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Jasper County, Iowa
Historical and Genealogical Data Exchange
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George
W. Simpson George
W. Simpson is a name known to every one who has any acquaintance whatever with
the business history of Newton and Jasper County, for he has long filled an
active place in the industrial affairs of this locality, and as an enterprising,
far-sighted and energetic man whose judgment is seldom at fault. His influence
has made for the substantial up building of the community and he has earned the
good will and esteem of a wide circle of friends. Mr.
Simpson was born November 7, 1859, at Westfield, Poweshiek County, Iowa, and he
is the son of John and Elizabeth (Patrick) Simpson, natives of Ohio, the father
of Scotch descent and the mother of Irish.
The elder Simpson began life as a farmer, but after coming to Iowa he
preached as an ordained minister in the United Brethren church.
While living near Kellogg he had three charges, one of which was forty
miles west of Des Moines. Every two
weeks he drove eighty miles to preach and back again after the services.
For this service he was paid sixty dollars a year.
This one instance casts a strong side light upon the inherent strength
and beauty of the father's character and readily reveals why he was one of the
best beloved men in the County. All his life was spent in good works. The
family came to Iowa in 1834, first settling near Dubuque and about a year later
came on to Westfield. For years the
father conducted a tavern on the old stage road between Iowa City and Des
Moines, and he ran a general store in connection with the same.
He also bought and shipped cattle and hogs extensively, often driving
droves of hogs as far as Iowa City to market, which place was at that time the
western terminus of the Rock Island system. After
selling the tavern, he bought a farm three and one half miles southeast of
Kellogg, and there he made his home until 1873, when he retired from farming and
he and his son W. S. started a general store in Kellogg, which they sold after
conducting it until 1876, whereupon the father retired.
His death occurred in Kellogg in 1906, at the advanced age of eighty-six
years; the mother is still living in that town, being now eighty-seven years
old. John Simpson was a local
politician of more than ordinary influence and he was for years mayor of
Kellogg, the last time when past eighty years, making one of the best officials
the town ever had. He was a loyal
Republican and served his township in many capacities, always in a manner that
reflected much credit upon himself and to the entire satisfaction of all
concerned. Eight
children were born to John Simpson and wife, of whom six are living, namely:
Thomas J. died in California, at the age of fifty-six years; Wallace W. died in
Kellogg, at the age of twenty-two years; W. S. is an eye and ear specialist in
Des Moines; A. J. owns and operates the home place of two hundred and forty
acres; T. L. resides in Kellogg, owning the only hotel there, and also has two
farms; Sarah E. is the wife of James Bennett and lives in Kellogg; George W. of
this review; L. E. is a retired farmer and resides in Kellogg. George
W. Simpson began railroading in 1876 as water boy on the construction of the
Rock Island. Two years later he
began working with the steam shovel gang in Missouri. Then in the fall of 1879 he began braking on the Rock Island
road, in Missouri, remaining two and one-half years. From that state he went to
Ogden, Utah, then the western terminus of the Union Pacific road, with his
headquarters at Evanston, Wyoming. After
about a year he was transferred to Idaho and given a train.
This he conducted but a short time, when he was placed in the yards at
Pocatello, Idaho, as yard master. All
told, he worked twenty-three months for the Union Pacific.
He then went to San Francisco and other points on the Pacific coast, then
returned east, and began braking out of Trenton, Missouri, continuing at this a
year and a half, after which he ran a train several years, being a conductor
both on a freight and a passenger. He
was in many wrecks and saw much hard service, a great deal of it under the
old-fashioned style of apparatus, before the days of safety devices and modern
improvements. In making an
old-fashioned coupling he was injured, losing a part of his hand.
He was in a bad wreck in January before quitting the railroad business in
February. At one time he worked for the Wabash railroad three months, but most
of his long service was with the Rock Island and Union Pacific.
He became widely known in railroad circles and was regarded as a
faithful, honest and capable employee. Mr.
Simpson was formerly a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen and was its
first delegate ever sent to the grand lodge at San Antonio, Texas. Later,
however, he dropped it for the Order of Railway Conductors, of which he is now a
dimitted member. After
he quit railroading Mr. Simpson purchased an eighty-acre farm near Kellogg, on
which he spent nine years, then sold out and bought one hundred and fifty acres,
in Kellogg township which he farmed three years; selling this, he purchased one
hundred and forty-three acres in Newton Township. After living here three years
he sold it for one hundred sixty-two dollars and fifty cents per acre, then
purchased the one-fourth city block in the heart of the business district of
Newton where he has a feed store and hitch yard, which is doing a large
business. Besides this property, he
owns a splendid modern residence in Newton and valuable farming interests in
Dickerson County. On
March 31,1887, Mr. Simpson was united in marriage with Mattie E. Stringer, of
Missouri, and the daughter of James Stringer and wife, both now deceased; they
were farmers and highly respected in their neighborhood in Missouri. To
Mr. and Mrs. Simpson five children have been born, all of whom are living,
namely: Earl E., born February 26, 1888, is a mail carrier in Newton; Harry V.,
born December 6, 1889, lives in De Soto, Iowa; Guy, born August 24, 1896; Ruth,
born April 26, 1902; Gerald, born February 5, 1905; the last three named being
at home. Mr.
and Mrs. Simpson are members of the Methodist church, and active and sincere
workers therein. Mr. Simpson is at present third vice-president of the Methodist
Brotherhood. He has in the past
been a trustee in the church and was assistant superintendent of the Sunday
school two years and teacher of the men's class one years.
While in the country he was superintendent of the Sunday school three
years. He is a member of Central
Lodge No. 73, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Newton, being its present
treasurer. In January 1903, he
joined as a charter member the Knights of Pythias lodge at Trenton, Missouri,
later transferring his membership to Lodge No. 76 at Kellogg, Iowa, in which he
has passed all the chairs except those of outer guard and prelate. At this time he is a member of the Newton lodge, which he has
represented in the grand lodge several times.
He was a delegate from the Kellogg lodge to the grand lodge at Council
Bluffs. Both he and his wife are
members of the Rebekahs, and Mr. Simpson is a member of the Modern Brotherhood
of America, of which he is secretary. Mr. Simpson has served on the school board
of Buena Vista Township for three years and as road supervisor for two years. He
also served two years as clerk of Newton Township. He is regarded as one of
Jasper County's useful and representative men. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 616. |
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