elizabeth born ca. July, 1850 in Nebraska Territory. They were listed on 28 Sept., 1850, on the 1850 census living in Diamond Springs, El Dorado County, California. Living with them was Maria's brother Jesse F. Simpson, age 16. Jesse & Benjamin were listed as miners; obviously they had joined the gold rush to California and were living in a mining camp at Diamond Springs.
Jesse was listed twice on the 1850 census; the first was on 26 August when he was in his father's household in Atchison Co., MO, and the second on 28 Sept. when he was with the Fugitts in El Dorado Co., CA. Presumably they had traveled together and probably in company with one of those immigrant trains by wagon across the plains and mountains. I did not know they could do it in a month's time but it is possible that they left before the census was taken in Atchison County in August and Jesse was listed there even though not at home. At any rate if Elizabeth was born in July in Nebraska Territory (presumably the area just across the Missouri River from Atchison County, MO) they did the trip between her birth and 28 Sept. when they were enumerated in Diamond Springs. Imagine them starting off when Maria had an infant of less than a month age and a 2 year old child as well.
It appears that within 3 years they had moved together to the area just north of Stockton in San Joaquin County where they were farming. On 01 January, 1854, Jesse F. Simpson was married in San Joaquin County to Sarah J. Thompson. Sometime in the 1850's they were joined by their brother, John K. Simpson; he had been 14 at the 1850 census and presumably too young to join them on their move to California, but followed later. He was married in San Joaquin County 07 Nov., 1859, to Roxana Clark. At the 1860 census the Fugitt and two Simpson families were all living in Elkhorn Township of San Joaquin County. By the 1870 census Jesse & Sarah were living in Stockton while the Fugitts & John K. & Roxana were in Liberty Twp [possibly created out of Elkhorn ?]. Living with the Fugitts was Samuel Clevenger who was married ca. 1846 somewhere in Missouri to Elizabeth Simpson their older sister. I do not find Elizabeth nor their son George W. Clevenger (he was age 3 on the 1850 census Atchison Co., MO) on the 1860 census and assume that Samuel was a widower.
On the 1880 census still in San Joaquin County was John Fugitt, son of Benjamin & Maria but presumably his parents had died. None of the Simpsons were there and I have not yet found what happened to John K. & Roxana (Clark) Simpson. Jesse F. & Sarah (Thompson) Simpson were then living in Jackson County, Oregon and court records indicate that in early 1888 they were living about 2 miles out of Jacksonville which is about 3 miles west of Medford. I do not find record of them after that though their children were married there and some remained long after.
This tidbit is historically interesting because of their participation in the Gold Rush to California. However, it is just a small part of the material I have been able to gather on the descendants of Thomas & Sarah (Maberry) Simpson. I am working bit by bit on a summary account of these families but it may be some time before it is ready to be shared. I have done some research on the question of Thomas Simpson's origin and find that the claim he was born in Maryland is not certain and other points of origin are mentioned in other sources. However, I will not take the time to discuss this just now.
More when I can get to it.
Don
Notes regarding Thomas & Sarah (Maberry) Simpson of Fayette County, Indiana found in The Simpson Clan newsletter :
Vol. II, No. 6, June / July 1987 page 9 by Nancy Schonemann of St. Joseph, Missouri:
Wish information on parents of Thomas Simpson b. 18 Feb 1773. Thomas born in Pennsylvania or Maryland. Parents of Sarah Elizabeth MABRY (MAYBERRY) b. 25 Jan. 1774 North Carolina. Thomas and Sarah wed ca. 1793 in North Carolina, lived in North Carolina and Tennessee, possibly in vicinity of Clinch River in eastern Tennessee, removed to Harrison, Hamilton Co., Ohio ca. 1805 before settling ca 1809 in Jennings Twp., Fayette Co., Indiana...
Nathaniel SIMPSON b. ca. 1793 in North Carolina or Tennessee web Morning RAMSEY in Brookville, Franklin Co., Indiana on 6 Feb. 1817.
Nathaniel, Morning and their children listed in Shelby Co., Indiana census, not yet found in 1840 census.
Nathaniel SIMPSON recorded early as pioneer of Atchison Co., Missouri arrived 21 Nov. 1844.
Nathaniel SIMPSON and sons George W., Nathan Powell, Jessie J., John K. and Joshua are listed in the Atchison Co., Missouri census as living in the household of Samuel & Elizabeth CLEVENGER. Elizabeth CLEVENGER is believed to be the daughter of Nathaniel SIMPSON.
Nathan Powell SIMPSON b. 23 May 1833 is only son of Nathaniel SIMPSON who remained in Atchison Co., Missouri.
Vol. V, #2 Fall 1989, page 14 by Nancy Schonemann of St. Joseph, Missouri:
Thomas SIMPSON b. 18 Feb. 1773 Maryland (near what is now Columbus, Pennsylvania); d. 5 Feb. 1848 near Alquina, Fayette Co., Indiana; md. Sarah Elizabeth MABRY / MARBY / MAYBERRY ca 1792 North Carolina.
Children:
Nathan b. ca. 1793 North Carolina/ Tennessee
Tabitha b. 1794
Joshua b. 1795
Thomas J. b. 20 June Tennessee
William b. 1802 Tennessee
John b. 180(?) Tennessee
Henry H. b. 14 May1809 Harrison Co., Ohio
Elizabeth b. 29 Sept. 1812 Fayette Co., Indiana
Jessie b. 10 May 1813 Fayette Co., Indiana
Soloman b. 15 Feb. 1815
Nathan SIMPSON b. 1793 North Carolina or Tennessee, md. Morning RAMSEY 6 Feb 1817.
Children:
Ermilla b. 22 Feb. 1818 Indiana
Sarah b. 22 Feb. 1818 Indiana
Thomas b. 15 Aug. 1820 Indiana
Elizabeth b. 13 Apr. 1823 Indiana
Marean b. 8 Feb. 1824 Indiana
Sabetha Ann b. 27 Oct. 1828 Indiana
George W. b. 8 Feb. 1830 Shelby Co., Indiana
Nathan Powell b. 23 May 1832 Shelby Co., Indiana
Jessie J. b. 28 Apr. 1834 Shelby Co., Indiana
John K. b. 25 May 1836 Shelby Co., Indiana
Joshua b. 7 Nov. 1837 Shelby Co., Indiana
Note: There may be errors in this data and verification or corrections may be posted in the future. Please use with caution.
