Simpson - Alfred
Source: History of Montgomery County, Indiana. Indianapolis: AW Bowen, 1913
(1913) p
719
Another of the native sons of Montgomery County who has been
content to remain in his native community is Alfred L. Simpson, a
contented and hard working farmer of Union Township. We like to
see so many of the people of a county who are native born. It
indicates a good many things chief of which is the fact that it
shows stability without which no country can get very far. Of
course, the infusion of new blood from other localities
stimulates competition, scatters broadcast new ideas, and assists
in the furtherance of the general welfare, but after all it is
the people who are contented to remain on their ancestral hills
and in their home valleys that contribute the most to a thriving,
settled country. For example, in Virginia, where the only true
aristocracy of American civilization exists, that is the right
kind of aristocracy, we find families whose progenitors first
located there several centuries ago members of which family have
remained continuously there from generation to generation.
Mr.
Simpson was born in Montgomery County, Indiana Dec 25, 1848. He
is a son of Alfred and Emma D. Hoffman Simpson, a highly
respected old family who came here when the country was new, in
fact, they were among the very early settlers, and here they
established the future home of the family in the wilderness
through hard, persistent work. They were the parents of five
children, namely: John, William, Sarah, Alfred (our subject) and
Albert. The father of the above named children moved to Iowa,
where he spent the rest of his life and where his death occurred.
Mr. Simpson grew to manhood on the home farm and there he
assisted with the general work when a boy. He received such
education as the early schools afforded. Early in life he began
farming for himself and this has continued to be his chief life
work, and he is now very comfortably located on a good farm in
Union Township on which he makes a good living and has a pleasant
home. Mr. Simpson was married in 1875 to Jemima Hitch, daughter
of William and Ellen (Iles) Hitch. Her father was from Kentucky
and her mother from England. They were among the early settlers
of Montgomery County. Three children have been born to our
subject and wife, namely: Daisy Ellen, who married Richard Allen;
Rex E. lives in Union Township and Winnie V.
Politically, Mr.
Simpson is a Progressive, but he has never been active in public
affairs, nor held office. Fraternally, he belongs to the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Free & Accepted
Masons, both at Darlington. - typed by kbz